Born in 1860 in Nashville, Minnie Lou Crosthwaite’s life from her earliest years was surrounded by education. In 1865, she began her primary education at the newly opened Fisk Free Colored School, and she attended Fisk throughout her secondary education as well as her teaching education. Crosthwaite graduated from Fisk University in 1879 with her teaching degree, and she became the first African American to pass the teaching certification exam. Crosthwaite taught in the Nashville public school system for 14 years and, alongside her husband, was a staunch advocate for racial equality. She died in Detroit in 1937.
Minnie Lou Crosthwaite
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Description
Born in 1860 in Nashville, Minnie Lou Crosthwaite’s life from her earliest years was surrounded by education. In 1865, she began her primary education at the newly opened Fisk Free Colored School, and she attended Fisk throughout her secondary education as well as her teaching education. Crosthwaite graduated from Fisk University in 1879 with her teaching degree, and she became the first African American to pass the teaching certification exam. Crosthwaite taught in the Nashville public school system for 14 years and, alongside her husband, was a staunch advocate for racial equality. She died in Detroit in 1937.