270:, she is recognized widely not only for her pioneering role in education, but for her community service and her quest to attain suffrage. A statue of Williams was installed in the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Veterans Memorial Park in Charlotte Amalie. Mounted on a pillar, a bust of her upper torso depicts her holding a book in her left hand and a coal pot in the right. It bears the inscription: "Feed not only the body, the mind must also be nourished".
246:, a type of court order, compelling the election officers to allow the women's registrations. The three women were chosen because, except for their gender, they met the age, income, literacy, property, and respectability requirements for any other voter. Once again Levitt ruled in their favor, allowing qualified women to vote in the 1936 election. Their success led to mobilization to register to vote in Saint Croix and
40:
200:
in 1932. While heading
Madison, she created the first school lunch program in the Virgin Islands. Teaching students and their parents how to garden, she created a vegetable patch on the school grounds, allowing them to grow their own food, prepare it for lunches, and sell the excess produce. Williams
253:
Williams' last post was at Thomas
Jefferson Elementary, where she was assigned in 1937. She remained there until her retirement in 1945. She was honored for her service with a commendation from the Legislature of the Virgin Islands in 1974. In 1981, the James Madison Elementary School was renamed as
235:
in
November 1935 and Levitt ruled that Danish Colonial Law was unconstitutional, as it contravened the provisions of the Nineteenth Amendment, and had never been intended to restrict the vote to men. The following month, Williams became the first woman to register to vote and was quickly followed by
192:
to Danish women. In 1921, the U.S. Supreme Court clarified that constitutional rights did not extend to residents of either Puerto Rico or the Virgin
Islands, as they were defined in Puerto Rico by the Organic Act of 1900 and in the Virgin Islands by the Danish Colonial Law of 1906. In 1922 Williams
179:
Williams transferred to George
Washington Elementary School from the Moravian School in 1917. In that year, the Danish West Indies was sold to the United States and the Colonial Law of 1906 passed by Denmark for governance in the islands was retained for the unincorporated territory. When women in
175:
to train candidates and improve the education of those already in the teaching profession. Members of the
Association later voluntarily taught students who wanted to continue their education beyond the mandatory 9th school grade and were instrumental in graduating the first high school students in
126:
educator, women's rights activist, and suffragist. Williams was the first woman who attempted to vote in the Virgin
Islands and when she was denied the right to register, she petitioned the court along with Eulalie Stevens and Anna M. Vessup to review their qualifications. They won their case and
208:, was turned over to civilian governance. Virgin Islands women felt that they would be granted suffrage when citizenship was given to people in the territory in 1932, but voting rights did not occur. Urged on by businesswoman
171:. Early in her career, she had joined with other women to work on issues which would improve the lives of teachers and their students. They formed the St. Thomas Teachers' Association and worked to establish a
216:, and Eulalie Stevens joined to fight for suffrage. Each of them had ties to educational activities and the suffrage movement in the United States. They were aware of developments in Puerto Rico led by
127:
subsequently women throughout the Virgin
Islands who were literate and property owners were allowed to vote. A bust of Williams was installed in the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Veterans Memorial Park in
962:
882:
185:
151:. During her youth, she played cricket for the Harlem Virgin Islands Girls team and traveled several times to compete in matches in the United States. She was both a batter and a
232:
231:, encouraged Boschulte, secretary of the Teachers' Association, and other association members to challenge their voting exclusion. The Association filed a lawsuit in the
898:
972:
942:
155:
in cricket, and also helped organize a girls' soft ball team in St. Thomas. Williams completed her education at the age of 13 in the missionary schools run by the
982:
834:
254:
the Edith L. Williams
Elementary School in recognition of her service to the Virgin Islands and the following year, she became the first person inducted into the
987:
937:
242:
services of lawyer, Robert
Claiborne. Choosing Williams, Eulalie Stevens, and Anna M. Vessup as petitioners, the Teachers' Association sought to obtain a
854:
977:
967:
181:
874:
841:. Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. April 20, 1930. p. 5B. NARA microfilm series T626, roll 2668, lines 79–82
861:. Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. April 8, 1940. p. 7B. NARA microfilm series T627, roll 4644, lines 81–82
957:
673:
652:
168:
128:
85:
947:
266:
Williams died on June 9, 1987, in Charlotte Amalie. Often referred to as the "Mother of Education" in the Virgin Islands, according to
193:
began teaching at Dober Elementary School, which had formerly been known as Vestergade School and Ulysses S. Grant School, in Savan.
