1862 - First Black Woman Awarded an M.A. in the U.S.

On May 21, 1862, Mary Jane Patterson became the first African American woman to earn a bachelor’s degree, graduating from Oberlin College in Ohio. Born to formerly enslaved parents in North Carolina, Patterson moved North and enrolled at Oberlin, which was one of the few colleges at the time accepting Black and female students. Her academic excellence marked a significant breakthrough at a time when education for Black Americans, especially women, was rare and often discouraged. Patterson went on to teach in Washington, D.C., where she later became the first Black principal of the prestigious Preparatory High School for Colored Youth (now Dunbar High School). Her life and career helped pave the way for generations of Black women in higher education and professional leadership roles. Her May 21 graduation is a landmark in the history of Black intellectual achievement and educational equality.