Hot Springs Hidden Figure: Jacquelyn Muriel Price Atkins
Updated: Feb 10, 2021
Jacquelyn was born and raised in Hot Springs, AR by her parents, John and Helen Price. "Jackie", who was well known for her operatic mezzo-soprano vocals, moved to New York as a young woman to pursue a career in music, attending The Juliard School and performing in various venues in the New York circuit.
After several years studying and performing, she returned home to Hot Springs where she married George "Pete" Atkins, with whom she had her one and only child, Nina Felice Atkins. When she returned home from New York, Jackie worked as a cosmetologist and owned a beauty shop, Jackie's Beauty Nook, until she was forced to change careers due to arthritis and other health effects of the beauty industry at the time. She earned a degree in Education from Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical & Normal School (now known as the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff-UAPB), at which time she became a reading specialist for Southwest Junior High School (now Hot Springs Junior Academy), and inspired countless students to realize their full academic potential.
She was very active in her community, especially her church, Historic Visitors Chapel A.M.E Church, where she was a member of the choir, usher board, and women's missionary efforts. She was also actively involved in a local women's social club- The Moonglow Club, as well as Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Those who knew her described her as a "classy lady", always willing to give of herself for others.
