Sadie Bell was born in Pontotoc, Mississippi, in 1910, and as a young child moved with her family to Beloit, where she graduated from Beloit High School.

Miss Bell worked at the quality women’s clothing store Clara Stone’s for 22 years and was also employed at Sears, Freeman Shoes, and Carlyle Nursing Home. She is recognized as a pioneer in breaking the color line of her day by becoming a successful retail salesperson—a rare achievement for an African American woman at that time.

Miss Bell embraced a cause early in life, championing equal rights long before the civil rights movements of the 1960s. She served as president of the Beloit chapter of the NAACP for eight years and was steadfast in her dedication to racial equality.

Alongside her cousin Rubie Bond, Sadie was involved in Beloit’s first sit-in by African Americans, held at Kresge’s restaurant. Despite personal threats, she persevered and succeeded in opening the restaurant’s facilities to all Beloiters, regardless of race. Her activism extended far beyond Beloit—she marched in Montgomery, Alabama, at great personal risk, and was present in Washington, D.C., to witness Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic “I Have a Dream” speech.

Yet, there was much more to Sadie than protest and activism. Gentle but determined, she dedicated much of her time to working with disadvantaged children through a nutrition program and later provided similar care to senior citizens. She volunteered for the Salvation Army, Beloit Council of Churches, Beloit Historical Society, and the Visiting Nurses Association.

Miss Bell was a member of the Beloit Business and Professional Women’s Club and was honored in 1980 by the Beloit Daily News as Volunteer of the Month.

Sadie Bell was truly a pioneer in the Beloit community. Her example, personality, and tireless efforts were instrumental in awakening the city to the need for and inevitability of racial equality. She passed away in June 1992 and is buried in East Lawn Cemetery.