Nettie Langston Napier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nettie Langston Napier
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| Born |
Nettie DeElla Langston
June 17, 1861 Oberlin, Ohio
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| Died | September 30, 1938 (aged 77) Nashville, Tennessee
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| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | activist |
| Spouse(s) |
James Carroll Napier
(m. 1878) |
Nettie Langston Napier was an important African-American activist. She worked for the rights of women of color in the early 1900s. Nettie lived in Nashville, Tennessee, and helped many people in her community.
Contents
Life Story
Early Life and Education
Nettie DeElla Langston was born on June 17, 1861. Her hometown was Oberlin, Ohio. She came from a well-known African-American family.
Her father was John Mercer Langston. He was a very important leader. He helped start the law school at Howard University. He was also the first president of Virginia State University. This was a historically black college, meaning it was created to educate African-American students. John Mercer Langston was also the first black person elected to the United States Congress from Virginia.
Nettie's mother was Caroline Matilda (Wall). She also graduated from Oberlin. Nettie studied music at Oberlin College. Before that, she spent a year at Howard University.
Marriage and Family
Nettie met her future husband, James Carroll Napier, through her family. James was working in Washington D.C. at the time. He also earned his law degree from Howard University.
In 1872, James Napier moved to Nashville to start his own law practice. He and Nettie married in 1878 in Washington D.C. They later adopted a daughter named Carrie.
Community Leadership
Nettie Napier became a very active leader in Nashville. She was known as a "prominent clubwoman." This means she was a key person in many women's groups. She made important friends across the Southern United States.
Nettie was part of a group of about a dozen important women in the South. This group included leaders like Maggie L. Walker and Mary McLeod Bethune. She was also a close friend of the educator John Hope. Many people called her "the first lady of Nashville's black elite." This meant she was one of the most respected and influential African-American women in the city. The Napier home was a central meeting place for Nashville's African-American leaders.
Helping Children and Women
In 1907, Nettie founded the Day Homes' Club. This group helped African-American children in Nashville. She also worked closely with Fisk University.
During World War I, the local American Red Cross asked her to help. She also served as the treasurer for the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs. She worked with Margaret Murray Washington to lead this important organization.
In 1915, Nettie went to a conference in Louisville, Kentucky. She represented Nashville at this meeting of the Young Women's Christian Association. She wanted to start a YWCA in Nashville for women of color. At that time, YWCA facilities were often separated by race.
Later Recognition
In the 1920s, Nettie Napier became an Honorary Member of the Zeta Phi Beta sorority. This is a special group for college women.
In 1934, students from Tennessee State University honored Nettie and her husband. They created a special play called From Africa to America. This play celebrated their contributions to history.
Nettie Langston Napier passed away on September 30, 1938, in Nashville.
