Today in History: Sarah Louise Delany Is Born

On September 19th, 1889 Sarah ("Sadie") Louise Delany, older sister to Annie Elizabeth ("Bessie")  Delany (September 3rd, 1891) was born in Lynch's Station, Virginia, to the Reverend Henry Beard Delany, the first black person elected Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States, and Nanny Logan Delany (1861–1956), an educator and adminsitrator. Sarah graduated in 1910 from St. Augustine's School, Raleigh, where her father served as Vice Principal, and her mother, as a teacher, before she moved to New York City to attend Pratt Institute and Teachers College, Columbia University, where she earned a Bachelors in 1920 and Masters in 1925. The first Black person to teach domestic science in a New York City high school, Sarah Delany was a civil rights pioneeer, along with her sister, Bessie, the first Black women to have earned a degree in dentisty from Columbia University.

The Delany sister's oral history Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years was compiled by Amy Hill Hearth to become a New York Times bestseller (Kodansha International, 1993), then adapted to Broadway, as well as television film. Published on Sadie Delany's 104th birthday, their work is a heart-warming and moving portrait of two strong women who lived closely together for over 100 years, through joy and hardship -- and one that represents a vital, illuminating record of black American history, post-Reconstruction south to the end of the Cold War.

 The following articles are drawn from Proquest Historical Newspapers, which informs and inspires classroom teaching and learning.

• Baker, J.C. (1993, Dec 05). Mastering the Art of Living: If Anyone Knows How to Do It, the Delany Sisters Are the Foremost Experts. New York Times (1923-) 
• Canby, V. C. (1995, Apr 07). A Visit With 2 Indomitable Sisters: Having Our Say.  New York Times (1923-) 
• Chrysler Ties 'Having Our Say' to Educational 'Wisdom for Ages'. (1995, Apr 15). New York Amsterdam News (1962-) 
• Bessie Delany; Co-Author of 'Having Our Say'. (1995, Sep 26). The Hartford Courant (1923-) 
• Smith, S., John, v. R., Reich, H., & Kamin, B. (1995, Dec 07). Sisters' Story: Production of 'Having Our Say' Slated for Chicago's Briar Street. Chicago Tribune (1963-1996) 
• Christiansen, R. (1996, Feb 22). Enchanting Sisters: 'Having Our Say' Brings Touching Tale of 2 Women to Life. Chicago Tribune (1963-1996) 
• Winer, L. (1996, Sep 20). 'Having Our Say' Takes a Warm, Fuzzy Journey. Los Angeles Times (1996-) 
• Whie, R. . (1997, Mar 15). Sarah Delaney Is on Her Own at 107. New York Amsterdam News (1962-) 
• Sarah 'Sadie' Delany, Author, Dies at 109: Wrote 'Having Our Say' With Her Sister. (1999, Feb 03). The Washington Post (1974-) 
• Waggoner, M. (1999, Feb 05). Author Sadie Delany Remembered As Pioneer: Writer of 'Having Our Say' Laid to Rest Near Sister in N. C. Philadelphia Tribune (1912-)Tips:

Tips:

• Delany, Sarah Louise, Annie Elizabeth Delany, and Amy Hill Hearth. Having Our Say : the Delany Sisters’ First 100 Years. New York: Kodansha International, 1993. Stacks E185.96 .D37 1993
• "DC Summer Reading Campaign Chooses Book About TC Alumna." TC Newsroom, May 19, 2002.
• "Brenda Delany John: Having Her Say." TC Newsroom, June 7, 2002.

Images:

• Cover Image, Having Our Say, Courtesy of Wikimedia
• Special News Slide, Courtesy of the Gottesman Libraries 

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