upper waypoint

The Secret History of Mary Ellen Pleasant

07:08
Save ArticleSave Article
Failed to save article

Please try again

Mary Ellen Pleasant pictured in the San Francisco Chronicle in 1899. (Courtesy of the San Francisco Chronicle)

It's time for Bay Curious, where we answer questions about the life and little known history of the Bay Area. This week, KQED’s Carly Severn brings us the story of Mary Ellen Pleasant, a woman born into slavery in the South who became a civil rights icon – yet she was demonized in her own lifetime.

Sponsored

lower waypoint
next waypoint