Eliza Suggs facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Eliza Suggs
Eliza Suggs, from the frontispiece of her Shadow and Sunshine (1906).
Born	December 11, 1876 Bureau County, Illinois
Died	January 29, 1908 (aged 31) Orleans, Nebraska
Nationality	American
Occupation	Temperance activist, Christian speaker, memoirist

Eliza Suggs (born December 11, 1876, died January 29, 1908) was an American writer from the 1800s. Her parents had once been enslaved people.

Eliza had a condition called osteogenesis imperfecta, which made her bones break easily. Despite this, she got a good education. She became famous for speaking about the temperance movement, which encouraged people to live healthy lives and avoid alcohol. Most of what we know about Eliza comes from her book, Shadow and Sunshine, which she published in 1906.

Eliza's Early Life

Eliza Suggs was born in Bureau County, Illinois, on December 11, 1876. She was the youngest of four daughters born to James and Malinda Suggs. Both of her parents had been born into slavery, her father in North Carolina and her mother in Alabama. They met on a plantation in Mississippi.

Eliza's father, James Suggs, fought in the American Civil War. He was a soldier in the 55th United States Colored Troops and was wounded. After he recovered, he joined another group of soldiers and served until the war ended. Later, he worked as a blacksmith, farmer, and laborer. After 1873, he became a preacher in the Free Methodist Church. The family lived in Mississippi, Illinois, and Kansas before settling in Harlan County, Nebraska.

A Difficult Start

Eliza's parents had three daughters before her, all born in Illinois. When Eliza was born, she seemed like a normal baby. But soon, her parents realized something was wrong. At four weeks old, Eliza started crying a lot. Her mother discovered that Eliza had broken a bone. After that, her arm broke easily, and her bones would break with even the gentlest movements.

Her parents did not expect their fourth child to live very long. However, Eliza surprised everyone and lived to be 31 years old.

For the first six years of her life, Eliza could barely move. She could not even sit up on her own. While other children played, Eliza often sat in her carriage by the window. She could only watch others from inside. When Eliza was about five or six years old, her parents had burial clothes made for her. They thought she would not live much longer and hoped her suffering would end. But to their surprise, Eliza continued to live into her early adult years.

At first, doctors could not figure out what was wrong with Eliza. As she grew older, and medical science improved, she was diagnosed. Her condition was called Rickets back then, but today it is known as Osteogenesis Imperfecta.

Getting an Education

In her early years, Eliza Suggs did not get out much. But when her family moved to a new area, they were lucky. They knew the teacher at one of the local schools. However, Eliza's classroom was upstairs, which made it very hard for her to get there on her own.

Close family friends gave Eliza a special chair that was better than her baby carriage. This chair became her main way of getting around. It was decided that she would be able to attend school. Either her mother or her sister Kate would wheel her to school with the other girls. Then, they would carry her up the stairs to the classroom.

Eliza would stay in the classroom for the day. At the end of the day, her mother or sister would come to get her. They would carry her down the stairs and wheel her back home. This allowed Eliza to learn everything her sisters and friends were learning. She became an educated woman, which was special for a Black woman at that time, even after the Civil War had ended.

Her Important Work

Eliza was an active member of the Free Methodist Church. She was also very involved in the temperance movement. This movement encouraged people to live healthy lives and avoid alcohol. Before her father passed away in 1889, Eliza helped him with his temperance work. After he died, she continued the work on her own.

Eliza would travel with her sister Kate to different events. These included temperance conferences, church camp meetings, and church services. At these gatherings, Eliza would speak briefly. She would talk about her life, her challenges, and her strong belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ. She shared how her faith helped her through difficult times.

Her Final Years

Eliza Suggs passed away on January 29, 1908, in Orleans, Nebraska. She is buried in the family plot at Orleans Cemetery.