Mattie E. Coleman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mattie E. Coleman
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| Born |
Mattie Eliza Howard
July 3, 1870 Sumner County, Tennessee
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| Died | August 12, 1943 (aged 73) Nashville, Tennessee
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| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Central Tennessee College, Meharry Medical College |
| Occupation | Physician, Suffragist |
| Spouse(s) |
P. J. Coleman
(m. 1902) |
Mattie E. Coleman (1870-1943) was a pioneering African-American woman doctor in Tennessee. She was also a strong believer in women's rights and worked hard to bring black and white women together to achieve important social goals.
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Early Life and Education
Mattie Eliza Howard was born on July 3, 1870, in Sumner County, Tennessee. She was the oldest of four children. Her father was a minister in the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church.
After finishing high school at Walden University, Mattie graduated from Central Tennessee College in 1885. In 1902, she married Reverend P. J. Coleman. She then joined her husband's church, the Colored Methodist Episcopal (CME) Church.
Mattie Coleman went on to graduate from Meharry Medical College in 1906. This made her one of the first black female doctors in the United States. She passed away on August 12, 1943, in Nashville, Tennessee.
Working for Social Change
Dr. Coleman opened a medical practice in Clarksville, Tennessee. She provided medical care to people who needed help. She also worked with other black women to improve life for African Americans. They focused on things like education and health care.
Leading Women's Groups
In 1918, Dr. Coleman helped start the Woman’s Connectional Missionary Council. This was the first women's group within the Colored Methodist Episcopal (CME) Church. She became its first president and held that position for 20 years.
In this role, she worked closely with white women from the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. For example, they worked together to support the Bethlehem House settlement. The Bethlehem House offered a kindergarten, sewing classes, and Bible story hours. It provided many helpful services to the community.
Building Alliances
Mattie Coleman understood that different groups could help each other. She believed white organizations could help black women reach their goals. She also knew that black women could help white women with their own plans. Both black and white women wanted more leadership roles in their churches.
In one speech, Dr. Coleman asked church leaders for "an equal chance" to do their work. She brought white women into the effort to help black women gain independent roles in the church. She did this even before white women had achieved those roles in their own churches.
At the first meeting of the CME Woman's Connectional Missionary Council in 1918, she said: "There has always been a close relationship between the sisters of the M.E. Church, South and the sisters of the C.M.E. Church... We have long since realized that each one is dependent on the other."
Some historians believe that Mattie Coleman helped start this important partnership in Nashville. This alliance was key for both social justice and women's right to vote. For instance, black women wanted a special school for black children who needed guidance. White women who supported voting rights saw how well Mattie Coleman and Juno Frankie Pierce could organize.
From 1939 to 1943, Dr. Coleman was the superintendent of the Tennessee State Vocational School for Girls.
Fighting for Women's Vote
Dr. Coleman was also a strong supporter of women's suffrage. This means she believed women should have the right to vote. She worked with Juno Frankie Pierce and others to help over 2,500 African-American women register to vote. This happened for the Nashville city elections in 1919.
