Anna Julia Cooper was born on August 10, 1858. A scholar, educator, and author, she was one of the most prominent African American intellectuals of her time. Born into slavery in Raleigh, North Carolina, Cooper went on to become one of the first Black women in the United States to earn a doctoral degree. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Paris-Sorbonne in 1924. Cooper’s work focused on the intersections of race, gender, and education, and she was a passionate advocate for the education of Black women.
Her most famous work, A Voice from the South by a Black Woman of the South (1892), is considered one of the foundational texts in African American feminist thought. Throughout her life, Cooper remained dedicated to the cause of education, serving as the principal of the M Street High School in Washington, D.C., and later founding the Frelinghuysen University for working Black adults.
In recognition of her contributions to education and social justice, Cooper was honored with a U.S. postage stamp in 2009. Anna Julia Cooper passed away on February 27, 1964.
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