Elizabeth Jennings Graham
Many people who have a
huge impact on our lives never make it into the history books. Elizabeth Jennings
Graham was one of these people. She took action one hundred years before
Rosa Parks to put an end to segregation of the public transit system in New
York City. Elizabeth Jennings Graham and Rosa Parks both fought for the
same results concerning segregation of transit systems. The cause of the
situations were different from each other even though the effect carried the
same ramifications. Elizabeth was standing up for her rights as an
individual that refused to be victimized in a situation that was driven by
racism and disrespect. Rosa Parks was chosen by civil rights leaders to
take a stand due to her profile and demeanor in addition to being a veteran
civil rights activist. Rosa Parks battle ground was the bus system in the
south. Both of these women were warriors in the battle to strive towards
legal equality for people of color.
In 1854 in New York
City, Elizabeth and her friend were riding the New York City Streetcar which
had the most private and most operated segregated cars at the time. They
were heading to church. A white passenger objected to them being on the
transit system, therefore they were told to leave. Elizabeth refused
to get off of the car. She held onto a window and the conductors coat
while he attempted to drag her off. It took a conductor and police
officer to remove her from the car. When they threw her from the car, her
clothes were torn and she was injured. The next day, supporters from her
church organized a rally outside of the Third Avenue Railway Company.
Elizabeth wrote a letter describing the incident. It was published by
abolitionist Frederick Douglas and Horace Greeley in the New York
Tribune. She filed a court case against the Third Avenue Railway Company
with Chester A. Arthur, who later became the 21st president of our
country, representing her. The case went to court
in 1855 and was decided in her favor. This case was instrumental in
desegregation of all New York City transit systems by 1865.
Elizabeth had always been a teacher and involved in her church. In 1895, she started the first kindergarten for Afro-American children in her home and operated it from there until her death in 1901.
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