824:
797:
140:
63:
719:
247:
20:
753:
236:
nearly two dozen other women. The Board of Elections rejected all of the women registrants, causing Hill to arrange for the
908:
739:
123:
952:
201:
owned her own home on Hospital Grounds Road in Charlotte Amalie and walked to her teaching post at Madison every day.
816:
217:
742:, University of Florida. The page is unnumbered and is listed in the Table of Content as "Hall Of Fame I/B/C"
789:
131:, and the James Madison Elementary School was renamed as the Edith L. Williams School in 1981 in her honor.
635:"Halfhearted Solidarity: Women Workers and the Women's Suffrage Movement in Puerto Rico During the 1920s"
781:
747:
144:
67:
932:
927:
267:
213:
730:(1). Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands: Virgin Islands Department of Education: Hall Of Fame.
205:
689:. Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands: Virgin Islands Department of Education. pp. 25–26.
594:
592:
820:
793:
768:
762:
731:
699:
669:
663:
648:
638:
188:, it was widely believed that Virgin Islands women already had suffrage by virtue of the 1915
152:
808:
243:
189:
782:"African Feminism: A Theoretical Approach to the History of Women in the African Diaspora"
156:
767:. Vol. 3: Title 14 to Title 20. Washington, D. C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.
694:
Office of the Government Secretary (1974). "Bill 6145, No. 705 (Passed March 12, 1974)".
855:"1940 U.S. Census, King Quarter, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas Island, US Virgin Islands"
348:
346:
344:
342:
340:
338:
19:
This article is about the suffragist and educator. For others with the same name, see
921:
228:
172:
291:
289:
287:
197:
148:
39:
835:"1930 U.S. Census, Enumeration District 31, St. Thomas Island, Virgin Islands"
709:
224:
209:
703:
875:"Edith L. Williams Statue – Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands"
772:
735:
644:
784:. In Terborg-Penn, Rosalyn; Harley, Sharon; Rushing, Andrea Benton (eds.).
684:
809:"Enfranchising Women of Color: Woman Suffragists as Agents of Imperialism"
238:
196:
Transferred to James Madison School in 1928, Williams became the school
634:
811:. In Pierson, Ruth Roach; Chaudhuri, Nupur; McAuley, Beth (eds.).
583:
427:
295:
167:
In 1900, Williams began teaching at the Moravian Town School in
139:
Edith L. Williams was born on August 17, 1887, on the island of
598:
526:
524:
522:
520:
518:
442:
440:
438:
436:
881:. Seattle, Washington: Groundspeak, Inc. February 28, 2015.
352:
325:
323:
321:
319:
204:
In 1931, the territory, which had been administrated by the
306:
304:
176:
1931 and establishing high school education on the island.
567:
565:
563:
469:
467:
905:. Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands. August 24, 2019.
415:
387:
385:
686:
Brief Historical Notes on Schools of the Virgin Islands
813:
Nation, Empire, Colony: Historicizing Gender and Race
683:
Moolenaar, Ruth (1982). "Edith L. Williams School".
665:
A History of the Virgin Islands of the United States
637:. In Matos-Rodriguez, Felix; Delgado, Linda (eds.).
233:
United States District Court for the Virgin Islands
109:
101:
93:
74:
49:
30:
963:Suffragists from the United States Virgin Islands
698:. Buffalo, New York: William S. Hein: 334–335.
105:teacher, women's rights activist and suffragist
718:Office of Public Information (December 1981).
640:Puerto Rican Women's History: New Perspectives
497:
8:
554:
542:
530:
509:
485:
446:
403:
329:
458:
310:
613:
38:
27:
571:
473:
391:
364:
16:US Virgin Islands educator and suffragist
786:Women in Africa and the African Diaspora
633:Barceló-Miller, María de Fátima (2015).
227:, a former suffragist and wife of Judge
584:Office of the Government Secretary 1974
428:Office of the Government Secretary 1974
376:
296:Office of the Government Secretary 1974
283:
250:and led to universal suffrage in 1938.
220:to gain enfranchisement there in 1929.
147:. Both of her parents had been born on
122:(August 17, 1887 – June 9, 1987) was a
973:United States Virgin Islands educators
943:United States Virgin Islands activists
745:
983:20th-century American women educators
899:"Edith Williams Continues to Inspire"
7:
988:20th-century African-American women
885:from the original on March 30, 2015
88:, Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
938:People from the Danish West Indies
761:Secretary of the Interior (1957).
