Crystal Bird Fauset (1894-1965) was a Civil Rights activist and the first female African American state legislator elected in the United States.
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, Hometown Heroes, 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, Luisa Garbowit, 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.
The 2020 election will be here before we know it, and we want to make sure every eligible voter has the information they need to register to vote and to cast a ballot. WMN is teaming up with Rock the Vote to help you register and to make sure you have the resources you need! Don’t wait until the last minute! Check out Rock the Vote’s resources now to make sure you’re ready and signed up to get any election-related updates at Rockthevote.org.
We believe your voice is powerful! Did you know that you are the biggest influencer of your friends and family? It’s true. So take the time to talk with them about the importance of making sure their voter registration is up-to-date and share these resources with them. Together, we have the power to decide our future!
Follow Wonder Media Network:
Hello! From Wonder Media Network, I’m Jenny Kaplan and this is Encyclopedia Womannica.
Today’s politician was a Civil Rights activist and the first female African American state legislator elected in the US. Rather than relying on preconceived and established methods, she forged her own path through activism by founding, organizing, and leading new movements. Please welcome Crystal Bird Fauset.
Crystal was born on June 27, 1894, in Princess Anne, Maryland. She was one of nine children born to Benjamin Oliver Bird and Portia E. Bird. Both of Crystal’s parents were passionate about education, a drive they passed down to their daughter. Benjamin was the first principal of Princess Anne Academy, a school for Black students. Upon his death in 1897, Portia took over the role.
When Crystal’s mother died in 1900, Crystal moved to Boston to be raised by her aunt. From there, she moved to Philadelphia, the city where she spent most of her adult life. She worked as a public school teacher there from 1914 to 1918, at which point she left to embark on a string of leadership roles in community organizations.
Throughout the 1920s, Crystal worked in many roles at organizations working to improve race relations in the United States. She began as a field secretary for African American girls at the YWCA. In 1926, she joined the interracial section of the American Friends Service Committee, or AFSC. She made about 200 public appearances in one year to lecture across the country on African American culture.
At the end of the decade, Crystal completed her studies at Teacher’s College at Columbia University. She graduated in 1931 and, that same year, met and married sociologist and political thinker Arthur Fauset. Fauset, half-brother to Harlem Renaissance novelist Jessie Redmond Fauset and principal of Philadelphia’s all-Black Joseph Singerly School, shared many of the same passions as his wife. But their marriage quickly became strained. While Arthur chose to work outside of the established two-party political system, Crystal centered her efforts within mainstream politics.
In 1932, Crystal founded the Colored Women’s Activities Club of the Democratic National Committee. There, she helped Black women register to vote. The following year, she helped to establish the Swarthmore College Institute of Race Relations, which collected information to fight against anti-Black employment and housing regulations in Pennsylvania.
Crystal’s activism was noticed by the Roosevelt administration, which appointed her to Assistant Director of the Philadelphia Works Progress Administration, part of the New Deal. There, she worked to promote the interests of Black women in particular: she challenged a racial quota system that underestimated the number of African American women in need of jobs and raised the percentage of Black women workers in the program from 33 percent to 50 percent.
At the 1936 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Crystal continued her efforts to bring Black women into public politics. She organized an all-Black, all- female WPA workers group, later known as the Willing Workers Democratic Organization. The group helped increase voter registration and party membership. Thanks in part to efforts like Crystal’s, the 1936 election marked the first time in Philadelphia history that voters in predominantly Black wards voted Democrat.
In 1938, Crystal took a different kind of step into politics. She made history as the first African-American woman elected to a state legislature. She won the race to represent Philadelphia’s 18th district, which was, at the time, 66 percent white. Her campaign was one of the first to prioritize telephone campaigns over public speeches.
As a representative, Crystal continued to lobby for policies that could improve the lives of Black Americans and especially women. During her time in office, she introduced nine bills and three amendments on issues including public health, increasing low-income housing, and banning racial discrimination practices in the workplace. In 1939, she received her first Meritorious Service Medal for her work. She’d win another in 1955.
In 1941, Crystal became Assistant Director of the Office of Civil Defense. She also headed the office for Race Relations in that department. Crystal became part of Roosevelt's “Black Cabinet,” where she provided a voice for African American representation in civil planning.
Crystal was especially ardent in her desire to increase recruitment and acceptance of Black people in the military. However, it wasn’t until 1948, after Roosevelt’s presidency, that President Harry S. Truman banned racial discrimination in military service.
Roosevelt’s lack of action on that issue, as well as broader issues holding back Black Americans, led Crystal to cut ties with the Democratic Party she’d spent so much of her life supporting.
In 1944, Crystal switched her political affiliation to the Republican Party and became a member of the Republican National Committee's division on African-American affairs. That same year, she and her husband finalized a divorce.
Crystal then turned her attention to the global stage. In 1945, she helped found the UN Council of Philadelphia, later known as the World Affairs Council. She traveled the world in the 1950s, often visiting countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East seeking independence. After Ghana’s independence in 1958, Crystal penned a letter expressing her displeasure at not being invited to the US delegation.
Crystal died in Philadelphia in 1965. She was 71 years old. Decades later, in 1991, she was honored by the City of Philadelphia. The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission dedicated a state historical marker to her in front of her former residence on Vine Street.
All month, we’re talking about Politicians. For more on why we’re doing what we’re doing check out our newsletter Womannica Weekly. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @encyclopediawomannica and follow me directly on twitter @jennymkaplan.
Special thanks to my favorite sister and co-creator, Liz Kaplan.
Talk to you tomorrow!