Rebecca Stiles Taylor (August 1879 – December 1958) was a journalist, social worker, and educator from
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah ( ) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia and the county seat of Chatham County, Georgia, Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the Kingdom of Great Brita ...
. She was best known for her contributions to the community as the founder of several charitable outlets in the area and as an activist for women's and civil rights.
Early life
Taylor received a considerable education, graduating from the
Beach Institute
Alfred Ely Beach High School, known as Beach High School, is a public high school in Savannah, Georgia, United States.
Beach Institute
In 1867, the Beach Institute was established by the American Missionary Association (A.M.A.) and the Burea ...
and
Atlanta University
Clark Atlanta University (CAU or Clark Atlanta) is a private, Methodist, historically black research university in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It was founded on September19, 1865, as Atlanta University, it was the first HBCU in the Southe ...
, and later attending
Hampton Institute
Hampton University is a private, historically black, research university in Hampton, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1868 as Hampton Agricultural and Industrial School, it was established by Black and White leaders of the American Missiona ...
and
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...
.
She started her journalistic work as a columnist for a local Savannah newspaper, where she was not afraid to speak out against the tense racial issues of the era. After many years of segregated schooling, the education she received at Atlanta University, a less racially biased institution of the time, was instrumental in her career and set her on the course for social activism.
A cousin of Stiles Taylor described the influence the university had on her:
Career
From writer to teacher to social activist, Taylor was a very ambitious and accomplished person. She was a well-known columnist for the ''
Chicago Defender
''The Chicago Defender'' is a Chicago-based online African-American newspaper. It was founded in 1905 by Robert S. Abbott and was once considered the "most important" newspaper of its kind. Abbott's newspaper reported and campaigned against Jim ...
'', and one of very few women journalists for that newspaper, and her writing contributions led her to be nationally recognized. She often wrote on controversial topics such as racial segregation. In those columns about racial interactions and political affairs, she often referenced other accomplished writers like Mrs. Corbett Ashby.
Taylor also wrote a weekly column, "Activities of Women's National Organizations", during the war time in order to kept the readers up to date about women's organizations across the country. In addition to race relations, Taylor also spoke our for women's issues by writing in support of sound and equal marriages and the elevation of the negro woman.
Beyond her writings, Taylor is lauded for her efforts to make positive social change, including education, civil rights, and public health.
In 1917, she founded the Toussaint L'Ouverture Branch of the
American Red Cross
The American National Red Cross is a Nonprofit organization, nonprofit Humanitarianism, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and disaster preparedness education in the United States. Clara Barton founded ...
.
Additionally, Taylor served as national leader of the National Association of Colored Women Mary McLeod Bethune's "chief aide."
Furthermore, she led the Savannah Chapter of the
National Association of Colored Women's Club, which provided the means to open a nursing home, a home for girls, and two free health clinics.
She joined
Mary McLeod Bethune
Mary McLeod Bethune (; July 10, 1875 – May 18, 1955) was an American educator, Philanthropy, philanthropist, Humanitarianism, humanitarian, Womanism, womanist, and civil rights activist. Bethune founded the National Council of Negro Women in ...
to organize the entire Southeastern Region of the club in 1919, assuming the position of corresponding secretary and president of the Association's Georgia State Federation.
Taylor was passionate and active about the wellbeing of people in her community, and the nation as a whole. Earlier in her career, Taylor devoted much time to educating people in Savannah with limited opportunities. She achieved great success in these efforts. She was also the first African-American woman to become Savannah's Probation Officer in
Juvenile Court
Juvenile court, also known as young offender's court or children's court, is a tribunal having special authority to pass judgements for crimes committed by children who have not attained the age of majority. In most modern legal systems, chi ...
.
Additionally, she wrote a letter to President
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was the 28th president of the United States, serving from 1913 to 1921. He was the only History of the Democratic Party (United States), Democrat to serve as president during the Prog ...
in reaction to a lynching.
She cared deeply about reconciling racial divides and took her concerns to people of highest authority in an effort to make a change. Taylor's lifelong career of dedication to the social, mental, and physical betterment of all people has led her into national recognition.
Legacy
Taylor inspired many with her willingness to take action towards furthering her social causes during a time when it was somewhat taboo to do so. She had a radical vision of social improvement for her time, saying that the South was "on the threshold of a new era," and she dedicated her life towards spurring that on in a vast range of outlets from high school education to club organization.
Taylor was an integrationist and advocated an alliance between black women's organizations with other national women's organizations in order eliminate social tension and create a sustainable future.
Drawing from her efforts, the Stiles Taylor family remains a prominent figure of charitable works to this day with many of her descendants serving as pastors, teachers, and charity group leaders in the Savannah community.
To commemorate a lifetime of service and activism, Taylor was inducted into the
Georgia Women of Achievement
The Georgia Women of Achievement (GWA) recognizes women natives or residents of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia for their significant achievements or statewide contributions. The concept was first proposed by Rosalynn Carter in 19 ...
in 2014.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Taylor, Rebecca Stiles
1879 births
1958 deaths
American civil rights activists
African-American women journalists
African-American journalists
American women's page journalists
Clark Atlanta University alumni
Hampton University alumni
Columbia University alumni
20th-century African-American people
20th-century African-American women