Mary Henrietta Graham

Mary Henrietta Graham (1857 or 1858 – January 2, 1890) was the first African-American woman to be admitted to the University of Michigan, as well as the first biracial person to graduate from it.

Early life Graham was born in Windsor, Ontario, to a white Englishwoman mother (Sarah) and black father (Levi) from Illinois. While in Ann Arbor, she lived at 10 Maynard Street and, later, 4 N. State St.

After graduating, she gained a post as a teacher at Lincoln University in Jefferson, Missouri.

Later life In 1882, she married the journalist, lawyer, and civil rights activist Ferdinand Lee Barnett. They lived in Chicago and worked on Barnett's newspaper The Chicago Conservator, the first black newspaper in the city. and Albert Graham Barnett. of heart disease. An obituary in the files of the Bentley Historical Library reads:At the time of her death, she was in the prime of useful vigorous life, the blow coming without a moment’s warning … During her short career of usefulness, she had come to be regarded not only as a woman of highest moral integrity, but of splendid ability and brilliant promise. In 2018, the name "C.C. Little" was dropped, and the building is currently referred to by its address, 1100 North University.