Florence M. Rice
Florence M. Rice was born on March 22, 1919, in Buffalo, New York. She is the founder of the Harlem Consumer Education Council. During her childhood, Rice spent several years in the Colored Orphan Asylum and in several foster homes in New York. Upon completion of the eighth grade, Rice left school for work as a domestic seamstress where she became a member of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union. Rice spoke out against the discriminatory practices against African American and Latino workers. She participated in Harlem Congressman Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.’s 1962 congressional hearing, which probed dressmaker union’s policies, and after testifying, she was blacklisted.
In the 1960s, Rice founded the Harlem Consumer Education Council, waging a war against corporations who discriminated against African Americans and other minorities. The Council organized many successful New York City boycotts and picket lines against grocery stories, furniture stores, and individuals found to be overcharging minorities. Rice’s biggest victory was against the New York State Public Service Commission, forcing New York Telephone to stop charging low income residents pre-installation fees. The Harlem Consumer Education Council investigated over 100,000 complaints.
Appointed Special Consultant to the Consumer Advisory Council of the Federal Reserve Board in the 1970s, Rice also taught consumer education at Malcolm-King College and has lectured to thousands at her workshops and seminars. In the 1990s, Rice was responsible for the Bell Atlantic Technology Center in Harlem. The center is dedicated to educating business people, students, senior citizens and other customers about the latest advances in telecommunication technologies. She has lectured in several countries, including South Africa where she was named a delegate in the first World Consumer Congress. Rice continues to work in consumer affairs in New York City where she lives.
A2006.169
Female
6/29/2006 |and| 12/14/2006
Rice
M.
P.S. 040 Samuel Huntington
Oakside School
Florence
Buffalo
RIC12
Winter
New York
Anywhere
Keep The Faith.

New York
3/22/1919
New York
United States
None
Consumer activist and consumer educator Florence M. Rice (1919 - ) founded the Harlem Consumer Education Council, fighting discriminatory practices by businesses and corporations with protests and boycotts. In the 1990s, Rice was responsible for the Bell Atlantic Technology Center in Harlem.
Malcolm-King College
Blue, Red, White
Tape: 1 Story: 1 - Slating of Florence M. Rice's interview, session 1
Tape: 1 Story: 2 - Florence M. Rice lists her favorites
Tape: 1 Story: 3 - Florence M. Rice talks about her parents
Tape: 1 Story: 4 - Florence M. Rice recalls her time in foster care
Tape: 1 Story: 5 - Florence M. Rice recalls P.S. 040 Samuel Huntington in New York City
Tape: 1 Story: 6 - Florence M. Rice recalls Rush Temple African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
Tape: 1 Story: 7 - Florence M. Rice recalls the schools she attended
Tape: 1 Story: 8 - Florence M. Rice remembers her rebellious teenage years
Tape: 1 Story: 9 - Florence M. Rice remembers running away to New York City
Tape: 1 Story: 10 - Florence M. Rice remembers working in New York City as a teenage mother
Tape: 1 Story: 11 - Florence M. Rice recalls placing her daughter in foster care during World War II
Tape: 2 Story: 1 - Florence M. Rice recalls regaining custody of her daughter
Tape: 2 Story: 2 - Florence M. Rice recalls famous African Americans in Harlem, New York
Tape: 2 Story: 3 - Florence M. Rice recalls racial discrimination at New York City department stores
Tape: 2 Story: 4 - Florence M. Rice talks about her political role models
Tape: 2 Story: 5 - Florence M. Rice recalls joining the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
Tape: 2 Story: 6 - Florence M. Rice recalls her abusive ex-husband
Tape: 2 Story: 7 - Florence M. Rice describes her ex-husband
Tape: 2 Story: 8 - Florence M. Rice recalls speaking at Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.'s 1962 congressional hearing
Tape: 2 Story: 9 - Florence M. Rice remembers looking for a job after the congressional hearing
Tape: 3 Story: 1 - Florence M. Rice describes the value of political connections
