Honoring Black History Through Child Advocacy: Fredericka Douglass Sprague Perry

Fredericka Douglass Sprague Perry was born in 1872. As a juvenile court worker, she was concerned with the harsh treatment of, and lack of services for, children of color.

In 1923, she formed the Missouri State Association of Colored Girls, an organization focused on advocating for equality for black individuals. In 1934, she helped found the Colored Big Sister Home for Girls, which provided much-needed child welfare services to girls in the area. The home existed until 1943, when the government began to provide child welfare services that included Black children.