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Harriet E. Giles

1828 – 1909

American educator

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About Harriet E. Giles

Lived 1828 – 1909 (aged 80–81). Harriet E. Giles was an American teacher.

Harriet Elizabeth "Hattie" Giles (1828 – November 12, 1909) was an American educator, cofounder in Atlanta, Georgia, of a school for African American women that would eventually become Spelman College.

Life

Harriet E. Giles was born in New Salem, Massachusetts.

Harriet E. Giles and Sophia B. Packard (January 3, 1824 – June 21, 1891) were two teachers from the Oread Institute of Worcester, Massachusetts. Giles and Packard had met around 1855 while Giles was a student and Packard the preceptor of the New Salem Academy in New Salem, Massachusetts, and fostered a lifelong friendship there. They never married and considered each other their "companions".

In 1884, the name of the school was changed to the Spelman Seminary in honor of Laura Spelman, John D. Rockefeller's wife, and her parents, who were longtime activists in the anti-slavery movement.

Death Packard became treasurer of the board of trustees and she continued in that post and as president of the school until her death, at which time Spelman Seminary had 464 students and a faculty of 34. Giles assumed the presidency in 1901, until her death on November 12, 1909. Giles Hall was dedicated in her honor in 1893.

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Important facts

Born
1828
Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Also known as
Harriet Elizabeth Giles, Hattie Giles, Harriet Giles

People in Harriet E. Giles's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Harriet E. Giles's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Harriet E. Giles?

American educator

When was Harriet E. Giles born?

Harriet E. Giles was born in 1828.

When did Harriet E. Giles die?

Harriet E. Giles died on 12 November 1909.

What was Harriet E. Giles's occupation?

Harriet E. Giles was a teacher.

What nationality was Harriet E. Giles?

Harriet E. Giles was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Harriet E. Giles

· Wikidata: Q33079231

· DBpedia: Harriet E. Giles

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Harriet E. Giles. https://biography.guide/harriet-e-giles/

MLA: "Harriet E. Giles." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/harriet-e-giles/.

Chicago: "Harriet E. Giles." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/harriet-e-giles/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-21 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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