Sara Louise Iredell Fleetwood was born in St. Louis, Missouri to Elizabeth Susan (née Webb) and Jeffrey Iredell. Her father was originally from Edenton, North Carolina, and was the son of a slave who had been emancipated. At the time Sara was born, her father was operating a barbershop in St. Louis. Her mother, originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was the sister of author and poet, Frank J. Webb, and they were the children of abolitionists Francis Webb and Louisa Charlotte Webb (née Burr/illegitimate daughter of third Vice President of the United States, Aaron Burr). During Sara's childhood, the family moved to Philadelphia, making their home with their Webb cousins. Between 1856 and 1858, she attended Oberlin College, in Ohio, as a pupil-teacher.
After her graduation from Oberlin, Sara moved back to Philadelphia and began her career teaching in public schools. She is found on the 1860 census as a 19-year-old teacher. In 1863, she became a founding member of the Ladies Union Association, serving as the organization's secretary. The Ladies Union was created to fund raise and provide assistance to African-American soldiers who were either sick or wounded. In 1866, Sara worked as a pupil-teacher at the Institute for Colored Youth, completing her training in 1867. She then taught from 1867 to 1868 at the Roberts Vaux School before moving to teach in the public school system of Frederick, Maryland. Because of low pay and the treatment black teachers received, she left Maryland and began working as a teacher in Washington, DC.
In Washington, Sara became involved in the National Association for the Relief of Destitute Colored Women and Children. She met and married Medal of Honor recipient, Sgt. Major Christian Abraham Fleetwood on November 18, 1869. The couple had two children, but only one, Edith, lived to adulthood. They were very involved with the prominent African-American professional community, hosting literary salons, and entertaining their guests with theatrical and musical performances. In 1892, Fleetwood was one of the nine co-founders of the Colored Women's League of Washington, an organization which focused on issues faced by black women. She spoke at various functions addressing issues like child care and parenting training, establishment of nurseries for working women, and sanitation.In 1898, she and Anna Evans Murray (wife of Daniel A. P. Murray) attended the Congress of Mothers as representatives of the Colored Women's League.
In 1893, Sara enrolled in the first class of nurses admitted to Howard University's Freedman's Hospital School of Nursing, studying under noted doctor, Daniel Hale Williams. That same year, she and her cousin, Evelyn D. Shaw, organized relief efforts to feed and house those impacted by the Panic of 1893. She graduated with Freedman's first graduating class in 1896, and initially became a private nurse in Washington. In February 1901, when the previous nursing supervisor resigned, Sara was appointed by Dr. Austin Maurice Curtis as the replacement supervisor for the training school. She took a national civil service examination to qualify for the post, outscoring applicants from throughout the country. Her appointment marked the first time a Black supervisor held the post. In August of the same year, she was confirmed as supervisor by the chief surgeon, Dr. William A. Warfield, who reappointed her and gave her the title, Directress of Nurses. She remained the director until 1904, when she resigned from the post.
Sara organized the Freedmen's Nurses Association and attended the national convention of the Nurses Association Alumni as the association's delegate in 1904. In 1907, when the examining board for graduate nurses was established in Washington, DC, she was selected as the first Black representative on the board by the Graduate Nurses' Association. When her term expired in June of that same year, she was not reappointed and despite protests by the commissioners, no other African-American representative was appointed to the board.
Sara Louise Iredell Fleetwood died on February 1, 1908 in Washington, DC from complications of diabetes. The Christian A. Fleetwood Papers, which covers the lives and happenings of Sara and Christian, were donated to the Library of Congress in 1947. The site for the house in which the couple resided, at 319 U Street NW, in the LeDroit Park Historic District of Washington, DC is part of the African American Heritage Trail in the capital city and is identified by a historic marker.
After her graduation from Oberlin, Sara moved back to Philadelphia and began her career teaching in public schools. She is found on the 1860 census as a 19-year-old teacher. In 1863, she became a founding member of the Ladies Union Association, serving as the organization's secretary. The Ladies Union was created to fund raise and provide assistance to African-American soldiers who were either sick or wounded. In 1866, Sara worked as a pupil-teacher at the Institute for Colored Youth, completing her training in 1867. She then taught from 1867 to 1868 at the Roberts Vaux School before moving to teach in the public school system of Frederick, Maryland. Because of low pay and the treatment black teachers received, she left Maryland and began working as a teacher in Washington, DC.
