Belle Kearney facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Belle Kearney
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| Member of the Mississippi Senate from the 18th district |
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| In office 1924 - 1932 |
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| Born | March 6, 1863 Flora, Mississippi |
| Died | February 27, 1939 (aged 75) Jackson, Mississippi |
| Political party | Democratic |
Carrie Belle Kearney (born March 6, 1863 – died February 27, 1939) was an important American figure. She was a teacher and a strong supporter of two big movements: the temperance movement and the women's suffrage movement. The temperance movement worked to limit or ban alcohol. The suffrage movement fought for women's right to vote. Belle Kearney made history by becoming the first woman ever elected to the Mississippi State Senate.
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Belle Kearney's Early Life and Education
Belle Kearney was born in 1863 on her family's large farm in Flora, Mississippi. Her father, Walter Guston Kearney, owned land and enslaved people. After the American Civil War, her family faced tough financial times.
Belle went to Canton Young Ladies' Academy for a while. But her family could not afford the tuition for long. So, she continued her education on her own. She even opened a small private school in a spare room at her family's home. Later, she began teaching in the public school system.
Fighting for Change: Her Activism
Belle Kearney was a member of the Methodist church. She was also very active in the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU). This group worked to reduce or stop the use of alcohol.
She was also a key person in the American women's suffrage movement. This movement aimed to give women the right to vote. The National American Woman Suffrage Association hired her as a speaker. She traveled across the United States, Canada, and Europe. People respected her as a powerful public speaker.
During her speeches, Belle Kearney also shared her views on race. In 1903, at a suffrage convention, she spoke about her belief that women's voting rights would help maintain white control. These views, while common among some at the time, are not accepted today.
Her Written Works
Belle Kearney also wrote books. She published two novels: A Slaveholder's Daughter in 1900 and Conqueror or Conquered in 1921. She also helped edit a book called Mama Flower in 1918.
Making History: Elected to Office
In 1922, Belle Kearney tried to become a U.S. Senator for Mississippi. She did not win that election.
However, in 1924, she ran for the Mississippi State Senate. She won the election as a Democrat, representing Madison County. This was a very important moment. Belle Kearney became the first woman in Mississippi to hold that office.
Later Life and Legacy
Belle Kearney never married and did not have children. She spent her final years at her family's old farm in Flora. She passed away from cancer in 1939 at a friend's home in Jackson. She was buried in Kearney Cemetery, close to her family's farm.
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Belle Kearney
