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Woman of History is Born
Fanny Jackson was born to a family of slaves in Washington D.C. in 1837. -
Coppin Bought Out of Slavery - Fends For Freedom
Fanny Jackson was bought out of slavery at the age of 10 by an aunt. Another aunt took Fanny in and by the time she was 14, she was supporting herself while struggling to obtain an education. She had to go out and work as a domestic servant, getting schooling wherever and however she could. She felt that not receiving an education would be a disservice to herself. -
Quote From Fanny About Education
"It was in me, to get an education and to teach my people. This idea was deep in my soul." -
Coppin Enters College
Fanny attended Rhode Island State Normal School and then Oberlin College. At Oberlin College, she was the first black person chosen to be a pupil-teacher, which means she taught people of all races and genders. Oberlin College was the first college in the nation to accept both black males and females. Normal College: "A normal school is an institution created to train high school graduates to be teachers by educating them in the norms of pedagogy and curriculum." -
Coppin Starts Career
In 1865, Coppin graduates from Oberlin College with a B.A. degree, and she was the second African American woman to do so. She then began working at the Institute for Colored Youth, a quaker school in Philadelphia. There, she taught Latin, Greek, and Mathematics. The Institute for Colored Youth was noted to be one of the most prestigious schools for African Americans in the nation -
Coppin for Office
In 1869, Coppin became President of the Institute for Colored Youth. She was the first female to hold that position, black or white! She later went on to become Superintendent. -
Introducing Normal School into ICY
Coppin introduced normal school, or schooling for educators to the Institute for Colored Youth. She was one of the first to implement a student teaching program. Back then, they called it "teacher training." -
Married Woman
Fanny Jackson married Reverend Levi J. Coppin in 1881! She continued to teach at the school, but added missionary work to her list of interests. -
Vocation Meets Education
Coppin worked diligently for 10 years to gain a vocational program into the ICY. She felt that vocations would aid as a tool to end racial segregation. The ICY was a liberal arts school, and learning trade was not looked highly upon. However, in 1889, the school adopted trade classes, they called them industry classes. As principal, Coppin was the first to implement a vocation department for male and female Africuan American students. The vocations were not listed. -
Need for Vocational Education
“in Philadelphia, the only place at the time where a colored boy could learn a trade, was in the House of Refuge, or the Penitentiary!" - Reminiscences of School Life, and Hints on Teaching -
Coppin Resigns
Coppin resigned from her principal and superintendent duties in 1902 after 33 years of service! She resigned to be with her husband in his ministry work. -
Institute for Colored Youth Name Change
The Institute for Colored Youth changed its name to the Cheyney State College and was relocated to Cheyney, PA. The college is now known as Cheyney University of Pennsylvania -
Coppin Leaves the Nation
After her retirement in 1904, Coppin and her husband travel to Cape Town, South Africa. Fanny worked among native women organizing mission societies and promoting temperance. There, she also founded the Bethel Institute of Cape Town (which still stands). When her health began to decline around, she and her husband retuned to Pennsylvania, which is where she spent her life. It is unknown the year that her health declined, but she spent roughly 8-10 years in South Africa. -
Coppin Passes
Fanny Jackson Coppin died on January 21, 1913. She was 76 years old. -
Coppin Memorial School
in 1926, the High and Training School of Baltimore was renamed the Fanny Jackson Coppin Normal School and it now called the Coppin State University.