In Washington, Sara became involved in the National Association for the Relief of Destitute Colored Women and Children. She met and married Medal of Honor recipient, Sgt. Major Christian Abraham Fleetwood on November 18, 1869. The couple had two children, but only one, Edith, lived to adulthood. They were very involved with the prominent African-American professional community, hosting literary salons, and entertaining their guests with theatrical and musical performances. In 1892, Fleetwood was one of the nine co-founders of the Colored Women's League of Washington, an organization which focused on issues faced by black women. She spoke at various functions addressing issues like child care and parenting training, establishment of nurseries for working women, and sanitation.In 1898, she and Anna Evans Murray (wife of Daniel A. P. Murray) attended the Congress of Mothers as representatives of the Colored Women's League.
In 1893, Sara enrolled in the first class of nurses admitted to Howard University's Freedman's Hospital School of Nursing, studying under noted doctor, Daniel Hale Williams. That same year, she and her cousin, Evelyn D. Shaw, organized relief efforts to feed and house those impacted by the Panic of 1893. She graduated with Freedman's first graduating class in 1896, and initially became a private nurse in Washington. In February 1901, when the previous nursing supervisor resigned, Sara was appointed by Dr. Austin Maurice Curtis as the replacement supervisor for the training school. She took a national civil service examination to qualify for the post, outscoring applicants from throughout the country. Her appointment marked the first time a Black supervisor held the post. In August of the same year, she was confirmed as supervisor by the chief surgeon, Dr. William A. Warfield, who reappointed her and gave her the title, Directress of Nurses. She remained the director until 1904, when she resigned from the post.
Sara organized the Freedmen's Nurses Association and attended the national convention of the Nurses Association Alumni as the association's delegate in 1904. In 1907, when the examining board for graduate nurses was established in Washington, DC, she was selected as the first Black representative on the board by the Graduate Nurses' Association. When her term expired in June of that same year, she was not reappointed and despite protests by the commissioners, no other African-American representative was appointed to the board.
Sara Louise Iredell Fleetwood died on February 1, 1908 in Washington, DC from complications of diabetes. The Christian A. Fleetwood Papers, which covers the lives and happenings of Sara and Christian, were donated to the Library of Congress in 1947. The site for the house in which the couple resided, at 319 U Street NW, in the LeDroit Park Historic District of Washington, DC is part of the African American Heritage Trail in the capital city and is identified by a historic marker.
Sara Louise Iredell Fleetwood was born in St. Louis, Missouri to Elizabeth Susan (née Webb) and Jeffrey Iredell. Her father was originally from Edenton, North Carolina, and was the son of a slave who had been emancipated. At the time Sara was born, her father was operating a barbershop in St. Louis. Her mother, originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was the sister of author and poet, Frank J. Webb, and they were the children of abolitionists Francis Webb and Louisa Charlotte Webb (née Burr/illegitimate daughter of third Vice President of the United States, Aaron Burr). During Sara's childhood, the family moved to Philadelphia, making their home with their Webb cousins. Between 1856 and 1858, she attended Oberlin College, in Ohio, as a pupil-teacher.
After her graduation from Oberlin, Sara moved back to Philadelphia and began her career teaching in public schools. She is found on the 1860 census as a 19-year-old teacher. In 1863, she became a founding member of the Ladies Union Association, serving as the organization's secretary. The Ladies Union was created to fund raise and provide assistance to African-American soldiers who were either sick or wounded. In 1866, Sara worked as a pupil-teacher at the Institute for Colored Youth, completing her training in 1867. She then taught from 1867 to 1868 at the Roberts Vaux School before moving to teach in the public school system of Frederick, Maryland. Because of low pay and the treatment black teachers received, she left Maryland and began working as a teacher in Washington, DC.
In Washington, Sara became involved in the National Association for the Relief of Destitute Colored Women and Children. She met and married Medal of Honor recipient, Sgt. Major Christian Abraham Fleetwood on November 18, 1869. The couple had two children, but only one, Edith, lived to adulthood. They were very involved with the prominent African-American professional community, hosting literary salons, and entertaining their guests with theatrical and musical performances. In 1892, Fleetwood was one of the nine co-founders of the Colored Women's League of Washington, an organization which focused on issues faced by black women. She spoke at various functions addressing issues like child care and parenting training, establishment of nurseries for working women, and sanitation.In 1898, she and Anna Evans Murray (wife of Daniel A. P. Murray) attended the Congress of Mothers as representatives of the Colored Women's League.
