Myrtle Poole Rains was born in Stuart, Florida in 1931. She moved to Belle Glade, Florida in 1937-38 where she lived alongside her parents and three siblings. After high school, she left for college and lived in the states of Mississippi, Kentucky, and Louisiana for a while before she moved back to Belle Glade in 1965. Ms. Rains was an educator her entire life. She had been teaching before desegregation and when schools integrated, her ability to teach and work for whites was questioned. Her experience and passion for education helped her get through this transition period. She retired from the Palm Beach County School District in 1992 and became actively involved in her community through volunteer work and local politics.