1/Miss Martha J Graham was one of #Pittsburgh’s 1st female principals. She rose thru the ranks at local schools for over 50 yrs & was beloved by 3 generations of students.
While poring thru articles about her something curious kept popping up, more on that later.
While poring thru articles about her something curious kept popping up, more on that later.
2/ Among Martha’s students were Mellons, Magees & Rauhs
Keep in mind these were public schools & ⬆️ came from powerful families.
Keep in mind these were public schools & ⬆️ came from powerful families.
3/ In the late 1880s Martha took in a tenant, Miss Jennie Ralston, who also was a teacher.
They remained together in #Pittsburgh for the rest of their lives, moving to various addresses, reforming & innovating education, & hobnobbing at high profile events
They remained together in #Pittsburgh for the rest of their lives, moving to various addresses, reforming & innovating education, & hobnobbing at high profile events
4/ Not long after Martha retired, her former students organized a reunion & invited everyone who’d known her from students, to teachers & bigwigs.
As you might imagine decades of involvement = 1200 attended the party, they came from across the US.
As you might imagine decades of involvement = 1200 attended the party, they came from across the US.
5/ At the reading of her will it was revealed that Martha had left her entire estate (value $12,000 in 1919; c $200K today) to, what the papers called “a friend”, Jennie Ralston.
6/ Surprisingly there’s quite a bit of info on Martha & Jennie, unsurprisingly there’s not even a hint of the nature of their relationship.
For centuries LGBT people have been dismissed & persecuted as ‘other’, correcting our history is tonic for our future.
For centuries LGBT people have been dismissed & persecuted as ‘other’, correcting our history is tonic for our future.
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