Mary Henrietta Graham

Mary Henrietta Graham (1857 or 1858 – January 2, 1890)[1] was the first African-American woman to be admitted to the University of Michigan, as well as the first biracial person to graduate from it.[2]

Mary Henrietta Graham
Born1857 or 1858
Windsor, Ontario, Province of Canada
DiedJanuary 2, 1890 (aged 31–33)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Michigan
Known forBeing first American Descendants of Slavery woman to be admitted to and the first biracial person to graduate from the University of Michigan
Spouse
​
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(m. 1882)​

Early life

Graham was born in Windsor, Ontario,[3] to a white Englishwoman mother (Sarah) and black father (Levi) from Illinois, making her biracial.[3] She was the second oldest of at least four children.[3] At some point in her youth, she moved to Flint, Michigan, where she graduated from Flint High School in 1876.[3] She went by the nickname "Mollie."[3]

Education

In 1880, she graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor's of Philosophy in Literature.[4][2][5] While in Ann Arbor, she lived at 10 Maynard Street[6] and, later, 4 N. State St.[7]

After graduating, she gained a post as a teacher at Lincoln University in Jefferson, Missouri.[8]

Later life

In 1882, she married the journalist, lawyer, and civil rights activist Ferdinand Lee Barnett. They lived in Chicago and worked on Barnett's newspaper The Chicago Conservator, the first black newspaper in the city.[2] Mary and Ferdinand had two children, Ferdinand Lee (born 1884)[9] and Albert Graham Barnett.[3]

Mary died in Chicago on January 2, 1890[10] of heart disease.[11] An obituary in the files of the Bentley Historical Library reads:

At the time of her death, she was in the prime of useful vigorous life, the blow coming without a moment’s warning … During her short career of usefulness, she had come to be regarded not only as a woman of highest moral integrity, but of splendid ability and brilliant promise.[3]

After Mary's death, her widower Ferdinand married Ida B. Wells in 1895.[12][3]

Legacy

In 2017, University of Michigan students suggested changing the name of the C. C. Little Building to honor Graham instead, putting a temporary sign with her name over the existing sign.[13][14] In 2018, the name "C.C. Little" was dropped, and the building is currently referred to by its address, 1100 North University.[15][16]

References
  1. "For Black History Month, read about these notable Washtenaw County figures". mlive. 2018-02-26. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
  2. "Pretty good, man | The University Record". record.umich.edu. Retrieved 2021-02-07.
  3. Clarke, Kim. ""Of Splendid Ability"". University of Michigan Heritage Project. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
  4. Regents, University of Michigan Board of (1881). Proceedings of the Board of Regents. The University. p. 522.
  5. "Breaking Boundaries: Mary H. Graham, first African American Woman · Student Life · A Dangerous Experiment: Women at the University of Michigan". michiganintheworld.history.lsa.umich.edu. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
  6. The Palladium. Inland Press. 1875. p. 46.
  7. "Graham, Mary Henrietta". African American Student Project | Bentley Historical Library. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
  8. "Chronology 1877-1880 | Ann Arbor District Library". aadl.org. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
  9. "FamilySearch.org". ancestors.familysearch.org. Retrieved 2021-02-07.
  10. Michigan, University of (1891). General Catalogue of Officers and Students, 1837-1890. The University. p. 64.
  11. Clarke, Kim. ""Of Splendid Ability"". University of Michigan Heritage Project. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
  12. "Wells-Barnett, Ida B." Social Welfare History Project. 2014-10-13. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
  13. Reporter, Carly Ryan Daily Staff. "C.C. Little sign covered up for second week in a row". The Michigan Daily. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
  14. Reporter, Katherina Sourine Daily Staff. "Central Student Government passes resolution to support C.C. Little's renaming". The Michigan Daily. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
  15. Reporter, Natasha Pietruschka Daily Staff. "The Name Remains: Students, faculty respond to the CC Little Transit Station's cultural namesake". The Michigan Daily. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
  16. "U-M to remove Little, Winchell names from campus facilities | The University Record". record.umich.edu. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
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