Anna Arnold Hedgeman: The Unsung Minnesota Hero of Civil Rights
Celebrate Black History Month by discovering the inspiring story of Minnesota’s Anna Arnold Hedgeman, the unsung hero of civil rights! 🌟 #BlackHistoryMonth #AnnaArnoldHedgeman #CivilRightsPioneer
St. Paul, Minnesota – Anna Arnold Hedgeman’s life was one of courage and change. Born in 1899 in Marshalltown, Iowa, she grew up in Anoka, Minnesota, where her family was the only African American one. Her father’s emphasis on religion, education, and hard work set the tone for her life.
In 1918, Anna became the first African American to attend Hamline University, and in 1922, she was the first to graduate. Inspired by W.E.B. Du Bois, she aimed to be a teacher. But, racial barriers in St. Paul‘s public schools led her to teach at Rust College in Mississippi instead. There, she faced the harsh reality of segregation firsthand.
Anna Arnold Hedgeman’s journey to the South exposed her to the harsh reality of racism. During her train ride to Mississippi, she experienced the Jim Crow segregation laws firsthand. Initially, she traveled in the dining car from St. Paul to Chicago, a space shared by both black and white passengers.
However, upon reaching Cairo, Illinois, she was forced to move to the “colored” car located behind the train’s engine. This car was not only dirty and overcrowded but also meant she was no longer allowed in the dining car, a clear sign of the segregation and discrimination she would face in the South.
After two years at Rust College, Anna returned to Minnesota but couldn’t find a teaching job due to discrimination. She shifted gears and became an executive director at the YWCA in Springfield, Ohio. Anna’s journey with the YWCA took her to several states, where she continued to fight for equality.
In 1944, Anna led the National Council for a Permanent Fair Employment Practices Committee, advocating against employment discrimination. She later joined the cabinet of New York Mayor Robert F. Wagner, Jr., becoming the first black woman in such a position. Frustrated with gender discrimination and housing policies, she left to become an associate editor and columnist for the New York Age newspaper. Anna also ran for Congress and city council president in New York City, though unsuccessfully.
Anna’s most notable contribution was as the only woman on the planning committee for the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. She pushed for women’s inclusion in the planning and speaking roles, eventually leading to Daisy Bates speaking at the march. Anna also organized 40,000 people from the National Council of Churches to participate.
A founding member of the National Organization for Women (NOW) in 1966, Anna published two memoirs and continued her advocacy until her health declined in the mid-1980s. She passed away at age ninety in 1990 in New York. In her honor, Hamline University dedicated The Hedgeman Center for Student Diversity Initiatives and Programs.
As we celebrate Black History Month, let’s remember the incredible legacy of Anna Arnold Hedgeman, a true pioneer in the fight for civil rights and equality.
🗣 What do you think of Anna’s incredible journey? Who is your fave Black History hero? Let us know in the comments section below. ⬇️
