August 19, 2025 • 10 mins
This remarkable volume, published in 1919 by the American Womens Baptist Home Mission Society, highlights the vital contributions of African American women. It eloquently addresses the often-overlooked invisible work performed by these women as mothers and wives, while also showcasing their significant roles in various industries, including medicine, education, and the arts. Additionally, this collection features inspiring short biographies of five courageous women who have made a lasting impact. - Summary by kathrinee
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Section five of Women of Achievement. This is a LibriVox recording.
All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording
by Betty B. Women of Achievement by Benjamin Griffith Brawley,
(00:22):
Chapter six, Mary Church Terrell. With the increasingly complex problems
of American civilization, woman is being called on in ways
before undreamed of, to bear a share in great public burdens.
The recent Great War has demonstrated anew the part that
she is to play in our factories, our relief work,
(00:45):
our religious organizations, in all the activities of our social
and industrial life. The broadening basis of the suffrage in
some states and the election of a woman to a
seat in Congress have also emphasized the fact that in
the new day, women as well as man, will have
to bear the larger responsibilities of citizenship. In all this
(01:08):
intense life, the Negro woman has taken a part, and
she will have to do still more in the future.
Even before the Civil War, there were women of the
race who labored, sometimes in large ways, for the influencing
of sentiment and the salvation of their people. In the
present period of our country's history, new problems arise, sometimes
(01:31):
even more delicate than those that went before them, and
even more difficult of solution, problems of education, readjustment, and
of the proper molding of public opinion. They call for
keen intelligence, broad information, rich culture, and the ability to
meet men and women of other races and other countries
(01:54):
on the broad plain of cosmopolitanism in public life and
in the highs of society. No woman of the race
has commanded more attention from the American and the international
public than Mary Church Terrell. The life of this woman
is an example of the possibilities not only of Negro
(02:15):
but of American womanhood. She has appeared on platforms with
men and women of other races, sometimes sturdy opponents on
public questions, and more than held her own. She has
attended an international congress in Europe and surpassed all the
other women from her country in her ability to address
audiences in languages other than English. With all this, she
(02:40):
has never forgotten the religious impulse that is so strong
in the heart of her people, and that ultimately is
to play so large a part in their advancement. One
admirer of her culture has said she should be engaged
to travel over the country as a model of good
manners and good English. Mary Church was born in Memphis, Tennessee,
(03:03):
the daughter of Robert R. And Louisa Eyres Church. When
she was yet very young, her parents sent her to
Ohio to be educated, and here she remained until she
was graduated from the classical course in eighteen eighty four.
Then for two years she taught at Wilberforce University in
Ohio and for one year more in a high school
(03:25):
in Washington. Desirous of broadening her attainments, however, she now
went to Europe for a period of study and travel.
She remained two years, spending the time in France, Switzerland, Germany,
and Italy, generally improving herself in language. On her return,
she resumed her work in Washington, and she was offered
(03:46):
the registership at Oberlin College, a distinct compliment, coming as
it did from an institution of such high standing. She
declined the attractive position, however, because of her approaching marriage
to Robert H. Terrell, a graduate of Harvard College and
formerly principal of a high school in Washington, who was
(04:08):
appointed to a judgeship in the District of Columbia by
President Roosevelt. Since her marriage, missus Terrell has written much
on topics of general interest, and from time to time
has formerly appeared as a public lecturer. One of her
strongest articles was that on lynching in the North American
(04:29):
Review for June nineteen hundred four. The centenary of the
birth of Harriet Beecher Stowe in nineteen twelve found her
unusually well posted on the life and work of the novelist,
so that after she lectured many times on the subject,
she brought together the results of her study in an
excellent pamphlet. She was the first president of the National
(04:52):
Association of Colored Women's Clubs, was twice reelected, and, declining
to serve further, was made honorary president for life. She
was chosen as one of the speakers at the International
Congress of Women held in Berlin in June nineteen hundred four,
said the Washington Post of her performance on this occasion.
(05:15):
The hit of the Congress on the part of the
American delegates was made by Missus Mary Church Terrell of Washington,
who delivered one speech in German and another in equally
good French. Missus Terrell is a colored woman who appears
to have been beyond every other of our delegates, prominent
for her ability to make addresses in other than her
(05:37):
own language. In a letter to some of the largest
newspapers in the country, missus Ida Husted Harper said further,
this achievement on the part of a colored woman, added
to a fine appearance, and the eloquence of her words
carried the audience by storm, and she had to respond
three times to the encores before they were satisfied. It
(06:00):
was more than a personal triumph, It was a triumph
for her race. Missus Terrell has ever exhibited an intense
interest in public affairs. On the occasion of the discharge
of the Negro soldiers in Brownsville, Texas in nineteen hundred six,
she at once comprehended the tremendous issues involved, and by
(06:21):
her interviews with men high in the nation's life, did
much for the improvement of a bad situation. When some
years ago Congress by resolution granted power to the commissioners
of the District of Columbia to appoint two women upon
the Board of Education for the public schools, missus Terrell
was one of the women appointed. She served on the
(06:43):
board for five years with signal ability and unusual success,
and on the occasion of her resignation in nineteen twelve,
was given a magnificent testimonial by her fellow citizens. It
would be difficult to record all the different things that
Mary Church Terrell has done, or the numerous ways in
which she has turned sentiment on the race problem. In
(07:07):
recent years, she has been drawn more and more to
her own home. She is in constant demand as a speaker, however,
and one or two experiences or incidents must not pass unremarked.
