Sarah Meriwether Nutter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sarah H. Meriwether Nutter
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| Born |
Sarah Meriwether
January 1, 1888 |
| Died | April 10, 1950 (aged 62) |
| Occupation | Teacher |
| Known for | founder of Alpha Kappa Alpha |
| Spouse(s) | T. Gillis Nutter |
| Parent(s) | James H. Meriwether Mary L. Robinson |
Sarah H. Meriwether Nutter (January 1, 1888 – May 10, 1950) was a very important American teacher. She was one of the sixteen young women who started Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. This was the first sorority created by African-American women.
Sarah Nutter believed that education was key to helping African-American people succeed. She worked hard to create new chapters of Alpha Kappa Alpha. This helped more African-American women get support in college and in their communities. She was also active in the NAACP in Charleston, West Virginia.
Early Life and Education
Sarah N. Meriwether was born in 1888 in Washington, D.C.. Her parents were James H. Meriwether and Mary L. Robinson. She had several brothers and sisters.
Sarah went to public schools in Washington, D.C. In 1906, she graduated from M Street High School. This school was later renamed Dunbar High School. It was a special high school for black students who wanted to go to college.
Starting Alpha Kappa Alpha
In 1906, Sarah Meriwether was accepted into Howard University. At that time, Howard was the best historically black college in the United States. Only a small number of African Americans went to college back then.
Sarah was a great student and studied English and history. In 1909, she and six other students were asked to help start a new group. This group became Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. It was a groundbreaking moment as it was the first sorority for African-American women.
Career and Community Work
After college, Sarah Meriwether continued her studies at Miner Teacher's College. By 1915, she was teaching English at Baltimore's Teacher Training School.
Later, she taught at Howard University and Dunbar High School in Washington, D.C. Dunbar High School was known for having excellent teachers. Teachers in Washington, D.C., were part of the government's civil service. This meant African-American teachers were paid the same as white teachers.
In December 1920, Sarah Meriwether moved to Charleston, West Virginia. There, she met and married T. Gillis Nutter. He was a lawyer and a state representative.
In Charleston, Sarah Nutter became very involved in her community. She worked with the NAACP on education and program committees. She also started the Kanawha County's College Alumni Club. Sarah was also a member of Charleston's Book Lovers Club. She was the first African American to join the West Virginia Society for Crippled Children.
Sarah Nutter and her mother, Mary L. Robinson Meriwether, helped donate a special table to Howard University. This was the table where General Oliver O. Howard signed the document that created the college. Sarah also helped set up new Alpha Kappa Alpha chapters. For example, she helped start the Nu Chapter at West Virginia State University in 1922. She was also a founding member of the Beta Beta Omega chapter in Charleston.
Sarah H. Meriwether Nutter passed away on May 10, 1950, in Charleston, West Virginia, at 62 years old.
