Eartha M. M. White hosted a children’s Christmas party at the Clara White Mission in Jacksonville on this date in 1963. This was one of many events and organizations that Miss White either supported or began throughout her long lifetime of humanitarian aid (she died at the age of 97). White was a native of Jacksonville and she and her mother, Clara, were tireless supporters of the poor and disadvantaged populations of Duval County. The children’s Christmas celebration was a way for the poorest children in Duval County to receive gifts and celebrate the holiday. Miss White was also a successful entrepreneur and civic leader. She ran several businesses whose profits went back into her humanitarian efforts. She was inducted into the Florida Women’s Hall of Fame in 1986.
~Florida Historical Society