In nineteen hundred six, she was invited by Professor Jeremiah W.
Jenks to come to Cornell University to deliver her address
(07:29):
on the bright Side of the Race Problem. She was
introduced by Professor F. A. Fetter of the Department of Economics.
When she had finished her lecture, she was greeted by
deafening applause, and then she was surrounded by an eager
crowd desirous of receiving an introduction. One enthusiastic woman exclaimed
as she warmly shook the speaker's hand, I was so
(07:52):
glad to hear you say something about the bright side.
And do you know every Southern faculty woman was here.
A little later, she was the guest of honor and
a reception in the home of ex Ambassador Andrew D. White,
the first president of Cornell University. Just what married Church
Terrell means as an inspiration to the young women of
(08:15):
the Negro race one might have seen some years ago
if he could have been present at Spelman Seminary on
the occasion of the twenty fifth anniversary of this the
largest school for Negro girls in the world. She was
preceded on the program by one or two prominent speakers
who tried to take a broad view of the race problem,
(08:36):
but who were plainly baffled when they came face to
face with Southern prejudice. When Missus Terrell rose to speak,
the air was tense with eagerness and anxiety. How she
acquitted herself on this occasion, how eloquently she pled, and
how nimbly and delicately she met her opponent's arguments, will
never be forgotten by any one who was privileged to
(08:58):
hear her. The compliments that have been paid to the eloquence,
the grace, the culture, the tact, and the poise of
this woman are endless. She exhibits exceptional attainments, either on
or off the platform. Her words bristle with earnestness and energy,
quickly captivating an audience or holding the closest attention in conversation.
(09:22):
Her gestures are frequent, but always in sympathetic harmony. Her
face is inclined to be sad in repose, but lights
quickly and effectively to the soul of whatever subject she touches.
Her voice is singularly clear and free from harsh notes.
She exhibits no apparent effort in speaking, and at once
(09:43):
impresses an audience by her ease, her courage, and her
self abnegation through all her work. Moreover, constantly thrills her
great hope for the young men and women of her race,
so many of whom she is personally inspired. Such a
woman is an asset to her country and an honor
(10:04):
to the race to which she belongs. End of Chapter six,
end of Women of Achievement by Benjamin Griffith Brawley
Section five of Women of Achievement. This is a LibriVox recording.
All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording
by Betty B. Women of Achievement by Benjamin Griffith Brawley,
(00:22):
Chapter six, Mary Church Terrell. With the increasingly complex problems
of American civilization, woman is being called on in ways
before undreamed of, to bear a share in great public burdens.
The recent Great War has demonstrated anew the part that
she is to play in our factories, our relief work,
(00:45):
our religious organizations, in all the activities of our social
and industrial life. The broadening basis of the suffrage in
some states and the election of a woman to a
seat in Congress have also emphasized the fact that in
the new day, women as well as man, will have
to bear the larger responsibilities of citizenship. In all this
(01:08):
intense life, the Negro woman has taken a part, and
she will have to do still more in the future.
Even before the Civil War, there were women of the
race who labored, sometimes in large ways, for the influencing
of sentiment and the salvation of their people. In the
present period of our country's history, new problems arise, sometimes
(01:31):
even more delicate than those that went before them, and
even more difficult of solution, problems of education, readjustment, and
of the proper molding of public opinion. They call for
keen intelligence, broad information, rich culture, and the ability to
meet men and women of other races and other countries
(01:54):
on the broad plain of cosmopolitanism in public life and
in the highs of society. No woman of the race
has commanded more attention from the American and the international
public than Mary Church Terrell. The life of this woman
is an example of the possibilities not only of Negro
(02:15):
but of American womanhood. She has appeared on platforms with
men and women of other races, sometimes sturdy opponents on
public questions, and more than held her own. She has
attended an international congress in Europe and surpassed all the
other women from her country in her ability to address
audiences in languages other than English. With all this, she
(02:40):
has never forgotten the religious impulse that is so strong
in the heart of her people, and that ultimately is
to play so large a part in their advancement. One
admirer of her culture has said she should be engaged
to travel over the country as a model of good
manners and good English. Mary Church was born in Memphis, Tennessee,
(03:03):
the daughter of Robert R. And Louisa Eyres Church. When
she was yet very young, her parents sent her to
Ohio to be educated, and here she remained until she
was graduated from the classical course in eighteen eighty four.
Then for two years she taught at Wilberforce University in
Ohio and for one year more in a high school
(03:25):
in Washington. Desirous of broadening her attainments, however, she now
went to Europe for a period of study and travel.
