Name____________________________ Teacher/Period______________ Emilie Davis Diary Activity #3: African-­‐American Education in the 1860s Directions: Use ALL of the primary sources in this packet, including the diary page, to answer the following questions. Please work together in your group, but make sure each of you has a good understanding of the answers. Write your answers on the lines provided, and use additional paper as needed. 1. Comparing the poem on page 6, photograph on page 7, and Emilie’s diary entries, is it fair to judge one’s “literacy” by age of student or spelling? (Emilie was 24 years old in 1863.) Do all the students in the picture look they are in the same grade? Why not? 2. What obstacles did Emilie and other African American students face in trying to gain an education? Think about how specific laws, racial attitudes, financial considerations, and geography might have provided challenges. 3. In her diary, Emilie often talks about attending school. Using her diary entries and the other sources provided, what subjects was Emilie learning in school? 4. Emilie Davis was a free woman living in Philadelphia. What can Emilie’s diary entries tell us about the significance of getting an education to free-­‐born African Americans in the North? How might that compare to the experience of slaves who were becoming free in the South during the Civil War (1861-­‐1865)? _____________________________________________________________________________
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Emilie Davis and African American Education Emilie’s Diary Page February 9-­‐11, 1863 Monday, February 9,
1863.
up here for some time on a Sunday
evening very fine day Nellie was up this
afternoon an staid untill i went to school
no teacher yet or any Prospects
Tuesday 10
of any John an Sue has make up again i
have bin sick all day did not go to
meeting Poor lizzie is sick Nellie was
here i wrote to read
Wednesday 11
ing [Reading] very Pleasent this morning
Mary was up to see me Father is not well
Nell and Sue stoped it has bin snowing
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Emilie Davis and African American Education Emilie’s Diary Page May 7-­‐9, 1863 Thursday, May 7, 1863.
Thursday raining I did not go in the morning
to the school exsamination in the afternoon it
was very much crowed Cristy had a [...]
spelling class in the afternoon for
Friday 8
our benifit the exsercises this morning were
very good Sue came in the morning to see
wauford Nellie and anne stoped as they we
going
Saturday 9
quite a fine day Nellie stoped here as she
went up down town this morning in the
evening went to the milleners for my bonnet
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Emilie Davis and African American Education The following are newspaper articles The Christian Recorder, May 4, 1861 INSTITUTE FOR COLORED YOUTH. The Ninth Annual Examination of the classes of the Institute for Colored Youth, will take place on Friday, May 3d, 1861, at the Institute Building, No. 716 and 718 Lombard Street. The Exercises begin at 9 o'clock, A.M., and, with one recess, will be continued until 6 o'clock, P.M. Classes will be examined throughout the day, by the teachers as follows: -­‐ MORNING SESSION -­‐ 9 o'clock -­‐ Geometry, Physical Geography, Physiology, Arithmetic, U.S. History, Latin, Reading, Mental Arithmetic, Algebra, English Composition, Roman History, and Greek. AFTERNOON SESSION -­‐ 3 o'clock -­‐ Trigonometry, Lesson in Botany, Examination of Girls' Introductory Class, Higher Algebra, English Grammar, Natural History, Arithmetic, Grammar, and Latin. Prizes will be given at the close of the morning session, and diplomas at the close of the afternoon session. The Philadelphia Inquirer, May 5, 1862 4
Emilie Davis and African American Education The Christian Recorder, May 30, 1863 This poem was written for Caroline Le Count, a graduate of the Institute for Colored Youth in 1863, by R.B. Jones, a student at the Ashmun Institute. For the Christian Recorder. TO CARRIE. BY R.B. JONES. The Instituteforcoloredyouth In Philadelphia Much talent did display, forsooth, About the first of May. Five members of the senior class, Examination stood; And what do well describe their "pass," Are these words, very good . In Greek and Latin both they read, And showed themselves well taught; In mathematics it is said, That they had fairly wrought. They climbed the steeps of science well, That high and towering mount; But one did all the rest excel, 'Twas Carrie R. Le Count. Young friends you know these things are true, Of which I now do speak; O then I trust that all of you, Will go and knowledge seek. Muses, arise and slake your thirst, At science' purest fount; Then forth in highest praises burst, Of Carrie R. Le Count! Ashmun Institute, May 18th, 1863.
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Emilie Davis and African American Education Freed people posing in front a school 1860s 6
Emilie Davis and African American Education