Ozeline Wise
Quick facts for kids
Ozeline Wise
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Wise in 1978
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| Born | 1903 |
| Died | 1988 |
Ozeline Pearson Wise (1903 – 1988) was an important American woman. She made history by becoming the first African-American woman to work in the banking department for the state of Massachusetts. She held this job for 20 years.
Ozeline Wise also helped start two important community groups. With her sister, Satyra Bennett, she co-founded the Citizens Charitable Health Association. They also started the Cambridge Community Center. These groups helped people in their community.
Before her banking career, Ozeline wanted to work for the post office. She took a special test called a civil service exam. This test helps the government decide who gets certain jobs. However, she was not hired by the post office because she was a woman. In the early 1950s, she found her job in the Massachusetts banking department.
Early Life and Family
Ozeline Wise was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1903. Her parents, Frances Lavina Gale and William B. Pearson, were both born in Jamaica. Her grandfather, Josiah Pearson, had been an enslaved person in Jamaica.
In the early 1900s, Ozeline's family moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her father, Reverend William B. Pearson, became a pastor at the St. Paul's African Methodist Episcopal Church. Ozeline finished high school in Cambridge.
Family and Business Ventures
In 1931, Ozeline married John Wise. They adopted a son named Hubert Barrett Wise in the 1940s.
Around 1942, Ozeline and John Wise opened a special place called the Galehurst Guest House. It was an inn located in Billerica, Massachusetts. They ran this guest house for almost 30 years.
The Galehurst Guest House was very important for African-American travelers. During a time when many places were segregated, it was one of the few places recommended for them. It was listed in a guide called The Negro Motorist Green Book. This book helped African-American travelers find safe places to stay, eat, and get gas during the era of racial segregation.
Ozeline Wise passed away in 1988. She left her important papers, along with those of her sister and father, to the Schlesinger Library. These papers help people learn about her life and contributions.
