Mary A. McCurdy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mary A. McCurdy
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Martha "Mary" Harris Mason McCurdy, 1897
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Martha A. Harris
August 10, 1852 Carthage, Indiana, U.S.
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| Died | 1934 (aged 81–82) Indiana, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Journalist |
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Notable work
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Duty of the State to the Negro |
| Spouse(s) | J.A. Mason Calvin McCurdy |
Mary A. McCurdy (born August 10, 1852 – died 1934) was an important African-American woman. She worked hard to support the temperance movement, which aimed to reduce or stop the use of alcohol. She was also a strong supporter of women's suffrage, meaning she believed women should have the right to vote. Mary McCurdy had a career in journalism, even editing her own newspaper called "Woman's World."
Mary McCurdy's Life Story
Mary McCurdy, whose birth name was Martha A. Harris, was born on August 10, 1852. Her hometown was Carthage, Indiana.
In 1875, she married J.A. Mason. They had four children together. The family lived in Richmond, Indiana. Sadly, J.A. Mason passed away after eight years of marriage.
In 1886, Mary McCurdy moved to Atlanta, Georgia. This was in the southern part of the United States. A few years later, in 1890, she married Calvin McCurdy. He was a Presbyterian minister. The couple then moved to Rome, Georgia. Reverend McCurdy died in 1905. By 1910, Mary had returned to Indiana to be with her family. She passed away in June 1934, in Indiana.
Her Work and Activism
Mary McCurdy held several important roles while living in Rome, Georgia. She was the Corresponding Secretary for the Georgia branch of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU). This group worked to promote temperance. She also supervised youth programs for the Presbyterian Church. Mary was active in the "Rome Branch of the Needle Work Guild of America." This group helped provide clothes to people who needed them.
McCurdy was the editor of a newspaper called "Woman's World." This newspaper was created for the African-American community. It shared "intellectual, moral, and spiritual" information. Through her newspaper, McCurdy promoted her causes, especially women's right to vote and temperance.
She worked with other important women of her time. These included Janie Porter Barrett and Adella Hunt Logan. Together, they worked to advance the cause of suffrage. They especially wanted to involve African-American women in the movement.
When Mary McCurdy returned to Indiana, she continued her activism. She kept working for temperance, women's right to vote, and in politics. In 1913, she attended a big meeting for the National Woman's Christian Temperance Union. She represented the state of Indiana there. McCurdy also represented Indiana in the Women's Division of the National Republican Committee. She wrote essays on important topics for her community, including one about the "Duty of the State to the Negro."
