Josephine Ruffin
Encyclopedia
Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin (31 August 1842 – 13 March 1924) was an American publisher, journalist, African American civil rights
leader, suffragist, and editor for Women’s Era, the first newspaper published by and for African American women. Her husband, George Lewis Ruffin
was the first African-American male graduate from Harvard Law School
and the first African-American municipal judge.
of African descent, and Elizabeth Matilda Menhenick from Cornwall, England. Her father was a successful clothier
and founder of a Boston Zion church. She attended public schools in Charleston and Salem
, and a private school in New York City because of her parents' objections to the segregated schools in Boston. She completed her studies at the Bowdoin School, not to be confused with Bowdoin College
, after segregation in Boston schools ended.
In 1858 Ruffin married George Lewis Ruffin
(1834–1886), the first African-American to graduate from Harvard Law School
, and the first African American
to serve on the Boston
City Council
, the Massachusetts
state legislature, and as Boston's first black municipal judge. The couple was active in the struggle against slavery
and, during the Civil War
, they helped recruit black soldiers for the Union Army
, the Mass 54th and 55th regiments. The couple also worked for the Sanitation Commission. In 1858 they bought a house on Boston's Beacon Hill, and began a family.
and, in 1869, joined with Julia Ward Howe
and Lucy Stone
to form the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA) in Boston. A group of these women, Julia Ward Howe and Lucy Stone also founded the New England Women's Club
in 1868. Josephine Ruffin was its first bi-racial member when she joined in the mid 1890s. Josephine also wrote for the black weekly paper
, The Courant and became a member of the New England Woman's Press Association.
When George Lewis Ruffin died at the age of 52 in 1884, Josephine used her financial security and organizational abilities to start Woman's Era, the country's first newspaper published by and for African American women. While promoting interracial activities, Woman's Era called on black women to demand increased rights for their race.
In 1895, Ruffin organized the National Federation of Afro-American Women. She convened the first national conference in Boston, which was attended by 100 women from 20 clubs in 10 states. The following year, the organization merged with the Colored Women's League to form the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs (NACWC). Mary Church Terrell
was elected president and Ruffin served as one of the organization's vice-presidents.
In 1894, Ruffin organized the Women's Era Club, an advocacy group for black women, with the help of her daughter Florida Ridely and Maria Baldwin, a Boston school principal. From 1890 to 1897, Ruffin served as the editor and publisher of Woman's Era, the first newspaper published by, and for, African-American women. The paper highlighted the achievements of African-American women and championed black women's rights.
Just as the NACWC was forming, Joesphine Ruffin was desegregating the New England Woman's Club, and when the General Federation of Woman's Clubs met in Milwaukee in 1900, she planned to attend as a representative of three organizations – the New Era Club, the New England Woman's Club and the New England Woman's Press Club. But Southern women were in positions of power in the General Federation, and when the Executive Committee discovered that all of the New Era's club members were black women, they would not accept Ruffin's credentials. Ruffin was told that she could be seated as a representative of the two white clubs but not the black one. She refused on principle and was excluded from the proceedings. These events became known as "The Ruffin Incident" and were widely covered in newspapers around the country, most of whom supported Ruffin. Afterwards, the Woman's Era Club made an official statement "that colored women should confine themselves to their clubs and the large field of work open to them there."
The New Era Club was disbanded in 1903 but Ruffin remained active in the struggle for equal rights and, in 1910, helped form the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
. Ruffin was one of the charter members of NAACP and, along with other women who had belonged to the New Era Club, she co-founded the League of Women for Community Service which still exists today.
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
leader, suffragist, and editor for Women’s Era, the first newspaper published by and for African American women. Her husband, George Lewis Ruffin
George Lewis Ruffin
George Lewis Ruffin was the first African-American to graduate from Harvard Law School in 1869, and the first African American to serve on the Boston City Council...
was the first African-American male graduate from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
and the first African-American municipal judge.
Early years
Ruffin was born in Boston, Massachusetts to John St. Pierre, a Frenchman from MartiniqueMartinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
of African descent, and Elizabeth Matilda Menhenick from Cornwall, England. Her father was a successful clothier
Clothier
Clothier may refer to one of the following professions:*Tailor - the most common modern usage*Cloth merchant*A cloth manufacturer - see cloth productionAs a surname, Clothier may refer to one of the following individuals:...
and founder of a Boston Zion church. She attended public schools in Charleston and Salem
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...
