Anna Julia Cooper

Date of Birth: August 10, 1858

Zodiac Sign: Leo

Date of Death: February 27, 1964

Biography

Anna Julia Cooper was an American educator, scholar, and advocate for the rights of African Americans and women. Born into slavery in Raleigh, North Carolina, she became a profound figure in the struggle for social justice and equality. Cooper earned a bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College and later a Ph.D. from the University of Paris-Sorbonne, making her one of the first African American women to earn a doctorate. Throughout her career, she emphasized the importance of education, particularly for African American women, and authored several influential works, including “A Voice from the South,” which is considered one of the first articulations of Black feminism. Cooper served as a principal of the M Street High School in Washington, D.C., where she significantly improved academic standards and contributed to the development of future African American leaders.

5 Interesting Facts about Anna Julia Cooper

1. Anna Julia Cooper was born into slavery but went on to become one of the pioneering African American scholars of her time.

2. She was the fourth African American woman to earn a Ph.D., achieving this milestone at the age of 65.

3. Cooper’s book “A Voice from the South: By a Woman from the South” is considered one of the foundational texts of Black feminist thought.

4. She was a principal at the M Street High School (later known as Dunbar High School) in Washington, D.C., where she elevated the school’s academic standing.

5. Cooper was an advocate for women’s suffrage and participated in the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Anna Julia Cooper

1. “The cause of freedom is not the cause of a race or a sect, a party or a class—it is the cause of humankind, the very birthright of humanity.”

2. “Only the black woman can say ‘when and where I enter, in the quiet, undisputed dignity of my womanhood, without violence and without suing or special patronage, then and there the whole Negro race enters with me.’”

3. “One needs occasionally to stand aside from the hum and rush of human interests and passions to hear the voices of God.”

4. “It is not the calm of life that is the most productive. It is storm, the conflict of forces, the sense of battle won.”

5. “There is a feminine as well as a masculine side to truth; and it is only when the two sides are blended that it is fully seen.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

As an educator and scholar in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Anna Julia Cooper’s net worth was not documented in financial terms. Her wealth lay in her intellectual contributions and the profound impact she had on education and social justice.

Children

Anna Julia Cooper did not have any biological children. However, she raised two foster children, including her brother’s five grandchildren after his death.