Fanny Jackson Coppin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fanny Jackson Coppin
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| Born | October 15, 1837 |
| Died | January 21, 1913 (aged 76) |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Oberlin College (BA) |
| Occupation | |
Fanny Jackson Coppin was an amazing American educator and missionary. She lived from October 15, 1837, to January 21, 1913. Fanny believed strongly that girls and women should get a good education. She was one of the first Black women to graduate from Oberlin College. Later, she became the principal of the Institute for Colored Youth in Philadelphia. She also made history as the first African American school superintendent in the United States.
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Early Life and Family
Fanny Jackson was born into slavery. But her aunt bought her freedom when Fanny was 12 years old. Her aunt paid $125, which was a lot of money back then! After gaining her freedom, Fanny lived in Newport, Rhode Island. She worked as a servant for an author named George Henry Calvert. Fanny used every chance she got to study and learn.
On December 21, 1881, Fanny married Reverend Levi Jenkins Coppin. He was a minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Fanny became very involved in her husband's missionary work. In 1902, they traveled to South Africa. There, they helped start the Bethel Institute. This was a missionary school that also taught people how to help themselves. After nearly ten years, Fanny's health declined. She returned to Philadelphia and passed away on January 21, 1913. She is buried in Merion Memorial Park in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania.
Fanny's Education Journey
Fanny was determined to learn. While working as a servant, she used her earnings to hire a tutor. This tutor helped her study for three hours every week. With a scholarship from the African Methodist Church, Fanny enrolled at Oberlin College in Ohio in 1860. Oberlin was special because it was the first college in the U.S. to accept both Black students and female students.
Studying at Oberlin College
At first, Fanny joined the "ladies' course." But the next year, she switched to the harder "gentlemen's course." She wrote about this in her life story. She said the teachers didn't stop women from taking the harder course. But they didn't really suggest it either. This course had a lot of Latin, Greek, and math. Fanny felt ready for a fun challenge.
Everything went well until her junior year. The teachers asked to see her. It was common for 40 students to teach younger classes. The teachers wanted Fanny to teach a class. But they told her if the students didn't like her teaching, they wouldn't make them stay. Luckily, Fanny loved teaching. Even though some students were surprised to see her, no one protested. Her class grew so much that it had to be split into two groups!
Facing Challenges as a Black Woman
Fanny also felt a lot of pressure as a Black woman. She wrote, "I never rose to recite in my classes at Oberlin but I felt that I had the honor of the whole African race upon my shoulders." She worried that if she failed, people would blame it on her race.
One time, she did very well in Greek. Her Greek professor decided to visit her math class. Fanny really wanted to do well in math too. She had heard that Black people were good at languages but struggled with math. She was good at showing how to solve problems. In an exam, she got a problem she knew well. She passed that day with "flying colors."
While studying at Oberlin, Fanny also taught an evening class. She taught reading and writing to free African Americans for free. She earned her Bachelor's degree in 1865. She was one of only three Black women to do so at that time. The others were Mary Jane Patterson and Frances Josephine Norris.
A Career in Education
After graduating, Fanny Jackson Coppin became the first Black teacher at the Oberlin Academy. In 1865, she moved to Philadelphia. She took a job at the Institute for Colored Youth. This school is now known as Cheyney University of Pennsylvania. She led the Ladies Department and taught Greek, Latin, and Mathematics.
Becoming a School Principal
In 1869, Fanny Jackson Coppin became the principal of the Institute. She took over after Ebenezer Bassett left. This made her the first African American woman to become a school principal. For 37 years, Fanny Jackson made huge improvements in education in Philadelphia. During her time as principal, the board of education even promoted her to superintendent. This made her the first African American superintendent of a school district in the United States. However, she soon returned to her role as principal.
Speaking Out for Women
In 1893, Fanny Coppin was one of five African American women invited to speak. This was at the World's Congress of Representative Women in Chicago. Other speakers included Anna Julia Cooper, Sarah Jane Woodson Early, Fannie Barrier Williams, and Hallie Quinn Brown. Fanny gave a speech called "The intellectual progress of the colored women of the United States since the Emancipation Proclamation."
Fanny Jackson Coppin was active in politics her whole life. She often spoke at political gatherings. She was also one of the first vice presidents of the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs. This group was an early organization that supported Black women. It was founded by Rosetta Douglas.
Lasting Legacy
Fanny Jackson Coppin left a powerful legacy. In 1888, she helped open a home for young women who needed help. Other charities had turned these women away.
In 1899, the Fannie Jackson Coppin Club was named in her honor. This club was for African American women in Alameda County. It played a big part in the California suffrage movement. This movement worked to get women the right to vote.
Fanny also worked to help Black people become more financially independent. In 1879, she helped save The Christian Recorder from going out of business.
Her book, Reminiscences of a School Life and Hints on Teaching, was published in 1913. It was her autobiography and also shared her teaching ideas.
In 1926, a teacher training school in Baltimore was named the Fanny Jackson Coppin Normal School. Today, it is known as Coppin State University. In 1999, Coppin State University unveiled a statue of Fanny Jackson Coppin.
In 2021, the Philadelphia Board of Education voted to rename a school after her. The former Andrew Jackson Elementary School is now the Jackson Coppin Elementary School. This change happened in 2022. The president of Coppin State University also announced a special scholarship. Any graduate of Coppin Elementary can attend Coppin State University tuition-free after high school.
