Fanny Jackson Coppin (1937-1913) was a teacher, principal, lecturer, missionary to Africa, and warrior against the most cruel oppression. She conquered overwhelming obstacles to become a beacon of hope and inspiration to future generations of Black students. For those of you tuning in for the first time, welcome! Here’s the deal: Every weekday, we highlight the stories of iconic women in history you may not know about, but definitely should. We’re talking about women from around the world and throughout history. Each month is themed. This month we’re going back to school, highlighting educators and intellectuals.
This month, we're going back to school with stories of the most influential women educators in history.
History classes can get a bad wrap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Encyclopedia Womannica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.
Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know -- but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more. Encyclopedia Womannica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures.
Encyclopedia Womannica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Liz Smith, Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Lindsey Kratochwill, Sundus Hassan, Adesuwa Agbonile, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, and Ale Tejada. Special thanks to Shira Atkins.
We are offering free ad space on Wonder Media Network shows to organizations working towards social justice. For more information, please email Jenny at pod@wondermedianetwork.com.
Follow Wonder Media Network:
From Wonder Media Network, I’m Jenny Kaplan, and this is Womanica.
Today we’re celebrating a teacher who was a staunch champion for race, gender, and education equality. Known for uplifting Black and low income working women, this scholar made it her life’s mission to expand opportunity. Let’s talk about Fanny Jackson Coppin.
Frances Jackson Coppin was born in 1837 in Washington D.C. At the time, she was born into an enslaved household. Fanny’s grandfather had managed to save up and buy the freedom of four out of his six children. Fanny’s mother was not among them. As Fanny recalls in her autobiography, it was “on account” of her birth, that her grandfather “refused” to buy her mother’s freedom. So Fanny remained enslaved until the age of 12 when her aunt bought her freedom for $125.
After that, Fanny was sent off to New Bedford, Massachusetts to live with a different aunt. By 14, Fanny was fully supporting herself as a paid servant in Rhode Island. She worked for author George Henry Calvert’s household for six years. During her time there, Fanny used the money she earned to pay for tutoring and later public schooling. It was at the Rhode Island State Normal School where Fanny first realized her love for teaching and making education accessible for all Black people.
In 1860, Fanny enrolled into Oberlin College in Ohio. Oberlin’s courses were rigorous and was the first college that accepted both Black and women students.
While studying at Oberlin, Fanny broke several glass ceilings. She was selected to join the highly coveted Young Ladies Literary Society. And Fanny was the first Black person to be chosen as a student-teacher. Fanny used this role to organize evening classes for newly freed people.
In her last year of college, Fanny was scouted by the Institute for Colored Youth in Philadelphia. The school was run by Quakers who were in search of an African American woman who could teach Greek, Latin, and arithmetic. Officials at Oberlin immediately knew Fanny would be perfect for the role.
Fanny was an excellent teacher. Within a year, she was promoted to principal of the women’s part of the school. And four years after that, Fanny became principal of the entire institute. Fanny’s tenure as principal was extremely radical for it’s time.
In 1879, Fanny opened the first trade school for Black people in Philadelphia. It was called the Industrial Department and Black men and women were taught everything from carpentry to typewriting.
And she didn’t stop there. Fanny noticed that finding jobs in Philadelphia was hard for trade workers. So she appealed to the public and found a way to create new jobs in Philadelphia specifically for her students.
On top of that, whenever Fanny saw buildings being made without the participation of Black people, she’d go straight to the construction company and demand immediate change.
In the midst of advancing and defending the rights of women and Black people, Fanny fell in love with Reverend Levi Jenkins Coppin, a minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Fanny and Levi married on December 21, 1881.
At the turn of the century, Fanny’s husband was made a Bishop of the church and sent to Cape Town, South Africa on a mission. In 1902, the couple traveled to South Africa and founded the Bethel Institute together.
Eventually Fanny returned to Philadelphia to seek treatment for her ailing health. She passed away on January 21, 1913.
In 1926, Coppin State University in Baltimore was named in Fanny’s memory.
From 1869 to 1906, Fanny worked dutifully to expand educational opportunities to underprivileged people in her community. She loved the art of teaching and made it her life’s mission to give her students a fair opportunity to life and education.
In a letter to Frederick Douglass, Fanny once wrote -- “I feel sometimes like a person to whom in childhood was entrusted some sacred flame…This is the desire to see my race lifted out of the mire of ignorance, no longer to sit in obscure corners and devour the scraps of knowledge.”
All month, we’re honoring the legacy of teachers. For more on why we’re doing what we’re doing, check out our newsletter, Womannica Weekly. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, @womanica and follow me directly on twitter @jennymkaplan.
Special thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister and co-creator.
Talk to you tomorrow!