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A special
thanks to
Barbara
Nobles
Crawford for
this story.

Remembering Helena Nobles Jones

You may not know her name but please be inspired by her example. Her inspirational journey reminds us that the hope
of tomorrow begins with dedicated visionaries who light the path. We must not forget those people - like Helena Nobles
Jones -- who gave her best so that others may live their dreams.After reading this story, please thank someone who you
feel inspires you to be better and do better.

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Helena Nobles Jones was born on April 15, 1945 in Kinston, North Carolina. She was the third of eight daughters born
to the late LeRoy and Hazel (Gray) Nobles. Helena loved to share how her parents, who were well-respected,
hardworking and economically poor farmers, constantly reinforced education as a priority and the importance of family
for their daughters. There was fervent belief that education “was the ticket” to ensure future prosperity for their
daughters, and position them to give back to others.

After graduating from Frink High School in LaGrange, North Carolina, where Helena was inducted in the National Honor

56Society, Valedictorian of her graduating class, and an all-star athlete playing center position on the Frink Wildcats girls’

basketball team, she received a scholarship to attend North Carolina Central University(NCCU) in Durham, North
Carolina. She was always passionate about becoming an educator, and graduated from NCCU with a B.A. degree in
English in 1957 with distinction. Helena was a member of many organizations in college including the Student
Government Association, Thespian Club, National Education Association and the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. During
her college career, Helena was also determined that the “future would not be the past” for poor people and African
Americans, so she was an active participant in civil rights sit-ins, bus rides and marches to advocate for change.
She was one of six national winners of a Ford Foundation Fellowship that made it possible for her to attend the Ohio
State University, where she received a Master’s Degree in Education Administration in mid-1970. Helena was also a
Rockefeller and Danforth Fellow, and completed executive programs at Harvard, Yale and Vanderbilt Universities.

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