, and a private school in New York City because of her parents' objections to the segregated schools in Boston. She completed her studies at the Bowdoin School, not to be confused with Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College , founded in 1794, is an elite private liberal arts college located in the coastal Maine town of Brunswick, Maine. As of 2011, U.S. News and World Report ranks Bowdoin 6th among liberal arts colleges in the United States. At times, it was ranked as high as 4th in the country. It is...
, after segregation in Boston schools ended.
In 1858 Ruffin married George Lewis Ruffin
George Lewis Ruffin
George Lewis Ruffin was the first African-American to graduate from Harvard Law School in 1869, and the first African American to serve on the Boston City Council...
(1834–1886), the first African-American to graduate from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
, and the first African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
to serve on the Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
City Council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
, the Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
state legislature, and as Boston's first black municipal judge. The couple was active in the struggle against slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
and, during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, they helped recruit black soldiers for the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
, the Mass 54th and 55th regiments. The couple also worked for the Sanitation Commission. In 1858 they bought a house on Boston's Beacon Hill, and began a family.
Activism
Ruffin supported women's suffrageWomen's suffrage
Women's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
and, in 1869, joined with Julia Ward Howe
Julia Ward Howe
Julia Ward Howe was a prominent American abolitionist, social activist, and poet, most famous as the author of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic".-Biography:...
and Lucy Stone
Lucy Stone
Lucy Stone was a prominent American abolitionist and suffragist, and a vocal advocate and organizer promoting rights for women. In 1847, Stone was the first woman from Massachusetts to earn a college degree. She spoke out for women's rights and against slavery at a time when women were discouraged...
to form the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA) in Boston. A group of these women, Julia Ward Howe and Lucy Stone also founded the New England Women's Club
New England Women's Club
The New England Women's Club of Boston, Massachusetts, was the "first woman's club" in the United States. Members of the club in its early years included Ednah Dow Littlehale Cheney, Julia Ward Howe, Mary Livermore, Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Peabody, Lucretia Peabody, Caroline M. Severance, and...
in 1868. Josephine Ruffin was its first bi-racial member when she joined in the mid 1890s. Josephine also wrote for the black weekly paper
African American newspapers
African American newspapers are those newspapers in the United States that seek readers primarily of African American descent. These newspapers came into existence in 1827 when Samuel Cornish and John Brown Russwurm started the first African-American periodical called Freedom's Journal...
, The Courant and became a member of the New England Woman's Press Association.
When George Lewis Ruffin died at the age of 52 in 1884, Josephine used her financial security and organizational abilities to start Woman's Era, the country's first newspaper published by and for African American women. While promoting interracial activities, Woman's Era called on black women to demand increased rights for their race.
In 1895, Ruffin organized the National Federation of Afro-American Women. She convened the first national conference in Boston, which was attended by 100 women from 20 clubs in 10 states. The following year, the organization merged with the Colored Women's League to form the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs (NACWC). Mary Church Terrell
Mary Church Terrell
Mary Church Terrell , daughter of former slaves, was one of the first African-American women to earn a college degree. She became an activist who led several important associations and worked for civil rights and suffrage....
was elected president and Ruffin served as one of the organization's vice-presidents.
In 1894, Ruffin organized the Women's Era Club, an advocacy group for black women, with the help of her daughter Florida Ridely and Maria Baldwin, a Boston school principal. From 1890 to 1897, Ruffin served as the editor and publisher of Woman's Era, the first newspaper published by, and for, African-American women. The paper highlighted the achievements of African-American women and championed black women's rights.
Just as the NACWC was forming, Joesphine Ruffin was desegregating the New England Woman's Club, and when the General Federation of Woman's Clubs met in Milwaukee in 1900, she planned to attend as a representative of three organizations – the New Era Club, the New England Woman's Club and the New England Woman's Press Club. But Southern women were in positions of power in the General Federation, and when the Executive Committee discovered that all of the New Era's club members were black women, they would not accept Ruffin's credentials. Ruffin was told that she could be seated as a representative of the two white clubs but not the black one. She refused on principle and was excluded from the proceedings. These events became known as "The Ruffin Incident" and were widely covered in newspapers around the country, most of whom supported Ruffin. Afterwards, the Woman's Era Club made an official statement "that colored women should confine themselves to their clubs and the large field of work open to them there."
The New Era Club was disbanded in 1903 but Ruffin remained active in the struggle for equal rights and, in 1910, helped form the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, usually abbreviated as NAACP, is an African-American civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909. Its mission is "to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to...
. Ruffin was one of the charter members of NAACP and, along with other women who had belonged to the New Era Club, she co-founded the League of Women for Community Service which still exists today.