Sarah Jane Woodson Early facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sarah Jane Woodson Early
Born	November 15, 1825 Ross County, OH
Died	August 15, 1907 (aged 82)
Education	Oberlin College, 1852
Occupation	College educator Principal Superintendent Lecturer

Sarah Jane Woodson Early (born November 15, 1825 – died August 15, 1907) was an important American educator, activist, and writer. She was known for her work in education and for supporting the temperance movement, which worked to reduce alcohol use.

Sarah Jane Woodson Early graduated from Oberlin College. In 1858, she became the first black woman to teach at a college. She taught at Wilberforce University, which was also the first historically black college or university (HBCU) to hire a black American teacher.

After marrying in 1868, she moved to Tennessee with her husband, Jordan Winston Early. There, she became a principal in schools in four different cities. From 1888 to 1892, she was a national leader for the black division of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. She gave over 100 speeches across five states. She also wrote a book about her husband's life, including his journey from slavery.

Her Early Life and Schooling

Sarah Jane Woodson was born free in Chillicothe, Ohio, on November 15, 1825. She was the youngest of eleven children. Her parents, Jemima and Thomas Woodson, bought their family's freedom for $900 in 1820. They moved to Ohio from Virginia, where they were one of only two free black families.

Her family helped start the first black Methodist church west of the Alleghenies. In 1830, they also helped create a black farming community called Berlin Crossroads. This community had its own school, stores, and churches. Sarah's father and brothers believed in supporting black communities, which influenced her later work. Their home in Berlin Crossroads was also a safe stop on the Underground Railroad, helping many enslaved people escape to freedom.

Sarah showed a love for learning from a young age. By age three, she knew every hymn her family sang. By age five, she had memorized long parts of the Bible. In 1839, she joined the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), which was the first independent black church in the U.S. Her brothers, Lewis, Thomas, and John, were ministers in this church.

Her family believed that all their children should get an education. Sarah Jane and her older sister Hannah both went to Oberlin College in 1852. Sarah Jane finished her college degree in Classical Studies. She graduated in 1856, becoming one of the first African-American women to earn a college degree.

Her Teaching Career

After college, Sarah taught in black community schools in Ohio. She was the first principal at a public school in Xenia, Ohio. In 1863, she gave a speech called "Address to Youth." She encouraged young African Americans to become teachers and scientists. She wanted them to help lead their communities after the Emancipation Proclamation.

In 1858, Sarah Woodson started teaching at Wilberforce University in Wilberforce. This made her the first African-American woman to be a college instructor. She taught English and Latin and was also the "Lady Principal and Matron." She was the first black person to teach at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). She was also the only black woman to teach at an HBCU before the Civil War.

Her brother, Rev. Lewis Woodson, helped start Wilberforce University in 1855. It was created to educate black youth. The college closed for two years during the Civil War because of money problems. Many students, who were mixed-race children of wealthy Southern planters, left when the war began.

The AME Church bought the college and reopened it in 1863. This made it the first college owned and run by African Americans. Sarah also served as Lady Principal and Matron. She was hired again by the university in 1866 after it had been closed for almost a year.

After the Civil War, in 1868, Woodson began teaching at a new school for black girls. This school was set up by the Freedmen's Bureau in Hillsboro, North Carolina. Many black Southerners moved North after the war to escape violence. But Woodson wanted to stay and educate the children of formerly enslaved people. Many other graduates from Oberlin College also felt this way because the school believed strongly in fighting slavery.

In 1888, Sarah Woodson Early was chosen to be the national superintendent of the Colored Division of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union. In 1893, she spoke at the World's Congress of Representative Women in Chicago. Her speech was about "The Organized Efforts of the Colored Women of the South to Improve Their Condition." She was one of five African-American women invited to speak at this important event.

Her long career ended when she passed away at age 82 on August 15, 1907.

Her Marriage and Family Life

On September 24, 1868, when she was 42, Sarah Woodson married Reverend Jordan Winston Early. He was an AME minister who had been enslaved but gained his freedom. Sarah and Jordan Early did not have any children. Jordan Early stopped working as a minister in 1888.

Sarah Early helped her husband with his church work. She also continued to teach in community schools. She taught for almost 40 years in total. She believed that education was very important for the progress of black people. She also served as the principal of large schools in four different cities.

Her Work for Change

Sarah W. Early became very active in the Women's Christian Temperance Movement. This was a group that worked to reduce the use of alcohol in the 1800s. In 1888, she was chosen to lead the Colored Division of the Women's Christian Temperance Union for four years. During this time, she traveled a lot and gave over 100 speeches to groups in five different states.

She was a strong voice for the Prohibition Party in Tennessee, which also worked to ban alcohol.

Legacy and Honors

• In 1888, Sarah Woodson Early was named superintendent of the Colored Division of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU).
• In 1893, she was honored as "Representative Woman of the Year" at the Chicago World's Fair.