Arabella Chapman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Arabella Chapman
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Arabella Chapman Miller
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| Born | 1859 Jersey City, N.J.
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| Died | 1927 (aged 67–68) Albany, N.Y.
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| Other names | Arabella Chapman Miller |
Arabella Chapman (1859–1927) was an African-American woman. She is famous for being the first student to graduate from a special school in upstate New York. This school was called the Albany School for Educating People of Color. It is now known as Albany High School.
About Arabella Chapman
Arabella was born free in Jersey City, New Jersey. Around 1870, her family moved to Albany, New York. She grew up in Albany's lively African-American community.
Arabella first went to Wilberforce School. Then she attended Albany Free Academy. This school is now called Albany High School. In 1877, she made history. She was the first African American to graduate from the Free Academy. By 1880, she was teaching music.
Later, Arabella married Clarence Miller. They moved to North Adams, Massachusetts. Clarence worked as a waiter there. Arabella stayed home to raise their children.
Her Photo Albums
Arabella Chapman created two special photo albums. She made them in the 1870s and 1880s. These albums are still around today. They are kept at the University of Michigan's William L. Clements Library.
These albums are very rare. They show us Arabella's personal thoughts and ideas. They also show her views on important issues of her time. The albums include photos of famous people. Some of these were Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, and John Brown.
What is most interesting are the pictures of Arabella herself. There are also photos of her family and friends. Arabella carefully put these albums together. They help us understand how African Americans lived. They show how they built their communities. This was during the time after the Civil War. This period is called the post-Civil War era.
Exhibitions and Online Project
Arabella Chapman's photo albums were part of an exhibition. It was called "Proclaiming Emancipation." This show took place at the University of Michigan in 2013–14. The albums showed how everyday people remembered the Civil War. They also showed how they thought about freedom and citizenship.
You can also see Arabella Chapman's photo albums online. They are part of a special project. It is called The Arabella Chapman Project. You can find it at arabellachapman.com.