Tape: 3 Story: 2 - Florence M. Rice recalls the creation of the Bell Atlantic Technology Center
Tape: 3 Story: 3 - Florence M. Rice recalls challenging New York Telephone Company's discriminatory practices
Tape: 3 Story: 4 - Florence M. Rice talks about the Harlem Consumer Education Council
Tape: 3 Story: 5 - Florence M. Rice cautions about speaking against economic racism
Tape: 3 Story: 6 - Florence M. Rice recalls the greatest difficulty in community education
Tape: 3 Story: 7 - Florence M. Rice describes the importance of consumer education
Tape: 3 Story: 8 - Florence M. Rice talks about Roger Toussaint and expectations for black men
Tape: 3 Story: 9 - Florence M. Rice describes influential members of the Harlem community
Tape: 4 Story: 1 - Florence M. Rice describes her hopes and concerns for the African American community in Harlem, New York
Tape: 4 Story: 2 - Florence M. Rice talks about her fight against direct deposit policies
Tape: 4 Story: 3 - Florence M. Rice reflects upon her legacy and how she would like to be remembered
Tape: 4 Story: 4 - Florence M. Rice talks about her mentor, Lugenia Gordon
Tape: 4 Story: 5 - Florence M. Rice talks about the Original Gullah Festival
Tape: 4 Story: 6 - Florence M. Rice describes her advocacy for tenants of her apartment building
Tape: 4 Story: 7 - Florence M. Rice describes changes in the American education system
Tape: 4 Story: 8 - Florence M. Rice reflects upon her most meaningful awards
Tape: 5 Story: 1 - Slating of Florence M. Rice's interview, session 2
Tape: 5 Story: 2 - Florence M. Rice recalls her testimony against the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
Tape: 5 Story: 3 - Florence M. Rice explains how she first became involved in activism
Tape: 5 Story: 4 - Florence M. Rice shares some tips from her book, 'Shopping'
Tape: 5 Story: 5 - Florence M. Rice explains her desire to teach consumer education
Tape: 5 Story: 6 - Florence M. Rice shares tips for educated consumption
Tape: 5 Story: 7 - Florence M. Rice describes her hopes and concerns for the education system
Tape: 5 Story: 8 - Florence M. Rice recalls volunteering to teach at Malcolm-King College
Tape: 5 Story: 9 - Florence M. Rice describes the changes in the American labor market
Tape: 5 Story: 10 - Florence M. Rice talks about racial discrimination in consumer education
Tape: 5 Story: 11 - Florence M. Rice describes other trailblazers in consumer education
Tape: 6 Story: 1 - Florence M. Rice recalls studying at the Henry George School of Social Science
Tape: 6 Story: 2 - Florence M. Rice recalls conducting consumer education conferences
Tape: 6 Story: 3 - Florence M. Rice remembers running on a ticket with Harvey McArthur
Tape: 6 Story: 4 - Florence M. Rice remembers trying to establish a technology center in Harlem
Tape: 6 Story: 5 - Florence M. Rice talks about her radio show on WLIB Radio in New York City
Tape: 6 Story: 6 - Florence M. Rice talks about Dorothy Garrett and her aspirations
Tape: 6 Story: 7 - Florence M. Rice describes the results of her battle with her landlord
Tape: 6 Story: 8 - Florence M. Rice talks about her radio and cable shows
Tape: 6 Story: 9 - Florence M. Rice talks about consumer reports and consumer agencies
Tape: 6 Story: 10 - Florence M. Rice describes the dismantlement of federal consumer protections
Tape: 6 Story: 11 - Florence M. Rice talks about her nephew's business
Tape: 6 Story: 12 - Florence M. Rice describes her concerns about direct deposits and police brutality
Tape: 6 Story: 13 - Florence M. Rice talks about her daughter
Tape: 7 Story: 1 - Florence M. Rice recalls writing a resolution for Son-in-Law Day
Tape: 7 Story: 2 - Florence M. Rice describes her plans and concerns for the future
Tape: 7 Story: 3 - Florence M. Rice talks about gentrification in Harlem
Tape: 7 Story: 4 - Florence M. Rice describes her hopes and concerns for the African American community
Tape: 7 Story: 5 - Florence M. Rice talks about consumer rights groups
Tape: 7 Story: 6 - Florence M. Rice offers advice about the value of kindness
Tape: 7 Story: 7 - Florence M. Rice describes how she would like to be remembered
Tape: 7 Story: 8 - Florence M. Rice talks about the Harlem Consumer Education Council
Tape: 7 Story: 9 - Florence M. Rice narrates her photographs
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