Marie Allen, Memories of Her Mother

In this excerpt from early 2021 Zoom interview, Marie speaks with love and admiration about her mother, Mary Frances Redmond Bolling, who lived her life with focus and determination to maintain her independence and raise her three daughters on her own.
That example of the value of hard work and giving to others, influenced Marie’s decisions about her own life path. She earned a Master’s degree in Administration and Management, and was the first person-of-color to work as a secretary at the University of Chicago, Harvard University and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. As a life-long community activist, she served as the Governor’s Appointee to the Martha’s Vineyard Commission from 1979 - 1999. She also participated in and led numerous community boards, including the Boston NAACP, the Martha’s Vineyard Branch of the NAACP, Island Elderly Housing, and the Oak Bluffs Board of Assessors.
For more information about the oral history collection at the Martha's Vineyard Museum visit mvmuseum.org