Lella Pullens: Opening the Door In 1924, an 18-year-old young woman placed a short advertisement in the Columbus Dispatch. She was new to the city and looking for work with a family who would allow her to attend school. “I am a stranger here and would like to complete my education,” the ad read. Her name was Lella Fratona Pullens. Just two years later, in 1926, Pullens made history as the first Black student to graduate from Bexley High School. Pullens came to Ohio from Nashville, where she grew up after being born in Mississippi. Seeking opportunity, she worked as a domestic servant in the home of Columbus attorney and real estate developer Corwin A. Fergus on Brentwood Road. Because the Fergus family lived in Bexley, Pullens was able to enroll in Bexley Schools. She entered Bexley High School as a junior in 1924 and graduated two years later in a class of about 40 students. Pullens was the only Black student in the class. Like many of her classmates, she hoped to attend The Ohio State University and become a kindergarten teacher. After graduation, Pullens returned to Nashville, where she married Maylon Rhodes and started a family. Her life was short; she died in 1933 at age 26 after contracting tuberculosis. Although little is known about her day-to-day experience in Bexley, Pullens’ achievement marked an important moment in the district’s history. By earning her diploma in 1926, she opened the door for the generations of Bexley students of color who would follow. Nearly a century later, her story reminds us that belonging begins with opportunity, and that each step forward helps create a more welcoming future for the students who come next.
Historical research for this article was conducted by Bexley resident, historian, and BHS teacher Dr. Scott King-Owen.
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