Thelma Davidson Adair

Adair was born Thelma Cornelia Davidson in 1920 in Iron Station, North Carolina, one of six children. She lived there while in elementary school. Her family subsequently moved to Kings Mountain, North Carolina. She married Reverend Dr. Arthur Eugene Adair and they moved to New York City in 1942. He became a Senior Pastor of Mount Morris United Presbyterian Church (UPC). Adair was an affiliated graduate from Barber–Scotia College (Concord, North Carolina) and Bennett College (Greensboro, North Carolina). She earned a master's degree and Doctorate of Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. ==World War II==

Like many African Americans and Americans, Adair participated in the World War II efforts at home and abroad. She worked in a war plant. She inspected radar tubes. She was also a young mother at the time. She described her experience: ==Career==

Adair was an organizer for West Harlem Head Start Programs. In 1944 she was an organizer for Mt. Morris UPC's Project Uplift, a precursor to the Arthur Eugene and Thelma Adair Community Life Center Head Start. The center services more than 250 children throughout various locations in Harlem. Adair has published and written numerous articles on early childhood education. Her publications are authoritative guides for early childhood educators throughout the United States. In 1976, Adair was elected as a Moderator of the General Assembly for the Presbyterian Church, the first black woman to attain this role, travelling to 115 countries during her term. She was one of the original founders of Presbyterian Senior Services, and was a participant with the Fellowship of the "Least Coin", a worldwide prayer movement. She was president of Church Women United from 1980 to 1984. ==Later life and death==

She was honored in 2011 by Congressman Charles Rangel. She attended the Selma, Alabama, 50th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery marches across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Adair died on August 21, 2024, at the age of 103. ==Awards==

• The Thelma C. Adair Award on Presbyterian Senior Services • Barber-Scotia Alumni Award for Meritorious Service in the Field of Education • Columbia University, Teacher's College Distinguished Alumni Award • United Negro College Fund Distinguished Award for Outstanding Service and Commitment of Higher Education • 1986 Recipient of Women of Faith Award from the Presbyterian Church • 1991 Recipient of National Association of Presbyterian Clergywomen Women of Faith Awards • 2008 Recipient of the Medal of Distinction Barnard College • 2011 recipient of the Maggie Kuhn Presbyterian Church Award ==References==