PRINTER'S NO. 887
No. 123 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY WILLIAMS, BEBKO-JONES, BELARDI, BISHOP, BLACKWELL,
CALTAGIRONE, CIVERA, CORRIGAN, CREIGHTON, CRUZ, DeWEESE,
EACHUS, D. EVANS, FORCIER, FRANKEL, GABIG, GEORGE, GOOD,
GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HARHART, JAMES, KIRKLAND, LEDERER,
MARKOSEK, O'NEILL, PALLONE, PETRARCA, PISTELLA, RIEGER, ROSS,
STABACK, THOMAS, TIGUE, WOJNAROSKI AND YOUNGBLOOD,
MARCH 14, 2005
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
MARCH 14, 2005
A RESOLUTION
1 Commemorating the life of Fanny Jackson Coppin and her
2 contributions to American education and observing the week of
3 March 6 through 12, 2005, as "Fanny Jackson Coppin Week" in
4 Pennsylvania.
5 WHEREAS, Fanny Jackson Coppin was born on October 15, 1837,
6 in Washington, D.C., and died on January 21, 1913, in
7 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and
8 WHEREAS, Fanny Jackson Coppin was the first African-American
9 woman to hold the principalship of an educational institution in
10 America; and
11 WHEREAS, Fanny Jackson Coppin was the first African American
12 selected to teach in Oberlin's preparatory department, where her
13 academic achievements and successful reading and writing courses
14 allowed her to teach freed slaves; and
15 WHEREAS, Fanny Jackson Coppin served as girl's department
16 principal and school principal at the Institute for Colored
1 Youth in Philadelphia; and
2 WHEREAS, The Philadelphia School District adopted Fanny
3 Jackson Coppin's system of sending report cards to parents; and
4 WHEREAS, Fanny Jackson Coppin created the Women's Exchange
5 and Girls' Home, which provided instruction in dressmaking,
6 cooking and domestic economy; and
7 WHEREAS, Fanny Jackson married Bishop Levi J. Coppin and
8 realized her dream of introducing vocational training for
9 African Americans by establishing an industrial training
10 department into the Institute for Colored Youth; and
11 WHEREAS, Fanny Jackson Coppin went with her husband to South
12 Africa, where she founded the Bethel Institute; and
13 WHEREAS, Fanny Jackson Coppin's "Reminiscences of School
14 Life, and Hints on Teaching," her autobiography and educational
15 philosophy, was first published in 1913; and
16 WHEREAS, Fanny Jackson Coppin was a pioneer in the field of
17 education; therefore be it
18 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives commemorate the
19 life and achievements of Fanny Jackson Coppin and her
20 contributions to education; and be it further
21 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge all public
22 and private educational institutions in this Commonwealth, the
23 State Library, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
24 and the Department of Education to promote the study of Fanny
25 Jackson Coppin's life and contributions to American society; and
26 be it further
27 RESOLVED, That the week of March 6 through 12, 2005, be
28 observed as "Fanny Jackson Coppin Week" in Pennsylvania.
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