Betty Reid Soskin was born on September 22, 1921, in Detroit, Michigan. She was a mix of Spanish, French, and African, but identified as black. Betty got married to Mel Reid and they had four kids shortly after graduating high school. She experienced racism and decided to get involved in the civil rights movement. The couple opened up a business called Reid’s Records in 1945. They got a divorce after about 30 years of being married. Betty then married Bill Soskin in 1976 but their marriage ended after just four years. Betty joined the local task force and worked to make less drugs and crime in Berkley after that. She got a job as a businesswoman. After, she helped plan the Rosie the Riveter and World War II National Park in Richmond, California.