Mary Church Terrell: An Articulate, Social Activist
459 Words2 Pages
Elyssa Linderman
History 102
Mary Church Terrell
Mary Church Terrell was an outstanding woman who made waves in the world of a segregated U.S.. She refused to sit idle as unjust things went on, she fought for the rights of everyone who deserved it at the time. Mrs. Terrell was an articulate, social activist who worked on wide range of social issues including women's rights, Jim crow laws, the convict lease system and others. Throughout her life she proved she was a strong activist for what was right.
She started her life in 1863 in a middle class family of former slaves. She later went to Oberlin College, where she became one of the first African-American women awarded a college degree in 1884. Mrs. Terrell was a well educated woman, especially for the time with also earning her master's degree four years after getting her college degree. She used her education to further her social activism in D.C.. She was set on obtaining the right to vote, unfortunately many of the other were not open to letting African Americans involve themselves with the cause. This sparked her to create the NACW(National Association of Colored Women) with fellow activist in 1986, she became the association's first president of course.…show more content… Throughout her life she took positions in other organizations and public roles, not just the president of the NACW. She was a charter for the NAACP(National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) and helped fight against lynching, Jim Crow laws and segregation. Terrell served on a committee that investigated police mistreatment of African Americans allegations and also became the first African American to be appointed to a school board. In 1949, she became a member of the Washington chapter of the American Association of University Women, bringing to an end its policy of excluding