The Portable Nineteenth-Century African American Women Writers

by Various

  The excerpts here speak to Jackson Coppin’s political range and optimism. She dances between registers in her writing, touching on the spirituality of her audience while, at the same time, reminding them of the remaining social and economic legacies of slavery. “A Plea for Industrial Opportunity” focuses on practical matters, encouraging blacks, in down-to-earth language that stands out from most other pieces in this anthology, to seek economic prosperity.

  “Commencement Address” (1876)

  SOURCE: Fannie M. Jackson Coppin, “A Race’s Progress. Its Twenty-Second Annual Commencement—A Rare Event—Addresses by the Graduates—Essays on the Best Order—Miss Fanny M. Jackson, The Principal, to the Scholars—A Noble Effort,” Christian Recorder 29 (June 1876).

  A Race’s Progress.

  Its Twenty-Second Annual Commencement—A Rare Event—Addresses by the Graduates—Essays on the Best Order Miss—Fanny M. Jackson, the Principal, to the Scholars—A Noble Effort.

  Yesterday afternoon the twenty-second annual commencement of this renowned institution took place at Horticultural Hall before the managers, the graduates, and scholars, and in the presence of an immense audience, among whom were a large number of the representative Friends, including the venerable Lucretia Mott. This great establishment, maintained by the generosity of the Society of Friends, and founded long before slavery was abolished, has grown into larger proportions under the splendid management of the executive, officer, or principal, Miss Fanny M. Jackson. There were fourteen graduates, each of whom spoke or read a treatise; but the crowded state of our columns will not allow us to refer to each in detail. All of them were excellent, and several of them extraordinary, especially that of Miss Florence A. Lewis, who spoke the salutatory in Latin with the ease and correctness of a practiced linguist and orator; also “Trades and Professions,” by Morris H. Layton, full of philosophy. The “Augustan Age of English Literature,” by Miss Bassett, was an essay of exquisite skill and deep study. The address on “The Study of the Natural Sciences,” by Thomas H. Murray a young black man with all the marked characteristics of his race, was a production so natural, nervous, and original as to stamp it all his own; and crowned as it was by his valedictory, including short speeches to his teacher, schoolmates, classmates and managers, proved Mr. Murray to be sure of a brilliant future. But the gem of the evening was the beautiful closing counsel of Miss Jackson to her graduates, which we print entire. It was spoken without notes, and with a dignity, pathos, and tact that went to every heart in the vast audience. It is a pattern of womanly eloquence and culture:

  This occasion furnishes an apt illustration of the rapidity with which time passes, than which a more impressive lesson could not be given you, nor one more worthy your attention at the outset of your career. Four years ago how far off this day appeared, but it seems now a few months since you entered school. And so it will be with the years of your life; see to it that you faithfully improve and wisely use them. It remains to be seen how much of the instruction you have received has been digested, assimilated, and has become your own. Some persons study because it is respectable to do so, and some that they may obtain a smattering of learning and huckster it for their daily bread. Such persons cannot be expected to continue their studies when they are no longer under the restraint of a task-master. But I am unwilling to believe that you have studied for either of these reasons. The infinite capabilities of a liberal education to ennoble your lives and to serve you in our highest needs you will only upon the condition that you warmly and devotedly continue your pursuit of learning. Many of you intend to be teachers. The profession of which Dr. Arnold was a member cannot be altogether without honor; but it also carried with it the grave responsibilities which you cannot escape.

  Without speaking of matters in touching upon which we may justly congratulate ourselves, I will speak of certain problems which appear difficult of solution; of certain respects in which the education which we aim to give appears to fall short of its high purpose. We aim to discipline, develop, and strengthen the powers of the mind; but we too often fail to produce persons of judgment, thought, and mental power. We aim, by refining and cultivating the taste, to put our student in high fellowship with what is pure, and beautiful, and true, and to shut off just so many avenues of mere animal enjoyment; but we do not end by making the conversation, the manners, and the intercourse of the lower levels sharply offensive to them.

  We aim to inflame them with some high purpose in living to show them the possibilities of [ ] life. But many of them live aimlessly and drift downward. The [ ] of these cases is irresistible—either because we failed to understand their disposition and mental resources, or because when they came to us to be instructed the ground was already occupied, we failed to educate them. There is a wise indirectness in teaching, particularly ethic and aesthetic studies, which is of more value than years of direct teaching from books; such as bringing your pupils within the range of elevating and refining it [ ] and in contact with persons of superior mind and character.

