Dr. Anna Porter Burrell; "A Quiet Break Through." (Biography‪)‬

When we look at how change comes about in society, we often look to major events or prominent persons and attribute change to them. For example, when we think of desegregation, the famous court case Brown vs. Board of Education (1954) comes to mind. Further, we associate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., with the success of The Civil Rights Movement. Yet, change is a progressive process and takes place over time. It is often a slow process that is the culmination of the acts of many ordinary people who are not well known. Therefore, it is important to investigate "smaller" events, those on the local and regional level, and the people involved in them, to understand how change takes place over time. One such person worthy of study is Dr. Anna Porter Burrell. Dr. Burrell was the first African American faculty member to be hired at Buffalo State College. Hired in 1948, she set the precedent at the college for hiring African American faculty. Setting the precedent or being the "first" involves tremendous responsibility. She carried her responsibility well and opened the door so that others could follow. Dr. E. O. Smith, chair of the History and Social Studies Department at Buffalo State College, referred to Burrell's success at the college as a "quiet break through." (2) This remark was in no way intended to make light of her accomplishments. Quite the opposite is true, it described her ability to break through and overcome barriers in her professional career.