Career

Maria W. Stewart is considered to be the first female Black writer and Groundbreaker in the field of journalism. In the 19th century, she made her mark during a time when both African Americans and women faced enormous challenges. Her work in journalism demonstrated her true commitment to activism, education, and social reform.

Stewart initiated her forward-thinking work in Boston, where she began to deliver her powerful speeches on racial and gender equality. Many of her speeches were published in The Liberator, which was one of the most well-known newspapers that was edited by William Lloyd Garrison. Through her writing, she scolded slavery, racial discrimination and promoted education and empowerment of African American women.¹

Stewart wrote essays on self-reliance, moral integrity, and how to keep building strong communities of African Americans. Her bold, unapologetic voice was crucial in a time when Black women were often shut down from the public eye. She laid the foundation for future generations of African American women journalists and activists.

Maria W. Stewart's life and career represent the most persuasive example of how words and emotions can impact the arguments against injustices. Her work remains a basis of African American and women's history.

¹Rodger Streitmatter, “Raising Her Voice: African-American Women Journalists Who Changed History,” The University Press of Kentucky, February 24, 1994. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=CHx5tY6wQSMC&oi=fnd&pg=PP9&dq=maria+stewart+journalism&ots=W3lUMvhGVS&sig=u2aDgzVZp8VftErVRXp-LEMKbbc#v=onepage&q=maria%20stewart%20journalism&f=false