Lucy J. Sprague (born Earle 1851 – September 29, 1903) was an American

suffragist Suffrage, political franchise, or simply franchise is the right to vote in public, political elections and referendums (although the term is sometimes used for any right to vote). In some languages, and occasionally in English, the right to vo ...

from

Rochester, New York Rochester is a city in and the county seat, seat of government of Monroe County, New York, United States. It is the List of municipalities in New York, fourth-most populous city and 10th most-populated municipality in New York, with a populati ...

Biography

Sprague was born as Lucy Earle in

, in 1851. Her family were involved in the

African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, or the AME Zion Church (AMEZ) is a historically African-American Christian denomination based in the United States. It was officially formed in 1821 in New York City, but operated for a number of y ...

and Sprague would remain active throughout her life. She was married to James Alfred Sprague in 1878 and they had one surviving son. In the church, Sprague volunteered in several different roles, including acting as

treasurer A treasurer is a person responsible for the financial operations of a government, business, or other organization. Government The treasury of a country is the department responsible for the country's economy, finance and revenue. The treasure ...

and

superintendent Superintendent may refer to: *Building superintendent, a manager, maintenance or repair person, custodian or janitor, especially in the United States; sometimes shortened to "super" *Prison warden or superintendent, a prison administrator *Soprin ...

of the

Sunday School ] A Sunday school, sometimes known as a Sabbath school, is an educational institution, usually Christianity, Christian in character and intended for children or neophytes. Sunday school classes usually precede a Sunday church service and are u ...

for infants. She and her husband were both members of the Susan B. Anthony Club for Colored Women and worked towards

women's suffrage Women's suffrage is the women's rights, right of women to Suffrage, vote in elections. Several instances occurred in recent centuries where women were selectively given, then stripped of, the right to vote. In Sweden, conditional women's suffra ...

. Sprague also worked with Hester C. Jeffrey in the church and as an activist. Sprague died on September 29, 1903, in her home in Rochester. She was buried in Mount Hope Cemetery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sprague, Lucy J. 1851 births 1903 deaths Activists from Rochester, New York African-American suffragists Suffragists from New York (state) 19th-century African-American people 19th-century African-American women 20th-century African-American people 20th-century African-American women