Nettie Craig Asberry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nettie Craig Asberry
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Nettie J. Asberry, 1925
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Nettie J. Craig
July 15, 1865 |
| Died | November 17, 1968 (aged 103) |
| Resting place | Oakwood Hill Cemetery |
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Nettie Asberry (born July 15, 1865 – died November 17, 1968) was an important African-American leader and music teacher. She lived for over 100 years! She helped start the NAACP in Tacoma, Washington. She was also very active in groups for African-American women.
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Nettie's Early Life and Education
Nettie J. Craig was born in Leavenworth, Kansas. Her mother, Violet Craig, was formerly enslaved. Nettie was the youngest of six children. She was the only one born free.
Nettie started playing the piano when she was eight years old. She went to the University of Kansas for free. Later, she earned a special music degree. This was from the Kansas Conservatory of Music and Elocution. She got her Doctorate of Music on June 12, 1883. She was just under 18 years old. Many believe she was the first African-American woman to earn a doctorate degree.
Moving to Seattle and Back to Kansas
After college, Nettie Asberry taught music. She also sang in choirs. She worked in places like Nicodemus, Kansas, Kansas City, Missouri, and Denver, Colorado.
She married Albert Jones. They moved to Seattle, Washington. Seattle was being rebuilt after a big fire in 1889. They hoped to find new chances there. Soon after arriving, Nettie became the main organist. She was also the music director for the First African Methodist Episcopal Church. Sadly, Albert Jones died in 1893. Nettie then went back to her family in Kansas for a short time.
Settling in Tacoma and Her Important Work
After her husband died, Nettie Asberry moved to Tacoma, Washington with her family. This is where she became a very important leader. She helped start the Tacoma chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The NAACP works for equal rights for African Americans.
Nettie worked hard to fight against segregation in Tacoma. Segregation meant keeping people of different races separate. She also started the Tacoma City Association of Colored Women's Clubs. She traveled around the state to encourage other women to form similar groups. She used her music degree to teach children music. She also directed choirs in Tacoma for many years.
Nettie Asberry's Lasting Impact
Nettie Asberry left a big mark on her community. The Tacoma City Association of Colored Women’s Clubs (Tacoma CWC) honored her. They named one of their clubs the Asberry Culture Club.
On January 4, 2022, the Tacoma City Council made the Henry J. and Nettie Craig Asberry House a city landmark. This means it's a special historic building. In the same week, the Tacoma CWC bought the historic Asberry House. Six months later, they received money to help preserve and share the history of Asberry's home. This funding came from the National Trust for Historic Preservation's African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund.
