Description: (American-Canadian Activist, Journalist, Publisher and the First Black Woman Publisher in North America)
Mary Ann Shadd Cary was a trailblazing American-Canadian anti-slavery activist, journalist, publisher, teacher, and lawyer. She was the first black woman publisher in North America and the first woman publisher in Canada. Shadd founded the Provincial Freeman newspaper, promoting equality, integration, and self-education for black communities in Canada and the United States. She supported the Underground Railroad, aided fugitives from slavery, and recruited soldiers for the Union during the American Civil War. Shadd's career focused on civil rights advocacy for African Americans and women.