### Mary S. Peake: A Pioneer in Education and Humanitarianism Mary Smith Peake, born Mary Smith Kelsey in 1823, was an American teacher and humanitarian. She is most renowned for starting a school for the children of former slaves in the fall of 1861. This school was situated under what is now known as the Emancipation Oak tree in present-day Hampton, Virginia, near Fort Monroe. Mary Peake was the first teacher hired by the American Missionary Association, and she played a role in the later founding of Hampton University in 1868. #### Early Life and Education Mary was born free in Norfolk, Virginia, to an English father and a free woman of color. She was sent to Alexandria for schooling at the age of six. However, a law enacted by the US Congress later prohibited the education of free people of color in the District of Columbia, leading to the closure of schools for free Blacks. #### Career and Contributions Despite the risks and legal prohibitions, Mary Peake secretly taught slaves and free Blacks to read and write. She founded a women's charitable organization called the Daughters of Zion and continued her educational endeavors. During the American [[Civil War]], she began teaching under the Emancipation Oak and received some salary and support from the American Missionary Association. Unfortunately, she passed away on February 22, 1862, due to tuberculosis. #### Legacy The Emancipation Oak still stands and is designated a National Historic Landmark. Mary Peake's contributions to education and humanitarianism are commemorated through various honors, including a center and a boulevard named after her in Hampton. See also: [[Emancipation Proclamation]], [[slavery]]