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Prudence Crandall September 3,1803-January 28,1890

Prudence Crandall’s main goal was to open a school that would allow African American girls to receive an education. Children were going to be the future and they needed all the preparation possible. Crandall, believing in equality wanted to open her school to African American girls, but the public wasn't just ready for that yet. They would break the windows and vandalize the place. Families of the white girls would take their children out of Crandall’s school. It went as far as the Connecticut legislature passing the “Black Law”(1833) which prohibited African-American girls from out of state to go to Crandall’s school without the townspeople consent. The townspeople made it nearly impossible for the students to live a peaceful life, closing their stores, doctors offices, and transportation services to the girls. They even poisoned the school well.
 * Goals & Criticisms: **

In 1831, Prudence Crandall opened a private school. Crandall’s first school was originally open to the girls in their town of Canterbury, Connecticut. It was said to be the best school in the state and taught at the same vigorous pace as the schools for boys. In 1833, Crandall accepted Sarah Harris into her private school. Opposing slavery, Prudence Crandall thought nothing of what other people would do and think. She believed that every female should be able to receive an education regardless of their color. Her school was met with much opposition from the entire town. Crandall and those who supported her relocated the school and she began to freely admit students. She taught advanced classes so that those African-American students could teach it to others. The “Black Law” of 1833 made it hard for Prudence Crandall to expand her school. It also posed a threat on the student’s lives. The school was almost burned down by the townspeople multiple times. In 1834, Prudence Crandall closed her school due to the fact that the lives for her pupils were at stake and it was far too dangerous to learn in that atmosphere.
 * School for Girls **

**Effect**: When Prudence left Connecticut with her husband she continued to teach from her home. She also participated in women's suffrage movements and gave education equality speeches. The “Black Law” was repealed in 1838 from the guilt of the people. After the debacle of the closing of Crandall's school the tolerance of African-Americans remained at its usual low. The women’s rights movement continued on as did the education equality movement.


 * "Prudence Crandall." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Sept. 2012. Web. 01 Oct. 2012. < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prudence_Crandall>. **


 * Diece, Albrey. "National Women's History Museum." Education & Resources. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2012. < http://www.nwhm.org/education-resources/biography/biographies/prudence-crandall/>. **