Hester C. Jeffrey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hester C. Jeffrey
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| Born |
Hester C. Whitehurst
c. 1842 Norfolk, Virginia
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| Died | January 2, 1934 (aged 91–92) |
| Resting place | Everett, Massachusetts |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Suffragist, Political Activist |
| Spouse(s) |
Roswell Jerome Jeffrey
(m. 1865) |
Hester C. Jeffrey (born around 1842 – died January 2, 1934) was an important African-American activist. She worked for women's suffrage, which means the right for women to vote. She was also a community organizer in Rochester, New York, and New York City. People know her for her work with groups like the Political Equality Club and the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs.
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Early Life and Family
Hester C. Jeffrey was born around 1842. Her parents, Robert and Martha Whitehurst, were free black people. This means they were not enslaved. She was probably born in Norfolk, Virginia. Hester was well-educated and a talented musician.
In the early 1840s, Hester and her sister, Phoebe, moved to Boston. Their brother was born there in 1843. In 1850, the three children lived with their uncle, Coffin Pitts.
In 1865, Hester married Roswell Jerome Jeffrey. His grandfather, Rev. Jehiel Beman, was a famous abolitionist. An abolitionist was someone who worked to end slavery. Roswell's father, Reverend Roswell Jeffrey, was also an activist in Rochester.
Working for Change in Rochester
Hester and Jerome Jeffrey moved to Rochester in 1891. There, Hester became very active in her community. She joined the Political Equality Club. This group worked for women's right to vote. She also joined the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU). This group worked to improve society.
Later, Hester became a national organizer for the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs (NACWC). She held many important roles. She was a national organizer for Colored Women's Clubs. She was also the New York State President of the Federation of Colored Women's Clubs. She helped lead the WCTU in her county and neighborhood. She was also president of a section of the Needlework Guild of America.
Helping Women and Girls
Jeffrey helped start many clubs for African-American women. One important club was the Susan B. Anthony Club for black women. This club worked for women's right to vote. It also created a Mothers' Council. This council helped women who had young children.
She also started other clubs, like the Climbers. Another club was the Hester C. Jeffrey Club for young black women. This club helped raise money. The money allowed young black women to take classes at what is now the Rochester Institute of Technology.
Remembering Important Leaders
Hester Jeffrey was part of the Douglass Monument Committee. This group raised money for a statue of Frederick Douglass. He was a famous abolitionist and writer. In 1897, the first monument to an African-American was built in Rochester, his hometown. Hester was chosen to lead the music at the statue's unveiling ceremony.
Jeffrey was also good friends with Susan B. Anthony. Susan B. Anthony was a very famous leader in the women's suffrage movement. Hester often visited Anthony's home in Rochester. When Susan B. Anthony died in 1906, Hester Jeffrey was the only non-clergy person to speak at her funeral. She spoke about her sadness and praised Anthony's work for women's right to vote.
Hester Jeffrey also created the first memorial for Susan B. Anthony. This was a beautiful stained-glass window. It was placed in the AME Zion church and shown to the public in 1907.
Later Life
Several years before she passed away, Hester Jeffrey moved back to Boston. She wanted to live with her relatives. She died on January 2, 1934. She is buried in an unmarked grave in Woodlawn Cemetery in Everett. Her sister, Phoebe Whitehurst Glover, is buried next to her.
