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