Rosetta Douglass facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rosetta Douglass
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| Born |
Rosetta Douglass
June 24, 1839 |
| Died | November 25, 1906 (aged 67) |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Activism |
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Notable work
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"My Mother as I Recall Her" |
| Relatives | Douglass family |
Rosetta Douglass-Sprague (June 24, 1839 – November 25, 1906) was an American teacher and activist. She was the oldest child of famous abolitionist Frederick Douglass and Anna Murray-Douglass. Rosetta was a strong voice for social justice. She helped start the National Association for Colored Women.
Early Life and Education
Rosetta was born in 1839 in New Bedford, Massachusetts. She was the first of five children. When she was five, her family moved to Lynn, Massachusetts. A year later, she stayed with Abigail and Lydia Mott in Albany, New York. Abigail taught Rosetta to read and write. Lydia taught her how to sew.
When Rosetta was 11, she helped her father with his newspaper. She helped make and package the papers. On December 24, 1863, she married Nathan Sprague. They had seven children together. One of her children was Fredericka Douglass Sprague Perry.
In 1845, public schools in Rochester, New York, closed to Black students. Frederick Douglass did not want Rosetta to attend a segregated school. Instead, he sent her to a private school. She also had tutors from age two to seven.
In 1848, Rosetta was accepted into the Seward Seminary in Rochester, New York. However, she was kept separate from the white students. Her father spoke out against this unfair treatment in his newspaper. Rosetta was later expelled after a vote by her white classmates. Only one student voted for her to stay. She also studied at Oberlin College’s Young Ladies Preparatory. Later, she attended Massachusetts' Salem Normal School.
Rosetta was a thoughtful person, much like her father. She faced challenges common for women of her time.
Teaching, Writing, and Activism
Rosetta Douglass-Sprague worked as a teacher. She later focused on her home and family. She wrote important papers about her experiences. In 1900, she wrote My Mother as I Recall Her. She also wrote What Role is the Educated Negro Woman to Play in the Uplifting of Her Race?
In her writings, Rosetta spoke about the unfair treatment of African Americans. She wrote about the cruelty of slavery. She also wrote about the need for fairness and equality. She believed that society needed to help Black people recover from past injustices.
Rosetta worked closely with her father. She had a strong sense of social justice. She advised her father on important matters. For example, she told him not to accept the presidency of the Freedman’s Bank. She became a founding member of the National Association for Colored Women. This group worked to improve the lives of Black women and families.
