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Sunday, October 13, 2024
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Mary Ann Shadd (Carey) was born in October 9th,1823
in Wilmington Delaware. Her family settled in Chatham. In 1850
or 1851 she moved to Windsor and opened a school for refugees in
the ‘Old Barracks’ at the site of the former City Hall
Square. She taught school there until 1853. In March of 1853 she
launched The Provincial Freeman and became the first black woman
publisher in North America. She was the editor and publisher of
the weekly paper. The Provincial Freeman was a newspaper which
promoted the abolitionist movement and provided information about
the region that could assist those seeking to |
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settle here. At one time she described
Windsor by saying, “This is by universal consent the most destitute
community of coloured people known in this province” the Times
Website. She remained the editor of the paper until Reverend William
Newman took over in 1855. She also published a booklet entitled ‘Notes
on Canada West’ intended to help inform potential refugees about
life in the region.
On January 3rd, 1856 she married Thomas Carey and they eventually relocated to
Washington, D.C. where she passed away in 1893. She serves as a great role model
for women as she said in her farewell address
in the Provincial Freeman “To coloured women, we have a word – we
have broken the Ice…(Adieu Prov. Freeman Aug 22 1855). She went on to be
a well known journalist, orator, educator, lawyer and activist. |
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The
opinions and interpretations in this publication are those of the author
and do not necessarily reflect those of the Government of Canada. |
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