Sarah Dudley Pettey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sarah Dudley Pettey
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Sarah Dudley Pettey, 1895
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| Born | 1868 |
| Died | 1906 |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Political Activist |
Sarah Dudley Pettey (1869-1906) was an amazing African-American woman from North Carolina. She was a teacher, a writer, and an organist. Most importantly, she was a brave political activist. She spent her life working to make things fair for everyone. She fought for equal rights for all races and genders. She also believed women should be more involved in public life, especially during the Jim Crow era. This was a time when laws kept Black people from having the same rights as white people.
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Sarah Dudley Pettey's Early Life
Sarah Dudley Pettey was born in 1869 in New Bern, North Carolina. Her parents were Caroline Dudley and the Honorable E.R. Dudley. Her father was a well-known politician and writer.
Sarah went to public schools in New Bern until the sixth grade. After that, she attended the New Bern State Colored Normal School. When she was just thirteen, she went to Scotia Seminary in Concord, North Carolina. This school had white teachers from the northern states. Sarah graduated from Scotia with high honors in June 1883. Then, she returned to New Bern to become a teacher.
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Sarah Dudley married Charles Pettey in 1889. Charles already had two daughters with Lula Pickenpack, who was Sarah's roommate at Scotia. After Lula passed away, Sarah and Charles got married. Charles Pettey was a bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Zion church. Sarah and Charles had five children together.
Her Teaching Career
Sarah Dudley Pettey had several teaching jobs during her life. In October 1883, she started as an assistant at the New Bern Graded School. She was later promoted to vice principal. She held this important position until 1889.
Fighting for Change: Her Activism
In 1896, Sarah Dudley Pettey became involved with the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs. This group worked to improve the lives of African-American women and their communities. Also in 1896, she started writing a column every two months for the Star of Zion newspaper. This was the newspaper for the A.M.E. Zion church. She also served as the General Secretary for the church's Woman's Home and Foreign Missionary Society.
In her writings, Sarah showed her strong belief in women's rights and equality. Historian Glenda Elizabeth Gilmore noted that Sarah often traveled and spoke with her husband. She would give speeches on topics like "Woman the Equal of Man" or "Woman's Suffrage." She frequently wrote in the Star of Zion about the great things women were achieving.
Later Life and Legacy
Charles Pettey passed away in 1900. Sarah Dudley Pettey died in 1906 when she was only thirty-seven years old. Their deaths happened around the time the Jim Crow system became very strong. This system took away many rights from African Americans in the Southern states. Sarah Dudley Pettey left behind a legacy of fighting for a fairer world.
