Anita Florence Hemmings facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anita Florence Hemmings
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| Born | June 8, 1872 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
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| Died | 1960 (aged 87–88) New York City, New York, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Vassar College |
| Occupation | Librarian |
| Spouse(s) |
Andrew Love
(m. 1903) |
| Children | 3 |
Anita Florence Hemmings (born June 8, 1872 – died 1960) was a remarkable woman. She is known as the first biracial woman to graduate from Vassar College, a well-known school in the United States. After finishing college, she became a librarian at the Boston Public Library.
Anita married a doctor who also had both African-American and European family backgrounds. For better opportunities in society, they chose to live as white adults. They did not tell their children about their mixed heritage.
About Anita's Life
Anita Hemmings was born on June 8, 1872, in Boston. Her parents were Dora Logan and Robert Williamson Hemmings, Sr. Anita grew up in an Episcopalian family.
From a young age, Anita dreamed of attending Vassar College. She worked hard and was accepted. She is believed to be the first African American to graduate from Vassar. After college, she started her career as a librarian in Boston.
Her Family
Anita married Andrew Love, a doctor, on October 20, 1903, in Boston. Their marriage record showed they were African American.
Dr. Love had earned his medical degree in 1890 from Meharry Medical College. This was a special school, known as the first medical school in the Southern United States for African Americans.
Like many people of mixed heritage at that time, Anita and her husband chose to live as white adults. This was done to gain better social and economic opportunities. They decided not to tell their children about their biracial background.
Anita and Andrew had three children:
- Ellen Parker Love (1905–1995) also graduated from Vassar College in 1927.
- Barbara Hope Love (1907–2007).
- Andrew Jackson Love, Jr. (1911–1982) became a famous jazz musician. He was a founder of the jazz trio, the Tune Twisters. His group recorded a popular jingle for Pepsi around 1939, which was a new idea in advertising.
Her College Years
Before Vassar, Anita Hemmings attended Girls' High School in Boston.
She achieved her childhood dream by attending Vassar and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1897. Because of her appearance, people at Vassar thought she was white. Around the time she graduated, a Boston newspaper reported that her brother, Fred J. Hemmings, who was African American, had graduated from MIT. This news helped reveal Anita's story.
There were false rumors that she should have been the top student in her class. Some classmates thought she was the most attractive woman in her class. They also believed she might have had "Indian blood" because her skin was darker than some other girls, and she had straight black hair. Anita was a talented singer and was the main soloist in the glee club. She also sang at local churches.
In 1997, students at Vassar who studied African-American history asked the college president to honor Anita Hemmings. This recognition brought her graduation and presence to the level of honor it deserved. Vassar College now officially recognizes Anita Hemmings as the first African American to graduate from the college. They also note that for most of her time there, she was believed to be white.
In Popular Culture
In November 2017, it was announced that actress Zendaya would produce and star in a movie about Anita Hemmings' life. The movie is called A White Lie and is based on the 2016 novel The Gilded Years by Karin Tanabe. This book tells a fictional version of Hemmings' life. Reese Witherspoon is also helping to produce the movie.
