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Gertrude Amelia Mahorney

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Gertrude A. Mahorney
Gertrude Amelia Mahorney, 1887 Butler University class photo
Born1863
Indianapolis, Indiana
ParentJohn Todd Mahorney & Ann Elizabeth Gray

Gertrude Amelia Mahorney became the first documented African-American woman to graduate from an Indiana college or university when she received a bachelor's degree from Butler University in 1887.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] In 1889, she also earned a master's degree from Butler.[8]

Early life and family

[edit]

Born in Indianapolis, Indiana about 1863,[9][10] Gertrude Mahorney was the daughter of John Todd Mahorney (1829–1890) and Ann Elizabeth Gray Mahorney (c. 1834 – 1904).[11][12] Her parents owned an ornamental hair (wig) business on Illinois Street near the prestigious Bates House and were active in the antislavery National Negro Convention movement. John Mahorney entered the real estate business,[13] was an author[14] and was the first African-American in Marion County to become active in local Democratic politics.[15][16] He was active in the labor movement, organizing the first African-American Knights of Labor assembly in Indianapolis. Gertrude was raised in the household with her step-grandmother, Johanna Gray, a Prussian and German speaker so that Gertrude became proficient in German.[17]

In 1877, John Mahorney took his family to Europe.[18] He held advanced ideas on education. Gertrude lived in London's East End and had opportunities to interact with people of diverse backgrounds. In 1879, they moved to Irvington, a suburb of Indianapolis, so that Gertrude, and her brother could attend Butler University. While at Butler, Mahorney was confronted with the social segregation of the day, but “stood on her merits and...won the regard of students and professors.”[19]

In 1890, her father, John T. Mahorney, died at their Irvington home[20] and was buried in Crown Hill Cemetery. Two years later, Gertrude's brother, John Joseph Mahorney, a civil engineer and 1889 Butler graduate[21][22][23][24][25][26][27] died at age 21 from appendicitis.[28]

Gertrude lived with her mother[29] until her mother died in 1904. The two often traveled together.[30]

Career

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Proficient in the German language, Gertrude Mahorney translated stories that were published in local newspapers.[31][32] She was an active newspaper columnist.[33] In April 1889, she wrote to Mark Twain proposing an around the world trip for her entire family and suggested that he publish the book that they would write of their travels.[34][35]

In 1891 & 1892, she taught in Leavenworth, Kansas[36][37] and then continued her teaching career at Indianapolis Public School No. 23, a school for “colored” children living in the near northwest side of the city, and taught German at another nearby “colored” school, IPS No. 24.[38][39][40] In 1904, Gertrude and her mother attended the St. Louis World's Fair where her students' work was exhibited.[41]

Mahorney resigned her teaching position in the fall of 1906 to study in Pittsburgh and teach at Avery College & Trade School in Allegheny, Pennsylvania.[42][43] When she returned to Indianapolis, she was only offered a substitute position in IPS. Unable to secure a permanent teaching position, she left Indianapolis in September 1910 to become the teacher in charge of the Ohio Street Colored School in Rockville, Indiana where she taught through May 1914.

In 1914, Gertrude was the President of the Woman Suffrage Club in Rockville, Indiana.[44]

Butler University honored her posthumously at a Founder's Day program with the presentation of her restored graduation photograph.

Later life

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In May 1914, she concluded her fourth year of teaching in Rockville, stopped to visit a friend at the Tuberculosis Hospital, and returned to Indianapolis.[45]

In March & April 1915, she wrote to Butler University President, T. C. Howe, inquiring about selling the lot that she owned in Irvington that had been her brother's.[46] It was lot 8 in Chambers First Subdivision, facing E Michigan St.[47] She was then renting a furnished room at 263 Eliot St[48] in Detroit, Michigan.

The known public record of her life ends in 1915.

