Jeanette Ruth (Temple) Dandridge was born Feb. 27, 1912 in Topeka, Kansas. She graduated from Topeka High School in 1929 and, in 1933, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Washburn University. She then taught at both the Kansas Vocational School and at Monroe Elementary. Dandridge then earned a Master's degree from Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.) in 1942. She went on to teach from 1942-1953 at Barber Scotia College (Concord, NC), Langston University (Oklahoma), Morgan State University (Maryland), and Storer College (W. Virginia). From 1959-1975 Dandridge taught at Washburn University. In December 1952 she married Milburn Dandridge; the couple had one daughter, Deborah. Milburn Dandridge died Sept. 27, 1977 and Jeanette (Temple) Dandridge died April 22, 2001.