The Rollin Sisters facts for kids

The Rollin sisters of South Carolina were very important Black women who lived during the time known as the Reconstruction Era. These five sisters were Frances Ann (Frank), Katherine (Kate), Charlotte (Lottie), Marie Louise (Loyise), and Florence Rollin. They were born in Charleston but later moved to Columbia, South Carolina. Even though women could not vote or hold political jobs back then, these sisters had a big impact on politics and society.

Early Life and Family

The Rollin sisters grew up in Charleston, South Carolina. Their parents were free Black people who were part of a respected and wealthy community before the Civil War. Not much is known about their mother, Margarette Rollin. Their father, William Rollin, was a successful lumber dealer. He was a strong Catholic and made sure his daughters received a good French education. The family had moved to South Carolina from a place called Saint Domingue (now Haiti) during the Haitian Revolution, a time when enslaved people fought for their freedom.

Fighting for Rights

All the Rollin sisters were involved in the Civil Rights movement in different ways. They worked hard to make sure everyone had equal rights.

Education for Freed People

After the Civil War and the end of slavery, Katherine and Charlotte opened a school in Charleston. This school was for newly freed people, helping them learn and build new lives. Both sisters taught at the school, showing their dedication to education.

Charlotte's Fight for Women's Vote

Charlotte was a strong supporter of women's rights, especially the right to vote. In March 1869, she spoke to the state government, asking them to let women vote. Later that year, she wrote a famous quote: "We ask suffrage not as a favor, not as a privilege, but as a right based on the grounds that we are human beings and as such entitled to all human rights." This showed her belief that voting was a basic human right for everyone. Charlotte also worked for a Congressman named Robert Brown Elliott.

Women's Rights Convention

On December 20, 1870, Charlotte and her sisters organized a "Women's Rights Convention." Many important Black and White leaders attended this meeting. After the convention, the Rollin sisters helped start a South Carolina branch of the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA). Charlotte became the Secretary, and Katherine was the Treasurer. This group worked to get voting rights for all people, no matter their gender or race. Even the Governor and Lieutenant-Governor attended their meetings, showing how important these events were.

Frances's Stand Against Discrimination

Frances Rollin also fought for civil rights. Once, she was not allowed to buy a first-class ticket on a boat called the Pilot Boy because she was Black. She bravely sued the ship's captain in a military court for violating her rights, and she won! This was a big victory against discrimination. Frances later wrote a book and worked as a law clerk.

The Rollin Salon

By 1871, the Rollin sisters were well-known. They hosted gatherings at their home called the "Rollin Salon." This salon was a special place where people of different races could meet and talk about important social issues, especially women's rights. It was even called "the Republican Headquarters" because so many important political discussions happened there. The sisters worked closely with both Black and White radical Republican leaders in the area.

Life After Reconstruction

When the Republican government in the South changed, the Rollin sisters faced new challenges. Their important roles were threatened or taken away by the new Southern Democrats. Charlotte, Louisa, Frances, and their mother Margarette moved North. Charlotte, Louisa, and Margarette went to Brooklyn, New York. Frances moved to Washington D.C., where she worked for the famous abolitionist Frederick Douglass. Charlotte also reported fearing attacks from the Ku Klux Klan, a group that used violence to scare Black people.

The work of Charlotte Rollin and all the Rollin sisters shows how African American women have always been active in politics and fighting for change, not just in big cities or famous organizations. Their story is an important part of American history.