Mondays at Beinecke: Schooling the Nation - The Success of the Canterbury Academy for Black Women with Jennifer Rycenga

Jennifer Rycenga uncovers a pioneering example of antiracism and Black-white cooperation through the story of Canterbury Academy, founded in 1833 by white teacher Prudence Crandall. Despite facing racism and violent opposition, Crandall’s school educated over two dozen Black women in its brief existence. Through figures like Sarah Harris, the Academy’s first Black student, and Maria Davis, Crandall’s Black housekeeper and early abolitionist ally, Rycenga reveals the powerful networks, activism, and alliances that shaped this remarkable chapter of Black, women’s, and abolitionist history. The story of Canterbury Academy is both inspirational and a cautionary tale, highlighting the agency of women in changing the course of history in nineteenth-century America.

 

Join us for this insightful event as Jennifer Rycenga dives deeper into this important history and its lasting impact. Don’t miss the opportunity to explore how these women’s stories continue to shape our understanding of resistance and cooperation.