"The election of Dora Lee Martin," February 26, 1956

IOWA PRESS CLIPPING BUREAU Des Moines, Iowa Gazette Cedar Rapids, Iowa FEB 26 1956 THE ELECTION OF DORA LEE MARTIN, Houston Negro girl, as SUI queen, gave Iowa worldwide publicity. And it helped to counteract bad publicity on race relations in this country. A former Cedar Rapids resident, Mrs. Frank Bartos, now living in Leopoldville, Belgian Congo, writes to friends here that Dora Lee's picture printed in Congo newspapers caused quite a sensation. Mrs. Bartos wrote: "The natives were flocking into the office asking all sorts of questions. Could she speak French, did they think she would adopt them to be a godmother and would she be able to come over here on a trip?" Mrs. Bartos added that a friend with the U. S. information service remarked that the event was excellent publicity for the United States, especially after the Emmet Till murder case in Mississippi which "was really blown around the Congo." Dora Lee, called. Miss Sooie, (SUI) by the natives, "really put Iowa on the map," Mrs. Bartos said. Mrs. Bartos is the former Beverly Carlson, pharmacist at Paramount Pharmacy for several years and an SUI graduate. A native of Tipton, she and her husband, also of Cedar Rapids, will be back in this country in April. Mr. Bartos is employed by Caterpillar Tractor. His parents are Mr. and Mrs. T. J. Bartos, 2752 Franklin avenue NE. University of Iowa Libraries. University Archives