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Victoria Earle Matthews

1861–1907

United States

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Biography

Victoria Earle Matthews (née Ella Victoria Smith, May 27, 1861 – March 10, 1907) was an American author, essayist, newspaperwoman, settlement worker, and activist. She was born into slavery in Fort Valley, Georgia, and moved to New York City with her family after emancipation. There, she briefly attended school and worked as a domestic servant to help her family.

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Biography text · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source checked 2026-10-13

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