Summary: For much of the 20th century, Willie Otey Kay was a household name among the fashion-conscious in Raleigh. The designer and dressmaker crafted one-of-a-kind fashion for women to wear to weddings, debutante balls, and other formal events. But her own life was not always so glamorous. Her dressmaking career began out of necessity after she was widowed with five children. And despite her talent and creativity, Kay, an African-American in the Jim Crow South, had to navigate challenging racial
