What about the Oblate Sisters of Providence?

[elipousson]

I read your first draft of the article on early Baltimore civil rights with great interest. I am the archivist for the Oblate Sisters of Providence. They are the first Catholic women religious order for women of African descent (although there have been a few white members.) The order was founding in Baltimore in 1829 for the education of colored girls. Their school began in 1828 and continues to educate predominately African American children today - although today it is a coed high school - Saint Frances Academy. While the sisters were never overtly part of the civil rights movement they were always a big part of the black community in Baltimore. They were part of the black social fabric of the city - running schools, an orphanage, aid societies, and widow and aged home for women etc. They are largely left out of the history of Baltimore -even the black history - for a few reasons I suppose but that is a whole other subject. Christopher Philips has them in his book bibliography but does not mention a word about them in his book.

— Sharon Knetch