Mary Church Terrell (1863–1954) was a pioneering Black American educator, suffragist, and civil rights activist who dedicated her life to advancing racial and gender equality. Born in Memphis, Tennessee, to formerly enslaved parents who became successful entrepreneurs, Terrell benefited from educational opportunities rare for Black Americans in the 19th century. She earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Oberlin College, becoming one of the first Black American women in the United States to receive a college degree.

Terrell was a founding member and the first president of the National Association of Colored Women in 1896, helping unite Black women’s clubs across the nation under the motto “Lifting as We Climb.” She also helped found the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and advocated strongly for women’s suffrage. Even into her eighties, Terrell remained active in civil rights struggles, successfully challenging segregation in Washington, D.C. restaurants in the early 1950s. Her lifelong work helped lay the foundation for the modern civil rights movement.

The Joy Trip Project celebrates the enduring legacy of Black American History. The Unhidden Minute is part of the Unhidden Podcast Project supported through a National Geographic Explorer Grant from the National Geographic Society, with the cooperation of the National Park Service. This series elevates the untold stories of Black American historical figures, events and cultural contributions.

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