Margaret Hill

Item

Title

Margaret Hill

Rights

California State University, San Bernardino

Creator

Corinne McCurdy (CSUSB Photographer)

Date

2015

Description

Margaret Hill was born in segregated Norfolk, Virginia. She was raised by sharecropper parents and attended school in a one-room building with no electricity or running water. These early challenges fueled her passion for educational equity and social justice.

She moved to San Bernardino, California in 1969 and began her journey in education as a secretary. Over the decades, Hill rose to become a teacher, vice principal, principal, assistant superintendent, and adjunct professor at both Cal State San Bernardino and the University of Redlands. She earned her bachelor’s from Norfolk State University, a master’s in Educational Administration from CSUSB, and an honorary doctorate in Social Justice from the University of Redlands.

A powerful community leader, Dr. Hill served on numerous boards and was honored by organizations such as the NAACP and the California State Legislature. She founded "Mob Mom," encouraging positive student engagement, and wrote two books: "It’s All About the Children" and "From Sharecropping to Non-Stopping."

Active in the Civil Rights Movement, she participated in peaceful sit-ins and continued fighting racism throughout her life in California. In 2019, the San Bernardino City Unified School District named its boardroom the Dr. Margaret Hill Community Room, honoring her lifetime of service and unwavering commitment to youth and justice.

Image Caption: Margaret Hill at the 2015 Pioneer Breakfast in the Santos Manuel Student Union at California State University, San Bernardino.

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