Mary Laurinda Jane Smith Beatty

**Mary Laurinda Jane Smith Beatty** (February 1834 – September 28, 1899) na she be an African-American abolitionist den suffrage advocate wey join Abigail Scott Duniway, Maria P. Hendee, den Mary Ann King Lambert insyd 1872 make dem cast ballots insyd Portland, Oregon wen na dem no yet afford de right make women vote. Na she be one of de first African-American women make dem publicly agitate for women dema suffrage west of de Mississippi River.

## Life

Na dem born Beatty **Mary Laurinda Jane Smith** insyd February 1834 near Louisville, Kentucky. Na ein parents, James Madison Smith den Catharine Ann Philips Smith, be free African-Americans wey na dem purchase dema freedom from slavery insyd de 1840s. Na dem be married by de future Catholic bishop Ignatius A. Reynolds wey na dem be active insyd de Underground Railroad. 

Na Bishop Martin John Spalding marry Mary to James William Beatty on January 8, 1850. Na de couple lef Kentucky shortly thereafter, insyd de wake of newly-passed state-level restrictions on Blacks, as well as passage of de Fugitive Slave Act. Na dem settle briefly insyd Hanover, Indiana, wey dem lef Indiana too after de Indiana constitution restrict Black immigration. Na de couple move steadily westward over de next decade, before dem settle insyd Portland, Oregon, insyd 1864.   

Despite de discrimination na dem face insyd Portland, wey dey include de state ein Black Exclusion Laws of 1857 den de Poll Tax of 1862, na Mary den James Beatty establish successful livelihoods insyd Portland: na Mary work as a dressmaker, while James work as a painter. Despite Oregon ein prohibition on Blacks owning property, na de Beattys own substantial real estate holdings. 

## Politics

Thru out dema lives, na de couple work for equal rights. Na James Beatty direct de city ein “Grand Ratification Jubilee” for de Fifteenth Amendment wey na dem support efforts make dem hire Black police officers. Na he be a member of de Colored Lincoln Republican Club. On November 5, 1872, na Mary Beatty join Abigail Scott Duniway, Maria P. Hendee den Mary Ann King Lambert in visiting Portland ein Morrison Precinct make dem cast ballots, As na de suffrage publication *The New Northwest* observe, “Thus was woman suffrage vindicated in the persons of Mrs. A.J. Duniway, a colored and two white women.” A few months later, Mary Beatty “read an essay proving that the colored women are awake to their own interests” at de 1873 Oregon State Woman Suffrage Association.

Na Mary Beatty no live make she see de partial victory for Oregon ein woman suffrage insyd 1912, after five failed attempts. Wey na e no go be til passage of de Voting Rights Act insyd 1965 wey na racially discriminatory policies wey dey prevent people of color from exercising dema right to vote be ended, wey dey fulfil sam part of de promise of full suffrage. Still, na Mary Beatty be a forerunner of Black suffrage activists wey agitate for de vote insyd de Portland area during de important mobilization insyd 1912, wey dey include Hattie Redmond den Lizzie Weeks.

## Death
Dey follow an accident, Beatty die on September 28, 1899, at de age of 65. Na dem funeralize am at St. Joseph's Catholic Church insyd Portland wey dem bury am at Greenwood Hills Cemetery.
## References