Cary, Mary Ann Shadd, 1823-1893

Educator, civil rights activist, and advocate of women's suffrage.

From the description of Papers, 1844-1884. (Moorland-Spingarn Resource Center). WorldCat record id: 70941069

• 1823 October 9: Born in Wilmington, De., the first of the 13 children of Abraham and Harriet Shadd.
• 1833 - 1839 : in a Quaker School, West Chester, Penn.
• 1839 - 1850 : Taught in various schools for colored children in Wilmington, West Chester, New York City, and Norristown, Penn.
• 1850: The Fugitive Slave Law was passed and Cary moved to Canada West.
• 1850: Lectured in the U.S. convincing colored Americans to emigrate to Canada.
• 1854: Established The Provincial Freeman, the first anti-slavery organ in Canada West.
• 1856 Jan 3: Married Thomas F. Cary of Toronto and settled in Chatham, Canada West.
• 1861: Because of her interest in the John Brown movement she compiled and published the notes of Osborne P. Anderson, a member of John Brown's company at Harper's Ferry, October 1859.
• 1863: Appointed Recruiting Army Officer by special order to enlist colored volunteers in the Union Army in Indiana.
• 1865: Moved to Washington, D.C.
• 1867: Entered Howard University Law Department.
• 1870: Received her LL.B. degree from the Howard University Law Department.
• 1881: Became a member of the National Women's Suffrage Association.
• 1893: Died.

*According to the Directory of Howard U. Graduates, Cary is listed as graduating in 1883.

From the guide to the Mary Ann Shadd Cary Papers, 1844-1884, (Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, Howard University)