Victoria Earle Matthews (1861-1907) was a journalist, a reformer, and an important voice for Black women in turn of the century New York. She worked to secure better resources for her community during the Settlement House movement and to create a safe haven for young African-Americans. Contemporaries credited her as a missionary, a teacher, a preacher and a sister of mercy.
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 Leading Ladies, Activists, STEMinists, Local Legends, 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, Cinthia Pimentel, Grace Lynch, and Maddy Foley. Special thanks to Shira Atkins, Edie Allard, and Carmen Borca-Carrillo.
We are offering free ad space on Wonder Media Network shows to organizations working towards social justice. For more information, please email Jenny at jenny@wondermedianetwork.com.
Follow Wonder Media Network:
Hello! From Wonder Media Network, I’m Jenny Kaplan and this is Encyclopedia Womannica.
Today’s Local Legend was a journalist, a reformer, and an important voice for Black women in turn of the century New York. She worked to secure better resources for her community during the Settlement House movement and to create a safe haven for young African-Americans. Contemporaries credited her as a missionary, a teacher, a preacher and a sister of mercy. Please welcome Victoria Earle Matthews.
Victoria was born on May 27, 1861, in Fort Valley, Georgia. She and eight siblings were born to Caroline Smith, an enslaved woman. During the Civil War, Caroline escaped north. When she returned after the war’s end, she claimed her enslaved children. According to some accounts, Caroline’s litigation made her the first Black woman to win a court case in the state of Georgia.
In 1873, Caroline took Victoria north to New York City, where Victoria enrolled in public school. She excelled in class, but had to leave after four years in order to support her family. Victoria entered domestic service. Her employer saw Victoria’s love of reading and writing, and opened his library to her. There, Victoria continued her education on her own.
When she was 18, Victoria married William Matthews. They had a son named Lamartine. Shortly after becoming a mother, Victoria launched herself into a fruitful writing career. She worked as a journalist for several general New York papers, including the Times, the Herald, and the Sunday Mercury, as well as for papers that catered to the African American community including the Boston Advocate and the New York Globe. Victoria also wrote fiction short stories, which often featured Black female protagonists. Her stories’ grappled with issues of racism, racial pride, and the moral struggle between forgiveness and vengeance.
In the early 1890s, Victoria became more involved with Black political activism in New York. She became a key organizer in Ida B. Wells’ anti-lyching campaign. This role led her to found and serve as the first president of the Woman’s Loyal Union, which worked against racial discrimination. She also helped to create the Nation Federation of Afro-American Women. She was pivotal to the process of merging this and two other African-American women’s leagues into the National Association of Colored Women in 1896. She then served as the Association’s first national organizer for two years.
Victoria was well known for her essays and speeches, which spoke on the role of Black women in society and the importance of racial pride and self-worth.
Victoria’s successful career as a writer and organizer took a turn in 1895, when her son Lamartine died at the age of 16.
She was, understandably, deeply depressed. But with the passage of time she redoubled her efforts to help other young people.
Victoria returned to the South to help establish better educational opportunities for Black youth. While she was there, Victoria broke one of the biggest stories of her career, one that would affect her work for the rest of her life.
Victoria uncovered a widespread network targeting young Black women and selling them into sexual slavery. People calling themselves themselves “employment agents,” operated throughout the South. They promised young women work up North, brought them into the city, and instead delivered them to brothels and red light districts.
Victoria went undercover into the system and published her findings. She decided she needed to take further action to help these young women find homes.
Victoria had spent some time in other major cities helping out in the Settlement House movement. Settlement Houses were institutions geared towards housing the poor and often new immigrants. They offered a place to stay while studying or searching for a job, as well as amenities like daycares for young children, and lessons in English.
The movement was overwhelmingly white. Victoria knew that young Black people arriving in the city needed a place to stay, especially young women -- so, she made her own settlement house.
Victoria founded the White Rose Mission on the Upper East Side in 1897. It was a home, school, and community center for African-American women in New York City. Volunteers picked up women arriving at the docks and on trains and brought them to the Mission, where they could stay and study while finding a job. The Mission offered a kindergarten and classes for older children. It also advanced Victoria’s dedication to inspiring pride and political awareness by housing an open library of Black history books.
The White Rose Mission was kept afloat by Victoria’s dedication and determination: she called on the aid of mostly white benefactors as well as prominent Black ministers and congregations, and constantly brought in new volunteers. Though it struggled throughout its existence, the Mission was a hub of Black life in New York City. In 1918, it moved to its long-time home in Harlem and continued its work until 1984.
Victoria never got to see the Mission in its Harlem location. She died on March 10th, 1907, after battling tuberculosis for several years. She was 46 years old. Though she died young, her work as a journalist, an author, and an advocate was pivotal in bringing attention to the struggles of young Black women in the U.S.
All month, we’re talking about local legends. For more on why we’re doing what we’re doing, check out our newsletter Womannica Weekly.
Follow us on facebook and instagram @encyclopediawomannica.
Special thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister and co-creator.
Talk to you tomorrow!