Rosetta Miller Perry

Born Rosetta Irvin, the Pennsylvania native is a world-renowned publisher and civil rights activist. Having studied at Memphis State University, Tennessee State University, Meharry Medical College, Herzl Community College and Cortes Peter’s Typing School, Mrs. Miller-Perry joined the US Navy in 1954 where she worked in the Pentagon and in Germany. She was brought into the United States Civil Rights Commission (USCRC) in 1960 as a clerk typist, then as a field representative. In 1975, Perry became Nashville Area Director of the EEOC, where she remained until her retirement in 1990. After her retirement, she founded Perry and Perry Associates and began her publishing career. In 1992, Perry founded the community-oriented Tennessee Tribune in order to focus on issues like health, education, and voter registration. There is a scholarship in her honor given to a student pursuing journalism at the University of Memphis, as well as a $1,000 award for Best Film at the Nashville Film Festival.