Archives West Finding Aid

Carol June Fink Richman, December 6, 1924-October 31, 2016. Born in Scarsdale NY, she moved to Eugene, Oregon in 1950, and to Seattle five years later when her husband Robert Richman became a professor of philosophy at the University of Washington. She had studied public law, political science and government at the University of Wisconsin and Columbia University. In Seattle she became active in the Madrona PTA and various neighborhood organizations. At the time, the family was advised against moving to Madrona because it was predominantly black, but Carol dedicated her career to ensuring minority and poor children had the same opportunities as their white, wealthier counterparts. She was especially active in groups concerned about the administration of Seattle Public Schools and later planning for school desegregation, and she opposed mandatory transfer. She also helped found the Central Area Motivation Program (CAMP), which is the oldest surviving independent agency originating during the War on Poverty era (1964), and was the first community inspired program in the country to receive funding. Its mission has been to reduce the impact of poverty with all of its related problems. All three of Richman's children grew up to become educators. Richman died on October 29, 2016 in Seattle.