Legacy of grace and grit
Saratoga Springs
The namesake of one of the city's notable restaurants, and the first woman of color to graduate from Skidmore College, recently died at the age of 92.
Mia Mouzon Grocé, who died Aug. 23 and whose memorial services were conducted last week, was poised, well-spoken and fearless, according to those who knew her best. She was a presence, a beautiful and smart diva.
The way Mia carried herself was her armor — a defense against the racism she endured as a child growing up in Saratoga Springs in the 1920s and '30s. The experience left scars Mia felt all of her long life.
Mia graduated from Skidmore in 1947. The school administrators initially rebuffed her.