Louisa Matilda Jacobs facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Louisa Matilda Jacobs
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| Born | October 19, 1833 |
| Died | April 5, 1917 (aged 83) Cambridge, Massachusetts
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| Occupation | Abolitionist, civil rights activist, educator, author |
Louisa Matilda Jacobs (born in 1833, died in 1917) was an amazing African-American woman. She fought against slavery (an abolitionist) and worked for equal rights for all people. Louisa was also the daughter of Harriet Jacobs, a famous writer who escaped slavery. Besides her activism, Louisa taught in schools for formerly enslaved people and worked at Howard University.
Contents
Growing Up
Louisa was born on October 19, 1833, in Edenton, North Carolina. Her mother, Harriet Jacobs, was enslaved at the time. Louisa also had an older brother named Joseph.
When Louisa was two years old, her mother, Harriet, bravely escaped slavery. Harriet hoped this would lead to Louisa and Joseph being in a safer place. Her hope came true! Their father, Samuel Sawyer, bought the children from their enslaver.
Louisa first lived with her great-grandmother Molly. Then she moved to Washington, D.C., and later to Brooklyn, New York, with a cousin. Eventually, Harriet found Louisa in Brooklyn and they moved together to Boston.
Her Work and Activism
Getting an Education
While living in Boston, Louisa was taught at home. She later went to the Young Ladies Domestic Seminary School in Clinton, New York. After that, she trained in Boston to become a teacher. Teaching became a very important part of her life.
Fighting for Rights
Louisa's mother, Harriet, became friends with Amy Post and her group of abolitionists. These were people who wanted to end slavery. This led both Harriet and Louisa to join the movement.
Louisa lived with the family of Zenas Brockett, who was also an abolitionist. She also helped her mother in the Willis family home. In 1867, Louisa spoke about women's right to vote (women's suffrage). She went on a lecture tour through New York state with other important activists like Susan B. Anthony.
Her Career
In 1863, Louisa and her mother started the Jacobs Free School in Alexandria, Virginia. This was a school for Black children who had been freed from slavery. Louisa used her teaching skills there. The school grew so fast that they needed to hire a second teacher in just a few months!
Three years later, Louisa moved to Savannah, Georgia, with her mother. There, she started another school for formerly enslaved people, which she named Lincoln School. After her teaching career, Louisa and her mother opened a boarding house in Cambridge, Massachusetts. They worked and lived there together. In later years, Louisa took on most of the work as she cared for her sick mother.
After her mother passed away, Louisa worked as a matron (a supervisor) at a home for needy Black women and children. She then became a matron at Howard University. Louisa retired at 75 years old because of a heart condition. She spent most of her remaining years with the Willis family, who had become like family to her.
Books and Writings
- Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs - This famous book is about Harriet's life as an enslaved woman. The early parts of Louisa's life are included in it, using the name 'Ellen.'
- The Harriet Jacobs Family Papers edited by Jean Fagan Yellin - This book is a collection of important letters and papers about Harriet and her family. It includes letters from Louisa and reports about her school in Savannah.
- Whispers of Cruel Wrongs: The Correspondence of Louisa Jacobs and Her Circle, 1879-1911 edited by Mary Maillard - This book is a collection of letters written between Louisa and many people she knew.
Later Life and Passing
Louisa had a heart condition. Her health got worse after she spent several years caring for her mother. She passed away on April 5, 1917, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Louisa was buried next to her mother in the family plot at Mount Auburn Cemetery.
