Elizabeth Jennings Graham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elizabeth Jennings Graham
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Graham c. 1895
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| Born | March 1827 |
| Died | June 5, 1901 (aged 74) |
| Known for | African-American civil rights figure |
| Spouse(s) |
Charles Graham
(m. 1860–1867) |
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Elizabeth Jennings Graham (born March 1827 – died June 5, 1901) was an African-American teacher and an important figure in the fight for civil rights. She is best known for standing up for her right to ride a public streetcar in New York City in 1854.
At that time, many streetcars kept Black and white people separate. Elizabeth's brave action led to a court case that helped end segregation on New York City's public transportation by 1865. Later, she opened the city's first kindergarten for African-American children. She ran it from her home until she passed away in 1901.
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Elizabeth Jennings Graham's Early Life
Elizabeth Jennings was born free in March 1827. Her parents were Thomas L. Jennings and Elizabeth Cartwright. She had two siblings, Matilda and James.
Family and Freedom
Elizabeth's father, Thomas Jennings, was a very successful tailor. He was also an important leader in New York's Black community. In 1821, he received a patent from the U.S. government for a new way to dry clean clothes. He was one of the first Black people to hold a patent in the United States. With the money he earned, Thomas Jennings bought his family's freedom. This was very important because his wife, Elizabeth Cartwright, had been born enslaved.
A Young Scholar and Teacher
Elizabeth's mother, Elizabeth Cartwright Jennings, was also a respected person in their community. She wrote a speech that 10-year-old Elizabeth delivered in 1837. The speech was called "On the Improvement of the Mind." It was given at a meeting of the Ladies Literary Society of New York. This group was started by Black women to encourage learning and self-improvement. Elizabeth's speech talked about how important it was for Black people to develop their minds. She believed this would help end slavery and unfair treatment.
By 1854, Elizabeth Jennings had become a schoolteacher. She taught at the private African Free School and later in public schools for Black children. She also played the organ at her church.
Fighting for Fair Public Transportation
In the 1850s, horse-drawn streetcars became a popular way to travel in New York City. However, these private companies often refused to let Black people ride. Or, they made Black passengers sit in separate sections.
The Streetcar Incident of 1854
On Sunday, July 16, 1854, Elizabeth Jennings was on her way to church. She was an organist there. She got on a streetcar belonging to the Third Avenue Railroad Company. The conductor told her to get off. He first said the car was full, but that wasn't true. Then he claimed other passengers didn't want her there.
When Elizabeth refused to leave, the conductor tried to force her off. He pulled her, damaged her clothes, and hurt her. A police officer then helped remove her from the streetcar. This unfair treatment made many people angry.
Taking the Railroad Company to Court
The incident sparked a movement among Black New Yorkers to end unfair treatment on streetcars. Elizabeth's father, Thomas Jennings, filed a lawsuit on her behalf. He sued the driver, the conductor, and the Third Avenue Railroad Company.
Elizabeth was represented by a young lawyer named Chester A. Arthur. He was only 24 years old at the time. Later, Chester A. Arthur would become a president of the United States.
Winning the Case and Making a Difference
In 1855, the court ruled in Elizabeth's favor. The judge, William Rockwell, stated that "Colored persons if sober, well-behaved and free from disease, had the same rights as others." He said they could not be kept off the cars by company rules or by force.
The jury awarded Elizabeth $250 in damages. This was a significant amount of money back then. The very next day, the Third Avenue Railroad Company ordered its streetcars to be open to everyone.
While this was a big win, it didn't immediately desegregate all streetcar lines. Black activists formed the New York Legal Rights Association to keep fighting. Finally, in 1865, all public transit services in New York were fully desegregated.
Later Life and Lasting Legacy
Elizabeth Jennings married Charles Graham in 1860. They had a son named Thomas. Sadly, their son passed away as a baby during a difficult time in New York City in 1863. For safety, Elizabeth, her mother, and her sister moved out of the city for a while. Charles Graham passed away in 1867.
Starting a Kindergarten for Black Children
Elizabeth, her mother, and sister later moved back to New York City. Elizabeth Graham lived her later years at 247 West 41st Street. There, she founded and ran the city's first kindergarten for Black children in her own home. She continued this important work until her death on June 5, 1901, at the age of 74. She was buried in Cypress Hills Cemetery with her son and husband.
Remembering Elizabeth Jennings Graham
Elizabeth Jennings Graham's bravery and actions have not been forgotten.
- In 2007, a block of Park Row in New York City was named "Elizabeth Jennings Place." This happened after a campaign by local schoolchildren.
- In 2018, her first biography, Streetcar to Justice: How Elizabeth Jennings Won the Right to Ride in New York, was published by Amy Hill Hearth.
- Another book, America's First Freedom Rider: Elizabeth Jennings, Chester A. Arthur, and the Early Fight for Civil Rights, by Jerry Mikorenda, came out in 2019.
- In 2019, New York City announced plans to build a statue honoring Elizabeth Graham near Grand Central Terminal.
See also
- Charlotte L. Brown, who helped desegregate streetcars in San Francisco in the 1860s
- John Mitchell Jr., who organized a boycott against segregated trolleys in Richmond, Virginia, in 1904
- Irene Morgan, who won a Supreme Court case in 1944 against segregation on interstate buses
- Rosa Parks, whose actions inspired the Montgomery Bus Boycott in the 1950s
