Mary Burnett Talbert - Table of Contents
Mary Burnett Talbert - Chronology
1866-1923
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Plaque located on the lot adjoining the Michigan Avenue Baptist Church (left background). Tablet's house, now demolished, was located there.
Source: Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society Museum 2002 display
Forest Lawn Memorial
It is often noted in her biographies that Mary Talbert was the first black woman to receive a Ph.D. degree from the University of Buffalo. However, this fact has never been proven conclusively. According to Williams, U.B. did not offer Ph.D. degrees before 1930, but they did offer certificates that were called doctorates. It is possible that Mary Talbert could have received one of these ědoctorate ěcertificates leading to the confusion over the actual credentials.
Excerpt from In 1905, 32 prominent African-American men gathered
for a reception at the home of William and Mary B. Talbert members of Michigan Street
Baptist Church - once a stop on the Underground Railroad. The men - who had financial
backing from William Talbert - wanted equal rights for black men.And they wanted
it immediately. |
Sources:
- Mary Morris Burnett Talbert (Uncrowned Queens)
- "The African American History of Western New York" Web site maintained by Scott Williams for The Circle Association
- Buffalo Woman Near-forgotten as Civil Rights Figure. Excerpts from Buffalo News column by Donn Esmonde
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