Mary Ashe Lee (1851-1932): Author Page
Mary Ashe Lee (1851-1932) was born in Moblie, Alabama, to Simon and Adelia Ashe. In 1858, her father, a prominent businessman, relocated the family to a farm near Wilberforce University in Ohio, where Lee and her siblings attended school. Lee graduated from Wilberforce University with a Bachelor of Science in 1873.
Her poetry, widely read and praised during her time, particularly her poem “Afmerica,” gained significant circulation in the 1880s and 1890s. This poem circulated in several publications—Negro (1886), Southern Worksman (1886), and The Work of the Afro-American Woman (excerpted and revised 1894).“Afmerica” is notable for its focus on women’s experiences with slavery and freedom, using female personification to represent the race. Gertrude Mossell, creator of an early African American female anthology The Work of the Afro-American Woman, praised Lee for her intelligence and empathy, noting that she inspired Wilberforce students with a love for broad culture, true refinement, and high moral aims.
Lee also authored a poem called "Tawawa," which was excerpted by Mossell in her 1894 volume. At present, we have not been able to locate the original poem in its entirety.
Lee’s literary contributions extended to several articles for Christian Recorder and A.M.E. Quarterly. In addition to her writing, she was the editor of Kingwood’s Journal, a fashion paper. Married to Bishop B.F. Lee, a professor and later president of Wilberforce University, Lee balanced her life with her literary pursuits and raising six children.
Works Cited
Mossell, N. F.. The Work of the Afro-American Woman, 1894.
Scruggs, L. A. Women of Distinction: Remarkable in Works and Invincible in Character. L.A. Scruggs, 1987.
The Portable Nineteenth-Century African American Women Writers. United States, Penguin Publishing Group, 2017.