Frances was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. She was the daughter of Bernard and Elizabeth Ralph. She and 3 siblings, sister Bertie, brothers Bernard Jr, and James grew up in a household where education was important; the sons were expected to become doctors and the daughters educators. During Frances' education, she became part of the Quaker’s American Friends Service Committee, participating in sit-ins and protests against lynching. Frances also attended New York University to complete her Masters Degree in Teaching. She would become a life long educator from teaching to counseling, where she would retire after 30 years of employment.  

 

Benjamin was also a Baltimore native, sharing a home with his brother Harold and mother, Nancy Paramore. After graduating from high school, Benjamin was drafted to serve in the Army. He was in a segregated unit in World War II, where he faced racism abroad in Germany. After the war he returned to the states and successfully passed the Civil Servants Exam, only to be overtly denied positions as an FBI Agent and US Postal Inspector because of his race. He would become a United States Postal Worker, where he would retire after 30 years of employment.