Essay On Mary Church Terrell

Mary Church Terrell Mary Church Terrell lived to experience two of the most important turns in African American history. She was born nine months after the Emancipation of Proclamation and died two months after the Brown vs. Board of Education decision. Terrell was a civil rights leader and educator. She organized groups, lectured, and fought to better the lives of Africa American women throughout her life. Terrell recognized the limitations that African Americans had in the mainstream society because of their race and gender. March Church Terrell’s personal experience and witnessing family experience racism and racial violence and what informed her activism.

Known as Mollie to her family and friends, Mary Church Terrell was born on September

Terrell was the chairman of the educational department. She used her position to advance social and educational reform by creating a night school. In the evenings, Terrell was responsible for teaching literature and German to other women of color. The Colored Women’s League could only help solve a small portion of the bigger problem. In the summer of 1896, women of color joined together in Washington, D.C. to start the National Association of Colored Women (NACW) in 1896. The NACW was an organization that provided sisterly support to their members and created programs for black women. These programs included day care centers, nursing schools, homes for elderly were started by associations and club that were a part of the association. The programs were created to address racial problems that black women faced and uplifted black women. Mary Church Terrell was the first president of the organization. The NACW became one of the leading women’s organization. Terrell’s objective for the NACW to improve the standards of the less favored and more ignorant sisters because the world will continue to judge the womanhood of black women because of their

Washington had finally changed for the better even though it was still racism against people of color. Government offices were back integrated and people of color were allowed to use the city’s park and pools. The restaurants still did not serve people of color. One day, Mrs. Terrell and three of her guests went to eat at Thompson’s Restaurant. It was a public cafeteria located a couple of blocks away from the White House. While standing in line to get their food, the manager of the restaurant walked over to the group of African American customers. They were told that African Americans could not eat at the restaurant. When they asked why not, the manager stated that they did not serve colored people and it would violate the D.C. laws and public