Bertha Holt Views
Bertha Merrill B Holt (August 16, 1916 - June 18, 2010) was an American politician who represented Alamance and Rockingham counties in the North Carolina State House of Representatives from 1975-1993 where she championed North Carolina's failed attempt to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment and led the successful effort to remove the exemption of husbands from the state's rape laws. In addition, she was active in the Episcopal Church and was a founding member of the Alamance Women's Political Caucus and the Woman's Resource Center.
From Alabama Holt moved to Washington, D.C., where she worked for the Treasury and the Department of the Interior.[3] and reconnected with Clary Holt whom she had met at University of North Carolina and would later marry. After World War II Bertha and Clary Holt moved to Burlington, North Carolina, and raised three children, a daughter, Harriet, and two sons, Merrill and Jefferson Holt.
After seeing a documentary film about G.I. babies of the Korean War in orphanages in Korea, the Holts, acting upon their Christian faith, decided they would adopt some of the orphans.[1] Harry began preparations to go to Korea, and Bertha asked a friend how to go about adopting eight children from another country. Learning that it would be possible only if both houses of Congress passed a law allowing it, Bertha said, Then that's what we'll do. [2]
Two months later, the Holt Bill was passed, and in October 1955, Harry and eight children arrived at Portland International Airport. The resulting publicity stirred interest among many families in the United States. The Holts set about helping others to adopt, and what began as a small operation run from Bertha's kitchen table in Creswell (and Harry's hip pocket in Korea) soon became a major movement.
Bertha Holt Images
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