|
|
Article: LEAVING THEIR MARK.(African American women in 19th century)
- Article from:
- Cobblestone
- Article date:
- February 1, 1999
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 Carus Publishing Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN OF THE WEST
By the second half of the 1800s, African American women were a presence in the West. They could be found in almost every town and military fort on the frontier. Like other pioneers, African American women saw opportunities in the West. They hoped to find freedom there. They also wanted the chance to pursue or start their own businesses as launderers, cooks, and seamstresses.
They were women such as Elvira Conley, who opened her laundry business in Sheridan, Kansas. She washed clothes for frontiersmen such as Buffalo Bill Cody and Wild Bill Hickok. And there was Biddy Mason, who worked as a nurse and housekeeper. Mason ...