Bettiola Heloise Fortson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bettiola Heloise Fortson
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| Born | December 29, 1890 |
| Died | April 13, 1917 (aged 26) |
| Resting place | Mount Forest Cemetery in Thornton, Illinois |
| Known for | author, poet and suffragist |
Bettiola Heloise Fortson (born December 29, 1890 – died April 13, 1917) was an amazing African-American writer, poet, and activist. She was also a suffragist, which means she worked hard to get women the right to vote. Bettiola was one of the very first African-American people in the Midwestern United States to write and publish her own book!
Contents
Bettiola Fortson's Life Story
Early Life and Education
Bettiola Heloise Fortson was born on December 29, 1890. Her hometown was Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Her parents were Mattie Arnold and James Fortson.
When Bettiola was 12 years old, she moved to Chicago, Illinois. She went to live with her aunt there. Sometimes, she would go to Evansville, Indiana, to stay with her mother when her aunt was traveling.
Bettiola finished high school in 1910. She graduated from Clark Street High School in Evansville. After graduating, she moved back to live in Chicago.
Community Work and Activism
Bettiola Fortson helped start a group called the University Society of Chicago. She was also its president. This was a club for women, but it also included men. The club focused on studying books and helping African Americans grow their artistic and intellectual skills.
She was also an important member of the Alpha Suffrage Club. This was the very first group for black women who wanted the right to vote. Bettiola was the second vice president of this club. For two years, she also helped organize for the City Federation of Colored Women's Clubs.
Her Book and Legacy
Bettiola Fortson wrote a book in 1915 called Mental Pearls: original poems and essays. Julius F. Taylor published her book. To get money for publishing, she was able to print her poems in The Broad Ax. This was a weekly African-American newspaper in Chicago.
The newspaper sent 500 copies of her poems to sell at the National Federation of Colored Women's Clubs meeting that year. All the money from these sales went to Bettiola. Her poems were also included in a book called Six Poets of Racial Uplift, which came out in 1996.
Bettiola Fortson passed away on April 13, 1917. She was only 26 years old. She died from tuberculosis at her home in Chicago, Illinois. Her friend, Ida B. Wells, read a special speech at her funeral. Bettiola was buried at Mount Forest Cemetery in Thornton, Illinois. This cemetery was mainly for African-American people.
See also
