By Stephen Rute, WPSD Class of 1974
A native of Pennsylvania, Ida Wynette Gray enrolled at the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf (WPSD) in 1949 and graduated in 1951. She went on to make history as the first Black Deaf woman to enroll at Gallaudet College, breaking significant racial and social barriers. While at Gallaudet, she became the first Black member of Delta Epsilon Sorority and, in 1957, earned her Bachelor of Arts degree, becoming the first Black Deaf woman to graduate from the institution.
Following her groundbreaking academic journey, Ida dedicated her life to education. She began teaching at the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind (FSDB) during a time when the school remained racially segregated. Committed to expanding her skills, she later earned a master’s degree in special education for children with learning disabilities from the University of North Florida. In 1987, she transitioned to teaching preschool and continued until her retirement in 1989, completing 32 years of service. She continues to reside in Florida. Ida’s legacy has been celebrated with numerous honors, including:
- Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, Gallaudet University (2018)
- Distinguished Alumni Award, WPSD Alumni Association (2023)
- Recognition during Women’s History Month, Gallaudet University Alumni Association (2024)
Ida Wynette Gray Hampton’s life is a testament to courage, resilience, and dedication to education and advocacy. Her trailblazing achievements continue to inspire future generations to overcome obstacles and pursue their dreams.
Ida Hampton passed away on May 18, 2026, at the age of ninety in Florida.
Source: Dignity Memorial
Remembering Ida Gray Hampton, the first Black Deaf woman to graduate from Gallaudet
By Jason Eastman, Gallaudet Public and Media Relations Manager
Ida Gray Hampton, ’57, the first Black Deaf woman to graduate from Gallaudet College, passed away on May 19, 2026 in Kissimmee, Florida. She was 90 years old.
Following her historic graduation from Gallaudet, Hampton taught at the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind (FSDB) for 32 years. Her achievements as a student and educator paved the way for future generations of Black Deaf students, and deaf people across the United States.
Early life and Gallaudet
Hampton was born Ida Wynette Gray in Richmond, Virginia on November 13, 1935. According to a short biography by Hampton, she had six brothers and sisters. The family lived in a homestead outside of Richmond. When Hampton was three years old, her father got a job in Pennsylvania. The family moved to Conemaugh Township, near the city of Johnstown.
Hampton became deaf around the age of 14. She believed she was the only deaf person in the world until entering Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf (WPSD) in Pittsburgh. She graduated from WPSD in 1952. That same fall, she entered Gallaudet College (then known as Columbia Institution for the Deaf) at the age of 17.
1952 was a pivotal time in Gallaudet history and Black Deaf history. In February of that year, Mrs. Louise B. Miller and other Black parents with deaf children had sued the District of Columbia. Under D.C. statute at the time, Kendall School for the Deaf, a K-12 institution on the Gallaudet campus, did not accept Black Deaf students. In the landmark case Miller v. Board of Education of the District of Columbia, the court ruled in favor of the Mrs. Miller and the plaintiffs. The same fall that Hampton came to Gallaudet, a class of 24 Black Deaf elementary school students entered the new Kendall School Division II (KDSII) for Negroes on the campus.
At Gallaudet College, Hampton was an active, dedicated student. In 1954, she joined the Delta Epsilon sorority. Later, she reported for the Buff and Blue student newspaper and served as Literary Editor for the Tower Clock yearbook. In 1956, she acted as chairperson of the Women’s Governing Council, which oversaw rules and regulations for women students in the residence halls.
Hampton was selected by her peers to represent Gallaudet on the 1956 “Who’s Who Among American Colleges and Universities” list, which recognized “outstanding leadership, scholastic achievement, and service to the college”.
Hampton received her bachelor’s degree in Education with honors in May 1957. She was the first Black Deaf woman to ever receive a degree from Gallaudet.
Teaching
In the fall of 1957, Hampton began working at FSDB in St. Augustine, Florida. She was one of many Gallaudet teachers at the school. However, FSDB was segregated at the time. Hampton taught English to Black Deaf high school students.
After the Civil Rights Act of 1964, FSDB began integrating its students. Hampton eventually became a middle school teacher. Later, she earned a master’s degree in Special Education of Children with Learning Disabilities from the University of North Florida. The achievement allowed her to become an instructor for FSDB’s newly established special education department.
Hampton retired from FSDB in 1989. As a teacher for the deaf, she introduced generations of deaf children to ASL, as well as being a positive Black Deaf role model for her students. During her remaining years, she dedicated her life to volunteer work.
Legacy
Hampton’s tireless dedication to education and advocacy left a lasting mark on the deaf and hard of hearing community. When Gallaudet hosted a 1987 event celebrating the 100th anniversary of accepting female students, Hampton was one of four alumni invited as part of the opening panel discussion. In 2011, the National Black Deaf Advocates (NBDA) hosted a well-attended event titled “A Conversation with Ida Hampton.”
Gallaudet awarded Hampton an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in 2018. She was praised by that year’s keynote speaker, Dr. Elizabeth Moore, ’81, G-’94, and PhD ’11.
Says Dr. Moore, “Dr. Ida Wynette Gray inspired many students at Gallaudet who researched the experiences of Black deaf graduates and nominated her for an honorary degree, as well as giving her the recognition.”
Gallaudet President Roberta Cordano visited Hampton at her Florida home in 2018. “Ida Gray Hampton was a true pioneer, and it was my great honor to know her. As a young student at Gallaudet College and through her decades of teaching in Florida, she shaped countless lives and embodied the very best of our community.”
Hampton’s memory will continue to serve as inspiration for generations to come. Says Evon Black, ’87, G-’96, & EdS, ’25, Manager of the Center for Black Deaf Studies, “Ida Gray did not simply earn a degree; she helped redefine what Black Deaf excellence looks like. Her legacy is one of resilience, dignity, and hope.”
