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Women History Month Highlights Mary Church Terrell

Section: Community

Michele Burton-Oatis

As black women, it is important to honor those before us. Much too often in history we are portrayed as sex driven, single momma drama, label and weave wearing hoochies. There is much more to our legacy than best booty shaking babes or weave flinging shorties. Our legacy is unique and strong. Yet, if we are to past any of it down to our future “Black Women”, we must know the struggle and honor those who overcame in spite of the odds. One woman who I think does not make the Black History Month’s Top Ten List is Mary Church Terrell. This week of Women History Month, I would like to put the spot light on this amazing woman of history.
Mary Church Terrell was born on September 23, 1863 in Memphis, Tennessee to self made millionaire Robert Reed Church and Louisa Ayers both former slaves. She attended Oberlin College where she was surrounded by white male classmate. Yet, Mary was not easily intimidated. She was one of the first Afro-American women to earn a bachelor’s degree in 1884. And with that same determination she obtained her Masters degree in 1888 for the same college.
Mary Church taught at a black secondary school as well as the HBCU Wilberforce College in Ohio. During her two year study in Europe, she became fluent in French, German and Italian. In 1891 she married lawyer Robert Heberton Terrell who became the first black municipal court judge in Washington DC. After the lost of three babies Mary gave birth to one daughter Phyllis and adopted her ten-year old niece also named Mary, in 1905.
Terrell devoted her life to improving the lives of African American’s especially women. Mary Church Terrell was appointed to the District of Columbia Board of Education which made her the first to hold such position. She then went on to form the Federation of Afro-American Women. She became the first president of the newly formed National Association of Colored Women’s Club, a national organization of Black women’s club which worked to establish nurseries, kindergartens and help orphans. She also founded the National Association of College Women and used her writing to advance the work of the African American Women’s Club Movement. As one of two women of the founding group of NAACP, she signed the “Call” and attended organizational meetings. In 1913-1914 she helped organize the Delta Sigma Theta sorority, and twenty-six years later wrote its famous creed, setting up a code of conduct of Negro women.
Mary Church Terrell pursued her dreams without excuses or an apology during a time when being Black was thought of a sub-human. So, I ask you, what the HELL is our problem. Here we are in 2009 and collectively as Black women we divide ourselves by color, size, education, economic status and hair length. Willie Lynch still prevails!! Now is the time for change!! Now is the time to love thy sisters.

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