- Née:
- Anna Julia Haywood
- Born:
- August 10, 1858?, Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.
- Died:
- February 27, 1964, Washington, D.C.
- Role In:
- club movement
Anna Julia Cooper
-
Who was Anna Julia Cooper?
Anna Julia Cooper (1858–1964) was an American educator, feminist, and writer known for her advocacy for the education of Black women. Born into slavery, she enrolled in Saint Augustine’s Normal School and Collegiate Institute in 1868, distinguishing herself as an excellent student and teaching mathematics part-time at age 10. After her husband's death, she graduated from Oberlin College in 1884 with a B.S. in mathematics and received a master’s degree in mathematics in 1888.
Cooper taught at M Street High School in Washington, D.C., and became principal in 1902. At age 67, she earned a doctorate from the Sorbonne in Paris. Her book A Voice From the South by a Black Woman of the South (1892) is a classic African American feminist text.
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What is Anna Julia Cooper best known for?
Anna Julia Cooper (1858–1964) was an American educator and writer, best known for her book, A Voice From the South by a Black Woman of the South (1892), now considered a classic in African American feminist literature.
After graduating from Oberlin College with a B.S. in mathematics in 1884, and a master’s degree in mathematics in 1888, Cooper became a faculty member at the M Street High School in Washington, D.C. In 1902, she was named principal. Cooper earned a doctorate from the Sorbonne in Paris at the age of 67. Her dissertation, written in French, was published in English as Slavery and the French Revolutionists, 1788–1805.
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Where did Anna Julia Cooper grow up and go to school?
Anna Julia Cooper was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, in 1858. In 1868, she enrolled in the newly established Saint Augustine’s Normal School and Collegiate Institute (now Saint Augustine’s University), a school for freed slaves. Cooper excelled and began teaching mathematics part-time at age 10. After her husband’s death, Cooper enrolled in Oberlin College in Ohio, graduating in 1884 with a B.S. in mathematics and receiving a master’s degree in mathematics in 1888. In 1925, at age 67, she received a doctorate from the Sorbonne in Paris.
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What were some of Anna Julia Cooper’s achievements as an educator?
Anna Julia Cooper was an American educator and writer, Cooper began teaching mathematics part-time at age 10 at Saint Augustine’s Normal School and Collegiate Institute. After realizing the male students were being encouraged to study a more rigorous curriculum than the female students, she spent the rest of her life advocating for the education of Black women.
Cooper became a faculty member at the M Street High School in Washington, D.C., in 1887, teaching mathematics, science, and Latin. Later, in 1902, she was named principal. As principal, she enhanced the academic reputation of the school, and under her tenure, several M Street graduates were admitted to Ivy League schools. From 1930 to 1941, she served as president of the Frelinghuysen University for working adults in Washington, D.C.
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What important ideas did Anna Julia Cooper write or speak about?
Anna Julia Cooper (1858–1964) was an American educator, feminist, and writer who advocated for the education of Black women. After realizing that male students received a more rigorous education than female students, she spent her life advocating for Black women's education. Cooper became involved in the Black women’s club movement in the 1890s, holding the belief that educated middle-class women had a duty to assist less-fortunate African Americans. During that time, she became a popular public speaker, addressing groups such as the National Conference of Colored Women in 1895 and the first Pan-African Conference in 1900.
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How did Anna Julia Cooper’s work impact African American education and women’s rights?
Anna Julia Cooper was an American educator and writer, and her work significantly impacted African American education and women’s rights. After realizing that male students were encouraged to study a more rigorous curriculum than female students, she spent her life advocating for the education of Black women. As principal of M Street High School, she enhanced the school's academic reputation, enabling graduates to enter Ivy League schools. Cooper was also involved in the Black women’s club movement, believing it was their duty to help less-fortunate African Americans, and she addressed groups such as the National Conference of Colored Women and the Pan-African Conference.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Anna Julia Cooper (born August 10, 1858?, Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.—died February 27, 1964, Washington, D.C.) was an American educator and writer whose book A Voice From the South by a Black Woman of the South (1892) became a classic African American feminist text.
Cooper was the daughter of a slave woman and her white slaveholder (or his brother). In 1868 she enrolled in the newly established Saint Augustine’s Normal School and Collegiate Institute (now Saint Augustine’s University), a school for freed slaves. She quickly distinguished herself as an excellent student, and, in addition to her studies, she began teaching mathematics part-time at age 10. While enrolled at Saint Augustine’s, she had a feminist awakening when she realized that her male classmates were encouraged to study a more rigorous curriculum than were the female students. After that early realization, she spent the rest of her life advocating for the education of black women.
In 1877 Anna married her classmate George Cooper, who died two years later. After her husband’s death, Cooper enrolled in Oberlin College in Ohio, graduating in 1884 with a B.S. in mathematics and receiving a master’s degree in mathematics in 1888. In 1887 she became a faculty member at the M Street High School (established in 1870 as the Preparatory High School for Negro Youth) in Washington, D.C. There she taught mathematics, science, and, later, Latin.
During the 1890s Cooper became involved in the black women’s club movement. Women’s club members were generally educated middle-class women who believed that it was their duty to help less-fortunate African Americans. During that time Cooper became a popular public speaker. She addressed a wide variety of groups, including the National Conference of Colored Women in 1895 and the first Pan-African Conference in 1900.
In 1902 Cooper was named principal of the M Street High School. As principal, she enhanced the academic reputation of the school, and under her tenure several M Street graduates were admitted to Ivy League schools. Cooper’s controversial emphasis on college preparatory courses irked critics (such as Booker T. Washington) who favoured vocational education for blacks. Using trumped-up charges, the District of Columbia Board of Education refused to renew her contract for the 1905–06 school year. Undaunted, Cooper continued her career as an educator, teaching for four years at Lincoln University, a historically black college in Jefferson City, Missouri. In 1910 she was rehired as a teacher at M Street (renamed Dunbar High School after 1916), where she stayed until 1930.
In 1911 Cooper began studying part-time for a doctoral degree. In 1925, at age 67, she received a doctorate from the Sorbonne in Paris, having written her dissertation on slavery. Written in French, it was published in English as Slavery and the French Revolutionists, 1788–1805.
In addition to her scholarly activities, Cooper reared two foster children and five adoptive children on a teacher’s salary. From 1930 to 1941 she served as president of the Frelinghuysen University for working adults in Washington, D.C. She died in her sleep at age 105.
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