Mary Church Terrell

Definition

Mary Church Terrell was an African American educator, civil rights activist, and one of the first African American women to earn a college degree, who played a vital role in the women's suffrage movement. Her work emphasized the intersectionality of race and gender, advocating for the rights of both Black women and suffrage more broadly, making her a key figure in the fight for equality in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Mary Church Terrell was born on September 23, 1863, in Memphis, Tennessee, to formerly enslaved parents, highlighting her family's struggle for education and freedom.
2. She was one of the first African American women to graduate from Oberlin College in Ohio in 1884, earning degrees in both classics and education.
3. Terrell was an active member of the National American Woman Suffrage Association and used her platform to advocate for the inclusion of Black women in the suffrage movement.
4. In 1909, she co-founded the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) and served on its board, promoting civil rights alongside women's suffrage.
5. Her famous speech 'What it Means to be Colored in the Capital of the United States' emphasized the importance of racial equality and justice while advocating for women's rights.

Review Questions

• How did Mary Church Terrell's background influence her activism in both women's suffrage and civil rights?
  • Mary Church Terrell's upbringing as the daughter of formerly enslaved parents deeply influenced her activism. Her experiences with racism and inequality motivated her to fight not only for women's suffrage but also for racial justice. Her education at Oberlin College equipped her with knowledge and skills that she used to advocate for African American women, blending issues of race and gender in her activism. This intersectional approach helped highlight the unique challenges faced by Black women in their quest for equality.
• Discuss how Mary Church Terrell's contributions to the National Association of Colored Women advanced both civil rights and women's suffrage.
  • Mary Church Terrell played a crucial role in advancing civil rights through her leadership in the National Association of Colored Women (NACW). By uniting various Black women's clubs under this organization, she created a powerful platform for addressing social issues such as racial discrimination and suffrage. The NACW emphasized education, social reform, and advocacy for voting rights, allowing Terrell to promote equality for all women while ensuring that the voices of Black women were heard within the broader suffrage movement.
• Evaluate Mary Church Terrell's legacy in relation to modern social justice movements that focus on intersectionality.
  • Mary Church Terrell's legacy is significant in contemporary social justice movements that prioritize intersectionality. She recognized early on that race and gender cannot be separated when addressing issues of inequality. Her work laid foundational principles for future activists who advocate for the rights of marginalized groups today. By emphasizing that women's suffrage must include all women, regardless of race, Terrell's advocacy continues to resonate with movements that seek inclusivity and intersectional approaches to justice in our current social landscape.

Related terms

National Association of Colored Women:

An organization founded in 1896 that united various Black women's clubs to advocate for social change, education, and civil rights.

Suffrage Movement: A social and political movement aimed at granting women the right to vote, which encompassed diverse groups with varying agendas.

Intersectionality:

A concept that examines how different social identities, such as race and gender, overlap and impact individuals' experiences of discrimination and privilege.