Mary Church Terrell

The Awesome Woman of the Day is Mary Church Terrell, U.S. Civil Rights and Voting Rights Activist (September 23, 1863 – July 24, 1954), daughter of former slaves, and one of the first African-American women to earn a college degree. She became a teacher, fought for social and educational reform, and was the first president of the National Association of Colored Women.

For more information, see http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/aap/terrell.html
http://www.biography.com/people/mary-church-terrell-9504299