In honor of Black History Month, all month long we will be sharing the legacies and stories of the heroes, sheroes, and events in the fight for Black suffrage on social media under the hashtag #VRABlackHistory. Follow us on Twitter (@VRAmatters) to share your own facts.

Today we honor Anna Julia Cooper, who was an American educator, writer, and scholar remembered for her pioneering crusade for the upliftment of African-American women.