Olympia Brown
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| Olympia Brown | |
| Born | January 5, 1835 Prairie Ronde Township, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Died | October 23, 1926 (aged 91) Baltimore, Maryland |
| Burial place | Mound Cemetery, Racine, Wisconsin |
| Nationality | American |
| Religious beliefs | Universalist |
| Spouse | John Henry Willis |
| Children | Henry Parker Willis Gwendolyn Brown Willis |
| Parents | Asa Briggs Brown Lephia Olympia Brown |
Olympia Brown (January 5, 1835 – October 23, 1926) was an American suffragist. She is regarded as the first woman to graduate from a theological school, as well as becoming the first full time ordained minister. Furthermore, Brown was one of the few first generation suffragists who were able to vote with the passage of the 19th amendment.
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[edit] Biography
[edit] Early life and education
Olympia Brown was born on January 5, 1835 in Prairie Ronde Township, Michigan. Brown was the oldest of four children. Her parents, Lephia and Asa Brown, were farmers in what was then considered frontier land. Lephia raised her children in a household that regarded religion and education as very important. This is evident from the building of a schoolhouse on the Brown territory.
The sense of education instilled by Olympia’s mother had compelled her to finish high school and move on to the university level. It is here that Olympia and her younger sister, Oella, decided to attend Mount Holyoke Female Seminary. It is clear that Mount Holyoke and a college education was what Olympia had hoped for. However this excitement would be tempered by the restrictions placed on women at Mount Holyoke. These restrictions included a list of forty rules, the abolition of a literacy society, founded by the Browns, and religious restrictions. Perhaps the example that best illustrates this are the words from a Chemistry professor, “You are not expected to remember all of this, but only enough to make you intelligent in conversation.”[1] Thus Olympia, who already knew she could meet the challenges of a higher education, looked elsewhere.
Putting aside her experiences at Mount Holyoke, Olympia now looked for a better experience at Antioch College. Once Olympia began her education at Antioch, she realized she had to catch up to higher standards. Olympia also learned that despite the progressive nature at Antioch, there were still forms of discrimination. For example, in Olympia’s English class, women were not required to have speeches memorized. In a defiant act, Olympia delivered her speeches from memory, just as the men had. Perhaps the crowning achievement of Olympia’s time at Antioch was her ability to persuade her hero, Antoinette Brown to speak at Antioch.
Once Olympia finished her schooling at Antioch, she decided her calling was to be a minister. After countless rejections, Olympia was accepted to St. Lawrence University. Once again, Olympia faced opposition from many sides. This included fellow students and the wives of the faculty. This did not discourage Olympia for she took this as a challenge. Thus, after her first year, Olympia had gained acceptance and finished her schooling.
[edit] Religious career
Despite finishing her schooling, Brown still met opposition to her ordination. Olympia believed that in order to become ordained, she had to appeal to the Universalist Council. Brown traveled to nearby Malone, Ohio to present her case. Brown’s appeal was a simple plea for equality. The board, which had already witnessed some of Brown’s sermons, agreed with her. Thus on June 25, 1863, Olympia Brown became the first fully ordained woman minister. Olympia Brown would go onto become a pastor at Marshfield and Montpelier, VT, Weymouth, MA, Bridgeport, CT and Racine, WI.
[edit] Women’s suffrage
From Brown’s childhood and the abolition movement to Brown’s own experiences with discrimination, Brown had always been aware of the quest for equal rights. Due to Brown’s strong speaking skills and beliefs, Susan B. Anthony continually sought the involvement of Brown. With the encouragement of Lucy Stone and Henry Blackstone, Brown decided to travel to Kansas in order to speak on women’s rights. Over the course of the summer, Brown delivered more than 300 speeches despite facing many hardships. Even though this was a great experience, Brown decided to return to ministry, until a change of heart in 1887.
Now that Brown had dedicated her life to the movement, she looked to do all she could. This included forming the New England Women’s Suffrage Association, leading the Wisconsin Suffrage Association and becoming the president of the Federal Suffrage Association from 1903 to 1920.
Despite all this action, Brown saw few changes take place. Brown believed that the second generation of suffragists suffered from poor leadership and erroneously focused their efforts at the state level. It was not until 1913 when Brown was invited to join the newly formed Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage, which would later be called the National Woman's Party, by Alice Paul and Lucy Burns. This group looked to pass an amendment at the federal level and also vowed to use a more radical approach.
These new tactics led to the women’s right to vote amendment being presented to Congress and marches in front of the White House. President Wilson met the two marches in front of the White House with displeasure. As a result, these women were to be jailed. The mistreatment of these women coupled with the massive press exposure led to more support for the movement.
Eventually, Congress passed the bill. However, with ratification still needed, Brown along with others hit the campaign trail one last time. Olympia Brown’s last march was at the 1920 Republican National Convention.[2] The 19th Amendment would finally be ratified on August 25, 1920, marking the first time that Olympia Brown along with countless other women were able to vote.
[edit] Marriage and children
Olympia Brown was married to John Henry Willis in 1873. Olympia, who chose to keep her maiden name, and Willis, reared two children: Henry and Gwendolyn. Both of their children grew up to become teachers.
[edit] Death and afterward
Olympia Brown spent her last years with her family in Racine, Wisconsin. Brown continued to support women’s rights and the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. Olympia Brown died in Baltimore on October 23, 1926.[3]
[edit] Published works
- Woman's Suffrage (1907)
- Democratic Ideals (1917)
- Suffrage and Religious Principle: Speeches and Writings of Olympia Brown (1988, posthumous)
[edit] Awards
- 1999: Michigan Women's Hall of Fame inductee
[edit] References
- ^ Cote, Charlotte. (1988). Olympia Brown The Battle for Equality. Mother Courage Press,34.
- ^ "BIG FAIR ASPECTS OF HISTORY MAKING; Noisy Crowds Surge About Chicago Hotels--First Convention Phase Quickly Passed.", New York Times, 1920-06-09, p. 3. "Olympia Brown, 80 years old; was the oldest picket in front of the Coliseum, and she stood in the hot 'sun with her little bonnet not covering one particle..."
- ^ "MRS. BROWN-WILLIS, SUFFRAGIST, DEAD; A Pioneer Campaigner for the Cause With the Late Susan B. Anthony.", New York Times, 1926-10-24, p. E6.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- St. Lawrence University: Olympia Brown
- Olympia Brown Papers. Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University.