  Many of you will probably teach in obscure towns and villages, where you will be surrounded by persons who make no pretense to “book-learning.” You will not, I feel assured, on this account overrate your own ability or acquirements; you will preserve a teachable spirit, and defer to the opinions of worthy persons older than yourselves, whose knowledge, gained from observation and experience and ripened by age, will excellently supplement what you have learned from books. Goethe has said that no man is so commonplace that something may not be learned from him, and I would add that no one is so unlettered but that he may teach the learned something. And now I cannot be indifferent to the fact that you are being graduated at an important period in the history of this country. Said Mr. Phillips a few days ago in Boston: “Once, a hundred years ago, our fathers announced this sublime and, as it seemed then, the audacious, declaration—that God intended all men to be free and equal; all men, without restriction, without qualification, without limit. A hundred years have rolled away almost since that great announcement, and today, with a territory that makes ocean kiss ocean, with forty millions of people, with two wars behind her, with the sublime achievement of having grappled the great faith that threatened its central life, and put every fetter under its foot, the great Republic launches into the second century of its existence. Between this event and your graduation there is now merely a similarity of dates; it is possible for you to make it an auspicious coincidence. The founders of this Government, the heroes of the past, and the historic Republic of the Old World seem to stand about us as solemn spectators of this Centennial Celebration and by their eloquent and imperishable memories they charge this generation to see to it that in the second century of her existence the Republic shall receive no detriment. Her future is not menaced by millions of savage and revengeful foes, nor by famine, nor by isolation. Her own splendid prosperity is more carefully to be guarded against than the invasion of hostile armies or the thunders of foreign fleets.

  Rich and powerful, she becomes a tempting prey to dishonest and unprincipled men. Her bulwark of protection for the future must be intelligent, down rightly honest, and high minded men and women. There is no absurdity in saying that the little rill of influence issuing from this Institution, broadening and deepening in the years to come may play a part not altogether without honor or importance in the future history of this country. The sources of beneficient and majestic rivers may be traced to very insignificant beginnings in obscure places. Dare to stand by your own convictions of what is right, dare to champion a weak and despised cause if you believe it to be a worthy one, and remember that: “Nullum theatrum virtuti conscientia majus est.” May your lives be made luminous by daily acts of self denial and of high endeavor in worthy causes. Your only reliance is upon Divine Wisdom and the Grace of God. Our tender interest and our benedictions shall follow you wherever you go. Farewell.

  “Christmas Eve Story” (1880)

  SOURCE: Fannie
M. Jackson Coppin, “Christmas Eve Story,” Christian Recorder 23 (December 1880).

  Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Maggie Devins, and she had a brother named Johnny, just one year older than she. Here they both are. Now if they could they would get up and make you a bow. But dear me! We all get so fastened down in pictures that we have to keep as quiet as mice, or we’d tear the paper all to pieces. I’m going to tell you something about this little boy and girl, and perhaps some little reader will remember it. You see how very clean and neat both of them look. Well, if you had seen them when Grandma Devins first found them you never would have thought that they could be made to look as nice as this. Now hear their story:

  Last Christmas eve while Grandma Devins was sitting by her bright fire, there was a loud knock at the door, and upon opening it, she found a policeman who had in his arms two children that were nearly dead. “I come, mum,” he said, “to ask you if you will let these poor little young ones stay here tonight in your kitchen; their mother has just died from the fever. She lived in an old hovel around in Acorn Alley, and I’m afraid to leave the young ones there tonight, for they’re half starved and half frozen to death now. God pity the poor, mum, God pity the poor, for it’s hard upon them, such weather as this.” Meanwhile, Grandma Devins had pulled her big sofa up to the fire and was standing looking down upon the dirty and pinched little faces before her. She didn’t say anything, but she just kept looking at the children and wiping her eyes and blowing her nose. All at once she turned around as if she had been shot; she flew to the pantry and brought out some milk which she put on the fire to boil. And very soon she had two streaming cups of hot milk with nice biscuit broken into it, and with this she fed the poor little creatures until a little color came into their faces, and she knew that she had given them enough for that time. The policeman said he would call for the children in the morning and take them to the almshouse. The fact is the policeman was a kind-hearted man, and he secretly hoped that he could get some one to take the children and be kind to them.

  As soon as Maggie and Johnny had had their nice warm milk they began to talk. Johnny asked Grandma Devins if she had anybody to give her Christmas presents and Grandma said, “no.” but Maggie spoke up and said her mamma told her before she died that God always gave Christmas presents to those who had no one to give them any. And throwing her arms around Grandma’s neck she said, “God will not forget you, dear lady, for you’ve been so good to us.” Like a flash of light it passed through Grandma Devins’ mind that God had sent her these children as her Christmas gift. So she said at once:

  “Children, I made a mistake. I have had a Christmas present.”

  “There,” said Maggie, “I knew you would get one; I knew it.” When the policeman came in the morning his heart was overjoyed to see the “young ones,” as he called them, nicely washed and sitting by the fire bundled up in some of Grandma Devins’ dresses. She had burnt every stitch of the few dirty rags which they had on the night before so that accounted for their being muffled up so.

  “You can go right away, policeman; these children are my Christmas gift, and please God I’ll be mother and father both, to the poor little orphans.”

