Lucy Craft Laney

Lucy Craft Laney was an early AfricanAmerican educator who in 1883 founded the first school for black children in Augusta, Georgia. She was principal of the Haines Institute for Industrial and Normal Education for 50 years. Lucy Craft Laney was selected by Governor Jimmy Carter in 1974 to be one of the first African Americans to have their portraits hung in the Georgia State Capitol.

She was in Macon, Georgia, on April 13, 1854, eleven years before the slavery ended. She was the seventh of ten children born to Louisa and David Laney during slavery. Her parents were both former slaves, but her father had saved enough money to buy his freedom and that of his wife years before. Both of her parents were strong believers in education and were very giving to strangers this upbringing would strongly influence Laney in her life. At the time of her birth it was illegal for blacks to read however with the assistance of Ms. Campbell, the slave owners sister, she learned to read at age four. She attended a mission school run by the AMA. In 1869 she entered Atlanta University , where she prepared to be a teacher.

Source: Wikipedia