References

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  1. ^ "Making Black History". The Butler Collegian. 16 Feb 2021.
  2. ^ Neville, Susan S. (2010-11-22). Butler's Big Dance: The Team, the Tournament, and Basketball Fever. Indiana University Press. p. 32. ISBN 978-0-253-22312-8.
  3. ^ Waller, George Macgregor (2006). Butler University: A Sesquicentennial History. Indiana University Press. p. 191. ISBN 978-0-253-34723-7.
  4. ^ Cavinder, Fred D. (1985-11-22). The Indiana Book of Records, Firsts, and Fascinating Facts. Indiana University Press. p. 52. ISBN 978-0-253-28320-7.
  5. ^ Thornbrough, Emma Lou (1993). The Negro in Indiana Before 1900: A Study of a Minority. Indiana University Press. p. 345. ISBN 978-0-253-35989-6.
  6. ^ Hine, Darlene Clark (1990). Black Women's History: Theory and Practice. Carlson Pub. ISBN 978-0-926019-16-4.
  7. ^ "The Indianapolis Journal 18 Jun 1887, page 5". Hoosier State Chronicles. p. 5. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  8. ^ "Indianapolis News 12 June 1889 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program, page 4". newspapers.library.in.gov. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  9. ^ "1870 census". www.familysearch.org.
  10. ^ "Listed as Gertie on 1880 census". www.familysearch.org.
  11. ^ "The Indianapolis News 12 Oct 1904, page Page 8, Obituary". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  12. ^ "Indianapolis Recorder 15 October 1904 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program". newspapers.library.in.gov. p. 4. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  13. ^ Swartz & Tedrowe's Indianapolis City Directory ... Sentinel. 1872.
  14. ^ Writers, Western Association of (1891). Proceedings of the 5th Annual Convention at Eagle Lake, Indiana, 1890.
  15. ^ "Indianapolis Journal 4 July 1883 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program". newspapers.library.in.gov. p. 3. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  16. ^ "Indianapolis Journal 5 June 1888 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program". newspapers.library.in.gov. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  17. ^ Williams, David L. (2022-02-08). African Americans in Indianapolis: The Story of a People Determined to Be Free. Indiana University Press. pp. 42–44. ISBN 978-0-253-05950-5.
  18. ^ "Indianapolis News 17 December 1877 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program, page 3". newspapers.library.in.gov. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  19. ^ "Gertrude Amelia Mahorney" (PDF).
  20. ^ "Indianapolis News 25 June 1890 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program". newspapers.library.in.gov. p. 2. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  21. ^ "Indianapolis Journal 11 June 1889 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program, page 8". newspapers.library.in.gov. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  22. ^ "Indianapolis Journal 12 June 1889 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program, page 3". newspapers.library.in.gov. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  23. ^ "Indianapolis News 14 June 1889 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program, page 4". newspapers.library.in.gov. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  24. ^ "Indianapolis News 15 June 1889 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program, page 8". newspapers.library.in.gov. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  25. ^ "Indianapolis News 23 April 1896 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program". newspapers.library.in.gov. p. 6. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  26. ^ The Annual Catalogue of Butler College. Indianapolis, Indiana. 1898–1899. p. 132.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  27. ^ "The Indianapolis News 06 Jul 1973, page 20". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  28. ^ "Ideals Betrayed". The Weekly View. 24 Feb 2022.
  29. ^ "1900 census". www.familysearch.org.
  30. ^ "Indianapolis Recorder 26 July 1902 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program, page 4". newspapers.library.in.gov. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  31. ^ "Indiana State Sentinel 5 August 1885 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program, page 7". newspapers.library.in.gov. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  32. ^ "Indiana State Sentinel 18 December 1889 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program, page 3". newspapers.library.in.gov. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  33. ^ "Indianapolis Recorder 3 May 1913 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program". newspapers.library.in.gov. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  34. ^ "Vol 2 Section 0009 – Mark Twain Day By Day, Apr 23, p 373". Retrieved 2024-02-05.
  35. ^ "Gertrude A. Mahorney to SLC, 23 April 1889 · Irvington, Ind., (UCLC 44505)." Catalog entry. Mark Twain Project Online. Berkeley, Los Angeles, London: University of California Press. 2016. Accessed 2024-02-06.
  36. ^ "The Leavenworth Times 15 Sep 1891, page Page 1". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  37. ^ "The Leavenworth Times 06 Sep 1892, page Page 4". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  38. ^ Indianapolis (Ind.) (1898). Directory of Officers and Teachers of the Public Schools of the City of Indianapolis. Wm. Burford. p. 41.
  39. ^ "The Indianapolis Journal 08 Apr 1893, page 6". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  40. ^ "The Indianapolis Journal 15 Jun 1894, page 6". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  41. ^ "Indianapolis Recorder 3 September 1904 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program". newspapers.library.in.gov. p. 4. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  42. ^ "Indianapolis Recorder 15 September 1906 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program". newspapers.library.in.gov. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  43. ^ "Indianapolis Recorder 26 October 1907 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program". newspapers.library.in.gov. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  44. ^ "Indianapolis Recorder 7 February 1914 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program, page 6". newspapers.library.in.gov. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  45. ^ "Indianapolis Recorder 16 May 1914, p 6 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program". newspapers.library.in.gov. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
  46. ^ Butler University Archives, Indianapolis, Indiana
  47. ^ "The Indianapolis Star 18 Jan 1915, page Page 12". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  48. ^ Polk's Detroit city directory.
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