Mary Church Terrell, the daughter of former slaves and one of the first African American women to earn both a Bachelor and a Master’s degree, also became a national leader for civil rights and women’s suffrage. Terrell was one of the earliest anti-lynching advocates and joined the suffrage movement, focusing her life’s work on racial uplift—the belief that Black people would end racial discrimination and advance themselves through education, work, and community activism. She helped found the National Association of Colored Women (NACW) and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
Watch this video about Mary Church Terrell and answer the questions below in the space provided. You may need to watch the video multiple times.
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How was the lynching of Thomas Moss a turning point for Mary Church Terrell? Why was Thomas Moss killed?
Describe the mission of the Colored Women’s League.
Why did Terrell form the National Association of Colored Women? What were some of the organization’s goals?
Explain in your own words the meaning of the motto coined by Terrell, “lifting as we climb.”
When Terrell challenged white women suffragists, “my sisters of the dominant race,” to “stand up not only for the oppressed sex, but also for the oppressed race,” what do you think she meant, and how did the women’s suffrage movement respond?
Terrell attempted to forge solidarity along racial lines but they were rebuffed when, during the 1913 Women’s Suffrage March, she was forced to walk in a segregated section in the back. How did this impact her and her work?
Explain what Terrell meant when she said Black women must overcome “two heavy handicaps.”
What was the last law that Terrell managed to change through a lawsuit that went to the Supreme Court? Why is this significant?