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Charlotte Andrews Stephens

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Charlotte Andrews Stephens
A Black woman wearing a collared top
Charlotte A. Stephens, from a 1924 publication
BornMay 9, 1854
Little Rock, Arkansas
DiedDecember 17, 1951
Little Rock, Arkansas
OccupationTeacher

Charlotte Andrews Stephens (May 9, 1854 – December 17, 1951) was the first African American to teach in Little Rock, Arkansas.[1] She taught for seventy years and an elementary school was named for her in 1910.[2]

Early life and education

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Charlotte Elizabeth Andrews was born in Little Rock, the daughter of William Wallace Andrews and Caroline Williams Andrews. She was born into slavery, and lived in the household of senator Chester Ashley; her father had enthusiasm for both education and the Methodist faith.[3] She attended Oberlin College for three years in the 1870s.[4]

Career

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Andrews began teaching at fifteen, at the freedmen's school she had attended.[5] She taught for seventy years, until her retirement in 1939, at age 85.[1] She taught Latin, German, and science.[4] Among her notable students were black composers Florence Price and William Grant Still.[6] At various times, she was principal of the Capital Hill graded school, librarian at Dunbar High School, and acting principal of Union High School. In 1909, there was a reception celebrating her 40th anniversary as a teacher, and she was presented with a silver tea service; the Arkansas Democrat account of the event reported that "she is at present one of the most active and wide-awake teachers in the M. W. Gibbs High School'.[7] At the age of 70, she was honored with a master's degree from Shorter College in North Little Rock.[4] An elementary school was named for her in 1910, and sat on land that she donated for the purpose.[2][8]

Stephens was a charter member of Little Rock's chapter of the National Association of Colored Women (NACW).[9]

Personal life and legacy

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Andrews married John Herbert Stephens, who was a cabinetmaker, a teacher, and a local official.[4] They had eight children. She died in 1951, at the age of 97.[1][10] In 1973, the Academic Press of Arkansas published a biography, Charlotte Stephens: Little Rock's First Black Teacher by Adolphine Fletcher Terry.[11][12] Stephens Elementary School, named for her in 1910, is still a public school in Little Rock, in a new building as of 2001.[9]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Encyclopedia of Arkansas
  2. ^ a b "Arkansas Moment" at UALR Public Radio
  3. ^ Jessie Carney Smith (1996). Notable Black American Women. VNR AG. pp. 616–617. ISBN 978-0-8103-9177-2.
  4. ^ a b c d "The Horizon" The Crisis (February 1924): 181-182. via Internet Archive
  5. ^ Arkansas Matters
  6. ^ Brown, Rae Linda (2020). The Heart of a Woman: The Life and Music of Florence B. Price. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. p. 34. ISBN 9780252085109.
  7. ^ "Taught 40 Years; Remarkable Record of Charlotte E. Stephens, Little Rock Negro Teacher". Arkansas Democrat. 1909-05-11. p. 7. Retrieved 2023-02-23 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Bush, C. E. (1921-11-06). "Little Rock Negroes Have Made Much Progress in Business Activities". Arkansas Democrat. p. 8. Retrieved 2023-02-23 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ a b "About Stephens Elementary / Charlotte Stephens". Little Rock School District. Retrieved 2023-02-23.
  10. ^ "Negro Teacher Dies". Hope Star. 1951-12-19. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-02-23 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Terry, Adolphine Fletcher (1973). Charlotte Stephens: Little Rock's First Black Teacher. Academic Press of Arkansas. ISBN 978-0-939130-04-7.
  12. ^ Dillard, Tom W. (1974). "Review of Charlotte Stephens, Little Rock's First Black Teacher". The Arkansas Historical Quarterly. 33 (1): 92–94. doi:10.2307/40024657. ISSN 0004-1823. JSTOR 40024657.
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