  A year has passed since then, and she says that Johnny and Maggie are the best Christmas gifts that any old woman ever had. She has taught Maggie to darn and sew neatly, and one of these days she will be able to earn money as a seamstress. Have you noticed her little needle-case hanging against the wall? Do you see the basket of apples on one side? Johnny was paring them when Maggie asked him to show her about her arithmetic, for Johnny goes to school, but Maggie stay sat home and helps Grandma. Now as soon as Grandma comes back she is going to make them some mince pies for Christmas. Johnny will finish paring the apples while Maggie is stoning the raisins. Oh! What a happy time they will have tomorrow. For I will whisper in your ear, little reader, that Grandma Devins is going to bring home something else with her than raisins. The same kindhearted policeman that I told you about in the beginning, has made Johnny a beautiful sled, and painted the name “Hero” on it. Grandma has bought for Maggie the nicest little hood and cloak that ever you saw. Is not that nice? I guess if they knew what they’re going to get they wouldn’t sit so quietly as we see them; they’d jump up and dance about the floor, even if they tore the paper all to pieces. Oh! Let every little boy and girl thank our loving heavenly Father for the blessed gift of His dear Son on the first Christmas day, eighteen hundred and eighty years ago.

  “A Plea for the Mission School” (1891)

  SOURCE: Fannie M. Jackson Coppin, “A Plea for the Mission School,” Christian Recorder (August 13, 1891).

  The history of missionary effort, the world over, shows that the NATIVE helpers are ten to one in all permanent missionary fields and we shall never have our work of evangelization securely planted in foreign lands until we raise up the natives and train them on their own soil under the watchful care of our missionaries. We must establish the mission seminary by the side of the mission church. Here native young people who have accepted the truth of the gospel and who give promise of future usefulness receive elementary instruction in Bible truths and in Christian principles. They must be lifted for a little time out of their heathen life and associations and be brought near to the missionary, where they can be easily nourished in Christian living until they are strong enough to go out and be helpers of the missionary. Speaking the language, they have at once powerful advantage over one who does not speak it. All missionaries admit that the gospel ought to be preached to foreign natives in their own tongue, and that their work is much hindered until they can learn the language of the country.

  Secondly; Understanding the disposition and habits of their own people, the natives know best how to approach them.

  Thirdly; Being well acquainted with the country they can penetrate into the interior, where a stranger could find no way of entrance.

  Fourthly; They are acclimated and can defy the scorching tropical sun and the African fever.

  It is easy to see then, that the native helpers, trained in the mission school, become the more powerful allies and helpers of the missionaries, and without some well organized effort of this kind to constantly keep up and increase the supply of laborers, the work stops when our missionaries stop; languishes when they languish; dies when they die.

  Our work in Hayti flames up, pales and then keeps up a gasping existence because there is no steady supply of trained material to nourish it. Well do I remember the imploring letters of that noble and self-sacrificing woman—Mrs. Mossell—who wrote to our society, begging that we would send her young women to assist her and help carry forward the splendid mission school, which she and her husband had established. And now Brother Frederick writes that his health requires that he should come home, but into whose hand, can he entrust the work which he has founded with much labor and prayer and self-sacrificing effort.

  Now, the question arises, how is the mission school provided with its teachers and its evangelists? for the missionary only has general charge.

  First; There must be a seed sent from this country. We must earnestly pray that there may be an outpouring of the missionary spirit, which will inspire the hearts of more of our young men and women to consecrate their lives and talents to the works of carrying the gospel to the lands now lying in darkness.

  Secondly; We must bring to this country some of the best and most promising young people from Africa and Hayti and have them prepared to go back to carry the light which they have received. They must not be kept here long enough to lose the love of their home; to forget the great purpose for which they were brought here and to imbibe the vanities and vices of our modern civilization. I have heard of one who was educated in this country and, of course, had to be put through the long collegiate course of Latin and Greek, etc. Upon his return to Africa he was so disgusted that he would not even go up into the interior to see his poor old heathen mothe
r. Do you think that a true woman would ever have done that? Why have so few NATIVE WOMEN been trained for the missionary field? Many native young men are being so trained in this country and in England. Yet, women have continuity of purpose, they have capacity to endure hardships, they have self-sacrificing love and they have natural adaptation for teaching and for evangelistic work.

  The history of missions proves, that there is excellent stock in women for missionary labor. Can we only have one Mrs. Mossell, one Amanda Smith? “Is the arm of the Lord shortened!” There is a little namesake of Amanda Smith, in Africa and if our mission school has been established, her foster mother might have had the joy of leaving her there to be educated for mission work. I understand that the girls belonging to the very same tribe are very intelligent and tractable. From the Rev. Solomon Porter Hood, our present missionary to Hayti, we have received the names of some very promising A.M.E. girls, who speak both the French and the Spanish language, and their parents are willing that they should come to this country and be trained for mission work in Hayti, but while a few must be educated in this country, the greater number must be trained in the mission school in their own land.