Mary Jane Patterson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | September 12, 1840 |
| Died | September 24, 1894 (aged 54) |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Oberlin College (BA) |
| Occupations | |
Mary Jane Patterson (September 12, 1840 – September 24, 1894) was an American educator who was born into an enslaved family. She is notable as the first African-American woman to receive a B.A degree, having completed, in 1862, the four-year 'gentlemen's course' at Oberlin College.[1] She first taught at the Philadelphia's Institute for Colored Youth. She then went on to teach at the Preparatory High School for Colored Youth, known today as Dunbar High School, in Washington DC. She became its first Black principal.[2][3][4] She was a lifelong advocate for Black education, helping to found the Colored Woman's League which later became the National Association of Colored Women.[5][6] A humanitarian, Patterson also devoted time and money to Black institutions in Washington, D. C.[7]
- ^ "Mary Jane Patterson". www2.oberlin.edu. Retrieved 2024-05-23.
- ^ Watson, Terri; McClellan, Patrice (30 June 2020). Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Education. Oxford University Press.
- ^ Stewart, A (2013). First Class: The Legacy of Dunbar, America's First Black Public High School. Chicago, Il: Lawrence Hill Books. p. 32.
- ^ Ostrom, Hans (2023). Forgotten African American Firsts: An Encyclopedia of Pioneering History. Greenwood. ISBN 978-1-4408-7535-9.
- ^ "Historical profile of Mary Jane Patterson". Dayton Daily News. 2005-02-28. p. 12. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
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