Esther Popel facts for kids
Esther Popel (born July 16, 1896 – died January 28, 1958), also known as Esther Popel Shaw, was an amazing African-American poet, activist, and teacher. She lived during a special time called the Harlem Renaissance, which was a period when Black artists, writers, and musicians created incredible works. Esther Popel wrote and edited for important magazines like The Crisis, the Journal of Negro Education, and Opportunity.
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Esther Popel's Early Life and School
Esther Popel was born on July 16, 1896, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Her dad, Joseph Gibbs, was a mailman, and her mom was Helen King Anderson Popel. Esther had an older sister, Helen, and a younger brother, Samuel.
After finishing Central High School in Harrisburg in 1915, Esther went to Dickinson College. This was a big deal because she was the very first African-American woman to attend and graduate from that college! She studied Latin and modern languages like French, German, and Spanish. When she graduated, Esther won Dickinson's top award for excellent grades. She also became a member of Phi Beta Kappa, which is a special honor society for smart students.
On April 11, 1925, Esther married William Andrew Shaw, who was a chemist. Their daughter, Esther Patricia, was born on June 1, 1926. Most of Esther's poems were published using her maiden name, Popel. But later, she wrote reviews and articles using her married name, Esther Popel Shaw.
A Poet and Writer for Change
People remember Esther Popel as an activist and a poet of the Harlem Renaissance. In 1915, while still in high school, she published her first poetry book called Thoughtless Thinks by a Thinkless Thaughter. Many years later, she published another book of poems, A Forest Pool, which she dedicated to her mother.
Even though she only published two books, Esther also had many poems in popular magazines. She was friends with famous poets like Langston Hughes and Georgia Douglas Johnson. Esther was even part of a special writing group called the "Saturday Nighters" at Georgia Douglas Johnson's home in Washington, D.C.
Esther published poems in The Crisis, which was the official magazine of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). She also wrote for Opportunity: A Journal of Negro Life, published by the National Urban League. She won awards from Opportunity magazine for her writing.
One of her most famous poems is "Flag Salute." She wrote this poem in response to a terrible event in 1933, when an African-American man named George Armwood was unfairly killed. Her poem bravely compared this sad event to words from the Pledge of Allegiance, highlighting the unfairness. The Crisis magazine published her poem in 1934 and even put it on their cover in 1940. Other well-known poems by Esther include "Blasphemy-American Style," "October Prayer," and "Night Comes Walking."
Esther Popel Shaw also helped edit the Negro History Bulletin. This magazine was published by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, which was started by the historian Carter G. Woodson. After Woodson passed away, Esther was chosen to help continue his important work. She also wrote book reviews for the Journal of Negro History and the Journal of Negro Education. In her writings, she shared her thoughts about race relations in the United States. She even wrote several plays for high school students.
Teaching and Activism
To support herself, Esther Popel Shaw taught junior high school classes. She taught French, English, algebra, and penmanship. Her teaching career lasted for forty years! She taught at Douglass Junior High School in Baltimore and Shaw Junior High School in Washington, D.C. Her longest teaching job was at Francis Junior High in Washington, D.C., where she taught from the late 1920s until she retired in 1952.
Esther was very active in groups that worked for African-American rights and women's rights. In the early 1920s, she was part of the College Alumnae Club. This group was made up of college-educated African-American women who supported education, especially for Black girls. Esther served as vice-president and president of this club. In 1923, the club became the National Association of College Women (NACW), and Esther helped create its rules. She then served as the secretary of the NACW's executive board for 19 years, acting as the group's main spokesperson. In 1933, Esther represented NACW when a peace group presented petitions to President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the White House.
Esther Popel Shaw also served on a committee for Delta Sigma Theta, a sorority she was very involved with. She helped start a chapter of Delta in Baltimore in 1922. Her daughter, Patricia, also joined Delta when she was at Howard University.
Esther was also an advisor to the Educational Policies Commission and a board member of the Southeast Settlement House, which helped African-Americans. Through her work with the commission, she was asked by the National Education Association to help create plans to improve education across the United States.
In 1952, Esther Popel Shaw had to retire from teaching because of a heart condition. In her retirement, she enjoyed painting as a hobby. She passed away on January 28, 1958, from a stroke and was buried in Washington, D.C.
Selected Works
- "Credo" (Opportunity, January 1925)
- "Kinship" (Opportunity, January 1925)
- "Theft" (Opportunity, April 1925)
- "Little Grey Leaves" (Opportunity, September 1925)
- "Night Comes Walking" (Journal of Negro Life, August 1929)
- "Bagatelle" (Opportunity, November 1931)
- "October Prayer" (Opportunity, October 1933)
- "Reach Down, Sweet Grass" (Opportunity, April 1934)
- "Flag Salute" (The Crisis, August 1934)
- "Blasphemy American Style" (Opportunity, December 1934)
- A Forest Pool (Modernistic Press, 1934)
