Dora Franklin Finley was born on October 18, 1952, in Mobile, Alabama. From an early age community service was instilled in her heart. Finley was the eldest daughter of the late James H. Finley, Sr. and Joycelyn Franklin Finley. Her parents were civil rights advocates who taught that each person must contribute to the physical and spiritual health of the community.

As a young woman, Finley participated in Neighborhood Organized Workers (NOW) marches, standing up to intolerance and advocating for equality. She and her mother, the first to teach black history in Mobile public schools, were both arrested along with hundreds of other activists during NOW’s demonstrations in 1969. As a high school junior, Finley formed and was president of the United Student Action Movement. The organization addressed issues regarding African American youth.

With that foundation and guiding principles, Finley moved between working in corporate America to teaching mathematics at John L. Leflore High School in Mobile, Alabama, and eventually spearheading the creation of the African American Heritage Trail in Mobile, Alabama.

After spending more than 30 years working in corporate America and raising a family, Finley’s focus on the welfare of her community became laser sharp. The skills and talents she developed serving 25 years as a logistics manager would be put to good use as she volunteered through her church and various community associations. Finley became a magnet, attracting numerous requests for her support in various community-based projects. Her close friend of 50 years, Sheila Flanagan, stated: “She was an organizer, a diplomat and she just inspired people to work with her and for her. I would tell everyone that I worked for Dora Finley. She inspired people to do what she wanted and she could get folks from all walks of life. I call them ‘Dora converts.’”