Betty Reynolds Cobb

American lawyer

Betty Reynolds Cobb (October 23, 1884 – May 27, 1956) was an attorney, author, and activist. She was one of the first women accepted to the bar, and one of the first female lawyers in Georgia. In 1916, Minnie Anderson Hale, Cobb, and Mary C. Johnson were respectively admitted in the state of Georgia to practice law. Cobb was also an early member of the League of Women Voters. In 1916, her book "Little Boy Black" was published.

Cobb was born on October 23, 1884, in a mostly white neighborhood in Cedartown, Georgia. She was raised by her parents in Carrollton, Georgia, and grew up with her brothers and cousins. During Boyd's reign, a women's dormitory was built in honor of Betty and her accomplishments. Before passing the bar exam, she pursued a career in teaching and earned a living as Associate Editor of the newspaper, Carroll Free Press. Betty was affiliated with the League of Women Voters, Active Voters, and the Fourth District A&M School board of trustees. Every year, outstanding students of the University of West Georgia are awarded the Betty Reynolds Cobb scholarship. Writing was a component of Betty's career. She published "Little Boy Black", a collection of short stories, in 1926. Cobb also served as a secretary to Sidney Holderness. The book was illustrated by John E. Cramer, Jr. The life and southern culture of Carrollton, Georgia, inspired her to write the short story having a Negro, African American boy as the main character. "Little Boy Black" consists of nine short stories: "Little Boy Black", "Ol' Master", "Love and Politics", "Aunt Savannah's White Folks", "Uncle Lige Pleads His Own Case", "The Owl Foretells a Parting", "The Coward", "Miss Julie's Ring", and "Counsel for Defense".

Cobb died in Atlanta, Georgia, May 27, 1956. Her eulogy was delivered in Atlanta and her burial proceeded in Carrollton, Georgia.