The Vermont Book Of Days

Home Sponsors Media Partners Archives Education Store Links About Us  
Vermont Book Of Days collage
June 21

June 21, 1883

There's a woman in Grafton whose parents were slaves...
so don’t mess with Daisy Turner.


 

Daisy Turner was born in Grafton on this day in 1883. Her parents had been slaves, and Daisy grew up listening to stories about slavery, war and freedom.

When she was eight, her teacher gave each student a doll and a poem to recite. Daisy, proud of her heritage but furious over her black doll and a poem about Africa, told her own poem, pouring out her anger and telling her doll to stand tall. She won first place.

At sixteen, she went to Boston, confronted and collected from a man who had cheated money from her father. Daisy lived in Grafton until her death, just shy of her 105th birthday.


Image courtesy the Vermont Folklife Center in Middlebury.

 

June Archives | June 22

The Vermont Book Of Days - Daisy Turner in Grafton School

Daisy Turner in her class in Grafton.


Home

Sponsors

Media Partners

Archives

Schools

Store

Links

About

 

Copyright 2004-2011