Velma Lawson Cooper was born to sharecroppers in Mansfield, Texas, in 1916. She grew up on a farm and worked picking cotton as a child. Because there was no black high school in Mansfield, she left school. Later, as a young adult, she went to live with other family members on The Hill in Arlington, Texas, working for white families and taking care of their children. In 1941, she married Leonard Cooper and they lived in Arlington on The Hill. When Mr. Cooper was employed by General Motors, they moved to Grand Prairie. After his death, she returned to Arlington where she has been active in the Mount Olive Church.
From the description of Oral history interview with Velma Lawson Cooper, 2000 [audiorecording]. (University of Texas at Arlington). WorldCat record id: 60641856
