1840-1895
Pioneer Scholar and Educator
Long before most Americans were ready to imagine a Black woman earning a college degree, Mary Jane Patterson quietly did just that.
Mary Jane Patterson was an educator, school leader, and scholar who became the first Black woman in the United States known to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Early Life and Education
Mary Jane Patterson was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, to a formerly enslaved mother and a freeborn father. She later moved with her family to Oberlin, Ohio, a community known for its support of abolition and education.
Patterson initially took the one-year female course of studies at Oberlin but continued on to the four-year male course which included math, Greek and Latin
Earning a Historic Degree
In 1862, Patterson graduated from Oberlin College with a Bachelor of Arts degree, becoming the first Black woman in the United States known to earn a B.A. Her accomplishment was extraordinary not only because of the barriers of race and gender in nineteenth-century America, but also because a full classical college education was still rare for women of any background.
Teaching and School Leadership
After graduation, she was a teacher and a school administrator. In 1869 she went to Washington, D.C., and by 1871 was principal of the Preparatory High School for Colored Youth.
As principal, Patterson encouraged rigorous learning for Black students at a time when educational opportunities were deeply unequal. She believed her students deserved serious intellectual training and that education could open doors to independence, confidence, and community progress.
Later Work and Legacy
In addition to being an educator, Patterson was active in various civic projects. She helped sustain the Home for the Aged and Infirm Colored People in Washington D.C. and also created an industrial school for African American girls. She spent her career helping young people build futures through study, discipline, and high expectations. By dedicating her life to teaching, she helped widen the path for Black women.
(left) Mary Jane Patterson, 1862. Courtesy of Oberlin College Archives. (right) Henri Matisse, Interior with Goldfish, 1914. Centre Pompidou, Musée National d’Art Moderne, Paris.
About the Portrait
To echo Patterson’s quiet strength and intellectual presence, this original portrait places her in a calm, thoughtful interior inspired by the rich color, patterned surfaces, and intimate setting of Matisse’s Interior with Goldfish. Deep blues, soft lavender tones, and glowing accents create a peaceful yet powerful composition that celebrates intellect, dignity, and achievement.