Sarah Mapps Douglass

Sarah Mapps Douglass was an African American educator, abolitionist, writer, and public lecturer. Her painted images on her written letters may be the first or earliest surviving examples of signed paintings by an African-American woman. These paintings are contained within the Cassey Dickerson Album. The album is a rare collection of 19th century friendship letters between a group of women.

Sarah grew up among Philadelphia's elite, and according to C. Peter Ripley "she received extensive private tutoring as a child.". In 1825, Sarah began teaching in Philadelphia at a school organized by her mother with James Forten, the wealthy African American sailmaker. Starting in 1833, she taught briefly at the Free African School for Girls, before establishing her own school for African American girls. She was soon recognized as a talented teacher, of the sciences and arts, at which she herself excelled, and for holding her students to high standards. In 1838, the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society took over the school, retaining Sarah as the headmaster. In 1854, the school merged with the Institute for Colored Youth – now Cheyney State University – on Lombard Street, and Sarah become the head of the primary department, a position she held until her retirement in 1877.

Sarah’s role as an activist began as early as 1831, when at twenty-five, she organized the collection of money to send to William Lloyd Garrison to support the The Liberator. Sarah also helped with the creation of the Female Literary Society, a group of African American women dedicated to improving their skills and deepening their identification with slave sisters.

With her mother, she was a founding member (1833) of the bi-racial Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society. By 1840, Sarah had served in the group as a member of the board of directors, of the committee on annual fairs, of the education committee, recording and corresponding secretary, librarian, and manager.

From 1853 to 1877, Sarah studied anatomy, female health and hygiene, and acquired medical basic training at the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania – becoming the first African American female student – and at the Ladies' Institute of Pennsylvania Medical University. Sarah’s work at the medical institutes influenced her decision to lecture and teach evening classes to African American women at meetings of the Banneker Institute on issues of physiology and hygiene.

Sarah Mapps Douglass appears as a main character in Ain Gordon's 2013 play If She Stood, commissioned by the Painted Bride Art Center in Philadelphia.

• Wikipedia: Sarah Mapps Douglass