Women's Work : An Anthology of African-American Women's Historical Writings From Antebellum America to the Harlem Renaissance

Whether in schoolrooms or kitchens, state houses or church pulpits, women have always been historians. Although few participated in the academic study of history until the mid-twentieth century, women labored as teachers of history and historical interpreters. Within African-American communities, women began to write histories in the years after the American Revolution. Distributed through churches, seminaries, public schools, and auxiliary societies, their stories of the past translated ancient Africa, religion, slavery, and ongoing American social reform as historical subjects to popular audiences North and South. This book surveys the creative ways in which African-American women harnessed the power of print to share their historical revisions with a broader public. Their speeches, textbooks, poems, and polemics did more than just recount the past. They also protested their present status in the United States through their reclamation of that past. Bringing together work by more familiar writers in black America-such as Maria Stewart, Francis E. W. Harper, and Anna Julia Cooper-as well as lesser-known mothers and teachers who educated their families and their communities, this documentary collection gathers a variety of primary texts from the antebellum era to the Harlem Renaissance, some of which have never been anthologized. Together with a substantial introduction to black women's historical writings, this volume presents a unique perspective on the past and imagined future of the race in the United States. This Anthology Aims To Bring Together Writings By African-american Women Between 1832 And 1920, The Period When They Began To Write For American Audiences And To Use History To Comment On Political And Social Issues Of The Day. The Pieces Are By More Familiar Nineteenth-century Writers In Black America--like Maria Stewart, Francis E. W. Harper, And Alice Dunbar-nelson--as Well As Lesser-known Mothers And Teachers Whose Participation In Their Local Educational Systems Thrust Them Into National Intellectual Conversations. Each Piece Will Have A Headnote Providing Biographical Information About Its Author As Well As Contextual Information About Its Publication And The Topic Being Discussed. The Volume Will Contain A Substantial Introduction To The Overall Enterprise Of Black Women's Historical Writings. Because The Editors Are Both Trained In American Studies And Religious History, Their Introduction Will Particularly Highlight Religious Themes And Venues In Which These Writings Were Presented. This Book Should Appeal To General Readers Of Books Like Those In The Schomburg Library Series, As Well As Those Who Work And Teach American History, African American Studies, Women's Studies, American Literature, And American Religious History--provided By Publisher. An Address Delivered Before The African-american Female Intelligence Society Of America / Maria Stewart (1832) -- Education, Death Of The Christian, Louisa Sebury, The Natives Of America / Ann Plato (1841) -- Liberty For Slaves (1857), Moses : The Story Of The Nile (1869), Then And Now (1895) / Frances E.w. Harper -- The Life And Public Services Of Martin R. Delany / Frank A. Rollin (1883) -- Woman's Place In The Work Of The Denomination / Mary V. Cook (1887) -- Welcome To Honorable F. Douglass, Wilberforce, They Are Coming, Resting : In Memoriam Of Mrs. Bishop Turner / Josephine Heard (1890) -- The Status Of Woman In America / Anna Julia Cooper (1892) -- Some Afro-american Women Of Mark / S. Elizabeth Frazier (1892) -- Woman's Work / Virginia Broughton (1894) -- The Work Of The Afro-american Woman / Mrs. N.f. Mossell (1894) -- How The Church Can Best Help The Condition Of The Masses / Hardie Martin (1896) -- The Awakening Of The Afro-american Woman / Victoria Earle Matthews (1897) -- Some Parallels Of History / A.e. Johnson (1899) -- Heirs Of Slavery. A Little Drama Of Today / Katherine Davis Tillman (1901) -- Of One Blood, Or, The Hidden Self (1902-1903), Educators (1902) / Pauline Hopkins -- A Narrative Of The Negro / Leila Amos Pendleton (1912) -- Unchained, 1863, A Hero Of San Juan Hill / Olivia Ward Bush-banks (1914) -- Wonderful Ethiopians Of The Ancient Cushite Empire / Drusilla Dunjee Houston (1926) -- Harriet Tubman / Hallie Quinn Brown (1926). Edited By Laurie F. Maffly-kipp And Kathryn Lofton. Includes Bibliographical References. Table of Contents......Page 8 Introduction......Page 12 1 Maria W. Stewart......Page 23 “An Address Delivered Before the Afric-American Female Intelligence Society of America” (1832)......Page 24 2 Ann Plato......Page 29 “Education” (1841)......Page 31 “Death of the Christian” (1841)......Page 33 “Louisa Sebury” (1841)......Page 34 “The Natives of America” (1841)......Page 36 3 Frances Ellen Watkins Harper......Page 38 “Liberty for Slaves” (1857)......Page 40 “Moses: A Story of the Nile” (1869)......Page 42 “Then and Now” (1895)......Page 58 4 Frank A. Rollin......Page 62 “The Life and Public Services of Martin R. Delany” (1883)......Page 64 5 Mary V. Cook......Page 76 “Woman’s Place in the Work of the Denomination” (1887)......Page 77 6 Josephine Heard......Page 91 “Welcome to Hon. Frederick Douglass” (1890)......Page 92 “Wilberforce” (1890)......Page 94 “They Are Coming?” (1890)......Page 95 “Resting: In Memoriam of Mrs. Bishop Turner” (1890)......Page 97 7 Anna Julia Cooper......Page 98 “The Status of Woman in America” (1892)......Page 100 8 S. Elizabeth Frazier......Page 109 “Some Afro-American Women of Mark” (1892)......Page 110 9 Virginia W. Broughton......Page 121 “Woman’s Work” (1894)......Page 122 10 Gertrude Bustill Mossell......Page 128 “The Work of the Afro-American Woman” (1894)......Page 130 11 Hardie Martin......Page 141 “How the Church Can Best Help the Condition of the Masses” (1896)......Page 142 12 Victoria Earle Matthews......Page 145 “The Awakening of the Afro-American Woman” (1897)......Page 146 13 Amelia Etta Hall Johnson......Page 153 “Some Parallels of History” (1899)......Page 154 14 Katherine Davis Tillman......Page 159 “Heirs of Slavery. A Little Drama of Today” (1901)......Page 160 15 Pauline Hopkins......Page 165 “Of One Blood: Or, the Hidden Self ” (1902–1903)......Page 167 "Famous Women of the Negro Race: Educators" (1902)......Page 173 16 Leila Amos Pendleton......Page 195 “A Narrative of the Negro” (1912)......Page 196 17 Olivia Ward Bush-Banks......Page 207 “Unchained, 1863” (1914)......Page 208 “A Hero of San Juan Hill” (1914)......Page 210 18 Drusilla Dunjee Houston......Page 212 “Wonderful Ethiopians of the Ancient Cushite Empire” (1926)......Page 214 19 Hallie Quinn Brown......Page 227 “Harriet—The Moses” (1926)......Page 228 "This anthology aims to bring together writings by African-American women between 1832 and 1920, the period when they began to write for American audiences and to use history to comment on political and social issues of the day. The pieces are by more familiar nineteenth-century writers in Black America--like Maria Stewart, Francis E.W. Harper, and Alice Dunbar-Nelson--as well as lesser-known mothers and teachers whose participation in their local educational systems thrust them into national intellectual conversations. Each piece will have a headnote providing biographical information about its author as well as contextual information about its publication and the topic being discussed. The volume will contain a substantial introduction to the overall enterprise of Black women's historical writings. Because the editors are both trained in American studies and religious history, their introduction will particularly highlight religious themes and venues in which these writings were presented. This book should appeal to general readers of books like those in the Schomburg Library series, as well as those who work and teach American history, African American studies, women's studies, American literature, and American religious history"--Résumé de l'éditeur