696:Session Laws of the Virgin Islands
668:. Kingston, Jamaica: Canoe Press.
14:
353:Office of Public Information 1981
978:African-American schoolteachers
968:20th-century American educators
724:Virgin Islands Education Review
256:Virgin Islands Education Review
21:Edith Williams (disambiguation)
807:Terborg-Penn, Rosalyn (1998).
780:Terborg-Penn, Rosalyn (1987).
416:Secretary of the Interior 1957
1:
909:The Virgin Islands Daily News
903:The Virgin Islands Daily News
600:The Virgin Islands Daily News
180:the United States gained the
958:African-American suffragists
740:George A. Smathers Libraries
124:United States Virgin Islands
720:"Edith L. Williams, 1887 –"
1004:
948:African-American feminists
752:: CS1 maint: postscript (
190:extension of the franchise
18:
37:
817:Indiana University Press
815:. Bloomington, Indiana:
218:Milagros Benet de Mewton
135:Early life and education
912:(subscription required)
790:Howard University Press
713:(subscription required)
662:Dookhan, Isaac (1994).
355:, p. Hall Of Fame.
907: – via
708: – via
788:. Washington, D. C.:
145:Danish Virgin Islands
68:Danish Virgin Islands
647:. pp. 126–142.
500:, pp. 126, 136.
268:Rosalyn Terborg-Penn
186:Nineteenth Amendment
184:in 1920 through the
764:Virgin Islands Code
498:Barceló-Miller 2015
430:, pp. 334–335.
418:, pp. 405–406.
379:, pp. 265–266.
214:Bertha C. Boschulte
173:Teachers' Institute
953:American feminists
819:. pp. 41–56.
792:. pp. 43–63.
206:United States Navy
675:978-976-8125-05-7
654:978-1-317-46160-9
555:Terborg-Penn 1987
543:Terborg-Penn 1987
531:Terborg-Penn 1998
512:, pp. 52–54.
510:Terborg-Penn 1998
486:Terborg-Penn 1998
447:Terborg-Penn 1987
404:Terborg-Penn 1998
330:Terborg-Penn 1998
120:Edith L. Williams
117:
116:
110:Years active
32:Edith L. Williams
995:
913:
906:
894:
892:
890:
870:
868:
866:
850:
848:
846:
830:
803:
776:
757:
751:
743:
714:
707:
690:
679:
658:
620:
611:
605:
596:
587:
581:
575:
569:
558:
552:
546:
540:
534:
528:
513:
507:
501:
495:
489:
483:
477:
471:
462:
459:U.S. Census 1940
456:
450:
444:
431:
425:
419:
413:
407:
401:
395:
389:
380:
374:
368:
362:
356:
350:
333:
327:
314:
311:U.S. Census 1930
308:
299:
293:
262:Death and legacy
244:Writ Of Mandamus
169:Charlotte Amalie
129:Charlotte Amalie
97:Danish, American
86:Charlotte Amalie
81:
59:
57:
44:Williams in 1981
42:
28:
1003:
1002:
998:
997:
996:
994:
993:
992:
918:
917:
916:
911:
897:
888:
886:
873:
864:
862:
853:
844:
842:
833:
827:
806:
800:
779:
760:
744:
717:
712:
693:
682:
676:
661:
655:
632:
628:
623:
612:
608:
597:
590:
582:
578:
570:
561:
553:
549:
541:
537:
529:
516:
508:
504:
496:
492:
484:
480:
472:
465:
457:
453:
445:
434:
426:
422:
414:
410:
402:
398:
390:
383:
375:
371:
363:
359:
351:
336:
328:
317:
309:
302:
294:
285:
281:
276:
264:
165:
157:Moravian Church
137:
89:
83:
79:
70:
61:
60:August 17, 1887
55:
53:
45:
33:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1001:
999:
991:
990:
985:
980:
975:
970:
965:
960:
955:
950:
945:
940:
935:
930:
920:
919:
915:
914:
895:
879:Waymarking.com
871:
851:
831:
825:
804:
798:
777:
758:
715:
691:
680:
674:
659:
653:
643:. London, UK:
629:
627:
624:
622:
621:
606:
588:
586:, p. 335.
576:
572:Moolenaar 1982
559:
547:
535:
514:
502:
490:
478:
474:Moolenaar 1982
463:
451:
432:
420:
408:
396:
392:Moolenaar 1982
381:
369:
365:Moolenaar 1982
357:
334:
315:
300:
298:, p. 334.