In 1893, Sara enrolled in the first class of nurses admitted to Howard University's Freedman's Hospital School of Nursing, studying under noted doctor, Daniel Hale Williams. That same year, she and her cousin, Evelyn D. Shaw, organized relief efforts to feed and house those impacted by the Panic of 1893. She graduated with Freedman's first graduating class in 1896, and initially became a private nurse in Washington. In February 1901, when the previous nursing supervisor resigned, Sara was appointed by Dr. Austin Maurice Curtis as the replacement supervisor for the training school. She took a national civil service examination to qualify for the post, outscoring applicants from throughout the country. Her appointment marked the first time a Black supervisor held the post. In August of the same year, she was confirmed as supervisor by the chief surgeon, Dr. William A. Warfield, who reappointed her and gave her the title, Directress of Nurses. She remained the director until 1904, when she resigned from the post.
Sara organized the Freedmen's Nurses Association and attended the national convention of the Nurses Association Alumni as the association's delegate in 1904. In 1907, when the examining board for graduate nurses was established in Washington, DC, she was selected as the first Black representative on the board by the Graduate Nurses' Association. When her term expired in June of that same year, she was not reappointed and despite protests by the commissioners, no other African-American representative was appointed to the board.
Sara Louise Iredell Fleetwood died on February 1, 1908 in Washington, DC from complications of diabetes. The Christian A. Fleetwood Papers, which covers the lives and happenings of Sara and Christian, were donated to the Library of Congress in 1947. The site for the house in which the couple resided, at 319 U Street NW, in the LeDroit Park Historic District of Washington, DC is part of the African American Heritage Trail in the capital city and is identified by a historic marker.
After her graduation from Oberlin, Sara moved back to Philadelphia and began her career teaching in public schools. She is found on the 1860 census as a 19-year-old teacher. In 1863, she became a founding member of the Ladies Union Association, serving as the organization's secretary. The Ladies Union was created to fund raise and provide assistance to African-American soldiers who were either sick or wounded. In 1866, Sara worked as a pupil-teacher at the Institute for Colored Youth, completing her training in 1867. She then taught from 1867 to 1868 at the Roberts Vaux School before moving to teach in the public school system of Frederick, Maryland. Because of low pay and the treatment black teachers received, she left Maryland and began working as a teacher in Washington, DC.
In Washington, Sara became involved in the National Association for the Relief of Destitute Colored Women and Children. She met and married Medal of Honor recipient, Sgt. Major Christian Abraham Fleetwood on November 18, 1869. The couple had two children, but only one, Edith, lived to adulthood. They were very involved with the prominent African-American professional community, hosting literary salons, and entertaining their guests with theatrical and musical performances. In 1892, Fleetwood was one of the nine co-founders of the Colored Women's League of Washington, an organization which focused on issues faced by black women. She spoke at various functions addressing issues like child care and parenting training, establishment of nurseries for working women, and sanitation.In 1898, she and Anna Evans Murray (wife of Daniel A. P. Murray) attended the Congress of Mothers as representatives of the Colored Women's League.
In 1893, Sara enrolled in the first class of nurses admitted to Howard University's Freedman's Hospital School of Nursing, studying under noted doctor, Daniel Hale Williams. That same year, she and her cousin, Evelyn D. Shaw, organized relief efforts to feed and house those impacted by the Panic of 1893. She graduated with Freedman's first graduating class in 1896, and initially became a private nurse in Washington. In February 1901, when the previous nursing supervisor resigned, Sara was appointed by Dr. Austin Maurice Curtis as the replacement supervisor for the training school. She took a national civil service examination to qualify for the post, outscoring applicants from throughout the country. Her appointment marked the first time a Black supervisor held the post. In August of the same year, she was confirmed as supervisor by the chief surgeon, Dr. William A. Warfield, who reappointed her and gave her the title, Directress of Nurses. She remained the director until 1904, when she resigned from the post.
Sara organized the Freedmen's Nurses Association and attended the national convention of the Nurses Association Alumni as the association's delegate in 1904. In 1907, when the examining board for graduate nurses was established in Washington, DC, she was selected as the first Black representative on the board by the Graduate Nurses' Association. When her term expired in June of that same year, she was not reappointed and despite protests by the commissioners, no other African-American representative was appointed to the board.
Sara Louise Iredell Fleetwood died on February 1, 1908 in Washington, DC from complications of diabetes. The Christian A. Fleetwood Papers, which covers the lives and happenings of Sara and Christian, were donated to the Library of Congress in 1947. The site for the house in which the couple resided, at 319 U Street NW, in the LeDroit Park Historic District of Washington, DC is part of the African American Heritage Trail in the capital city and is identified by a historic marker.
Gravesite Details
Originally buried in the old Columbian Harmony Cemetery in Washington, DC, but believed to have been re-interred, with about 37,000 others, in the National Harmony Memorial Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, in 1960.
Family Members
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