She remained two years, spending the time in France, Switzerland, Germany,
and Italy, generally improving herself in language. On her return,
she resumed her work in Washington, and she was offered
(03:46):
the registership at Oberlin College, a distinct compliment, coming as
it did from an institution of such high standing. She
declined the attractive position, however, because of her approaching marriage
to Robert H. Terrell, a graduate of Harvard College and
formerly principal of a high school in Washington, who was
(04:08):
appointed to a judgeship in the District of Columbia by
President Roosevelt. Since her marriage, missus Terrell has written much
on topics of general interest, and from time to time
has formerly appeared as a public lecturer. One of her
strongest articles was that on lynching in the North American
(04:29):
Review for June nineteen hundred four. The centenary of the
birth of Harriet Beecher Stowe in nineteen twelve found her
unusually well posted on the life and work of the novelist,
so that after she lectured many times on the subject,
she brought together the results of her study in an
excellent pamphlet. She was the first president of the National
(04:52):
Association of Colored Women's Clubs, was twice reelected, and, declining
to serve further, was made honorary president for life. She
was chosen as one of the speakers at the International
Congress of Women held in Berlin in June nineteen hundred four,
said the Washington Post of her performance on this occasion.
(05:15):
The hit of the Congress on the part of the
American delegates was made by Missus Mary Church Terrell of Washington,
who delivered one speech in German and another in equally
good French. Missus Terrell is a colored woman who appears
to have been beyond every other of our delegates, prominent
for her ability to make addresses in other than her
(05:37):
own language. In a letter to some of the largest
newspapers in the country, missus Ida Husted Harper said further,
this achievement on the part of a colored woman, added
to a fine appearance, and the eloquence of her words
carried the audience by storm, and she had to respond
three times to the encores before they were satisfied. It
(06:00):
was more than a personal triumph, It was a triumph
for her race. Missus Terrell has ever exhibited an intense
interest in public affairs. On the occasion of the discharge
of the Negro soldiers in Brownsville, Texas in nineteen hundred six,
she at once comprehended the tremendous issues involved, and by
(06:21):
her interviews with men high in the nation's life, did
much for the improvement of a bad situation. When some
years ago Congress by resolution granted power to the commissioners
of the District of Columbia to appoint two women upon
the Board of Education for the public schools, missus Terrell
was one of the women appointed. She served on the
(06:43):
board for five years with signal ability and unusual success,
and on the occasion of her resignation in nineteen twelve,
was given a magnificent testimonial by her fellow citizens. It
would be difficult to record all the different things that
Mary Church Terrell has done, or the numerous ways in
which she has turned sentiment on the race problem. In
(07:07):
recent years, she has been drawn more and more to
her own home. She is in constant demand as a speaker, however,
and one or two experiences or incidents must not pass unremarked.
In nineteen hundred six, she was invited by Professor Jeremiah W.
Jenks to come to Cornell University to deliver her address
(07:29):
on the bright Side of the Race Problem. She was
introduced by Professor F. A. Fetter of the Department of Economics.
When she had finished her lecture, she was greeted by
deafening applause, and then she was surrounded by an eager
crowd desirous of receiving an introduction. One enthusiastic woman exclaimed
as she warmly shook the speaker's hand, I was so
(07:52):
glad to hear you say something about the bright side.
And do you know every Southern faculty woman was here.
A little later, she was the guest of honor and
a reception in the home of ex Ambassador Andrew D. White,
the first president of Cornell University. Just what married Church
Terrell means as an inspiration to the young women of
(08:15):
the Negro race one might have seen some years ago
if he could have been present at Spelman Seminary on
the occasion of the twenty fifth anniversary of this the
largest school for Negro girls in the world. She was
preceded on the program by one or two prominent speakers
who tried to take a broad view of the race problem,
(08:36):
but who were plainly baffled when they came face to
face with Southern prejudice. When Missus Terrell rose to speak,
the air was tense with eagerness and anxiety. How she
acquitted herself on this occasion, how eloquently she pled, and
how nimbly and delicately she met her opponent's arguments, will
never be forgotten by any one who was privileged to
(08:58):
hear her. The compliments that have been paid to the eloquence,
the grace, the culture, the tact, and the poise of
this woman are endless. She exhibits exceptional attainments, either on
or off the platform. Her words bristle with earnestness and energy,
quickly captivating an audience or holding the closest attention in conversation.
(09:22):
Her gestures are frequent, but always in sympathetic harmony. Her
face is inclined to be sad in repose, but lights
quickly and effectively to the soul of whatever subject she touches.
Her voice is singularly clear and free from harsh notes.
She exhibits no apparent effort in speaking, and at once
(09:43):
impresses an audience by her ease, her courage, and her
self abnegation through all her work. Moreover, constantly thrills her
great hope for the young men and women of her race,
so many of whom she is personally inspired. Such a
woman is an asset to her country and an honor
(10:04):
to the race to which she belongs. End of Chapter six,
end of Women of Achievement by Benjamin Griffith Brawley
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