282:
280:
277:
275:
272:
263:
260:
258:Hall of Fame.
164:
161:
136:
133:
115:
114:
111:
107:
106:
103:
99:
98:
95:
91:
90:
84:
82:(aged 99)
76:
72:
71:
62:
51:
47:
46:
43:
35:
34:
31:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1000:
989:
986:
984:
981:
979:
976:
974:
971:
969:
966:
964:
961:
959:
956:
954:
951:
949:
946:
944:
941:
939:
936:
934:
931:
929:
926:
925:
923:
910:
904:
900:
896:
884:
880:
876:
872:
860:
856:
852:
840:
836:
832:
828:
826:0-253-11386-5
822:
818:
814:
810:
805:
801:
799:0-88258-171-6
795:
791:
787:
783:
778:
774:
770:
766:
765:
759:
755:
749:
741:
737:
733:
729:
725:
721:
716:
711:
705:
701:
697:
692:
688:
687:
681:
677:
671:
667:
666:
660:
656:
650:
646:
642:
641:
636:
631:
630:
625:
618:
616:
610:
607:
603:
601:
595:
593:
589:
585:
580:
577:
574:, p. 26.
573:
568:
566:
564:
560:
557:, p. 60.
556:
551:
548:
545:, p. 59.
544:
539:
536:
533:, p. 53.
532:
527:
525:
523:
521:
519:
515:
511:
506:
503:
499:
494:
491:
488:, p. 51.
487:
482:
479:
476:, p. 25.
475:
470:
468:
464:
461:, p. 5B.
460:
455:
452:
449:, p. 58.
448:
443:
441:
439:
437:
433:
429:
424:
421:
417:
412:
409:
406:, p. 49.
405:
400:
397:
393:
388:
386:
382:
378:
373:
370:
366:
361:
358:
354:
349:
347:
345:
343:
341:
339:
335:
332:, p. 52.
331:
326:
324:
322:
320:
316:
313:, p. 5B.
312:
307:
305:
301:
297:
292:
290:
288:
284:
278:
273:
271:
269:
261:
259:
257:
251:
249:
245:
241:
240:
234:
230:
229:Albert Levitt
226:
221:
219:
215:
211:
207:
202:
199:
194:
191:
187:
183:
182:right to vote
177:
174:
170:
162:
160:
158:
154:
150:
146:
142:
134:
132:
130:
125:
121:
112:
108:
104:
102:Occupation(s)
100:
96:
92:
87:
77:
73:
69:
65:
52:
48:
41:
36:
29:
26:
22:
902:
887:. Retrieved
878:
863:. Retrieved
859:FamilySearch
858:
843:. Retrieved
839:FamilySearch
838:
812:
785:
763:
748:cite journal
738:– via
727:
723:
695:
685:
664:
639:
626:Bibliography
614:
609:
599:
579:
550:
538:
505:
493:
481:
454:
423:
411:
399:
394:, p. 4.
377:Dookhan 1994
372:
367:, p. 5.
360:
265:
255:
252:
237:
222:
212:, Williams,
203:
195:
178:
166:
141:Saint Thomas
138:
119:
118:
80:(1987-06-09)
78:June 9, 1987
64:Saint Thomas
25:
933:1987 deaths
928:1887 births
149:Saint Croix
94:Nationality
922:Categories
710:HeinOnline
615:Waymarking
274:References
248:Saint John
225:Elsie Hill
210:Ella Gifft
56:1887-08-17
704:191686020
645:Routledge
279:Citations
223:In 1935,
198:principal
113:1900–1945
889:July 12,
883:Archived
773:19430251
736:13439272
239:pro bono
865:July 9,
845:July 9,
143:in the
823:
796:
771:
734:
702:
672:
651:
163:Career
153:bowler
891:2020
867:2020
847:2020
821:ISBN
794:ISBN
769:OCLC
754:link
732:OCLC
700:OCLC
670:ISBN
649:ISBN
617:2015
602:2019
75:Died
50:Born
924::
901:.
877:.
857:.
837:.
750:}}
746:{{
726:.
722:.
591:^
562:^
517:^
466:^
435:^
384:^
337:^
318:^
303:^
286:^
159:.
66:,
893:.
869:.
849:.
829:.
802:.
775:.
756:)
728:1
706:.
678:.
657:.
619:.
604:.
58:)
54:(
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
