Fannie Baty the earliest documented African American CMU graduate, class of 1901

  Fannie Baty at Benzonia College

Andy Bolander from the Benzie Area Historical Society (BAHS) contacted me to see if I could verify some data regarding Fannie Baty. BAHS accumulated the information, which I have permission from him to include in this blog, about Fannie. Fannie is documented as graduating from what was then called the Central State Normal School, now CMU, in 1901. This makes Fannie the earliest documented African American graduate from CMU. Previously, Emma Norman Todd, of the Old Settlers Association, held that distinction, having graduated in 1907. Emma remains the first African American CMU graduate from the Old Settlers Association. As I noted when I did extensive research on the topic of early minority graduates at CMU in 2015, we may never know who all the early graduates of color were. The majority of early CMU records were burned in a campus fire, some students did not or could not afford to pay for their senior photograph to be included in the yearbook, and some students of color chose to pass as whites to avoid racism. While our documentation at CMU is incomplete, I am hopeful that we will continue to discover additional early minority graduates through other sources such as local historical organizations and families. 

Fannie Baty was the daughter of Charles and Maggie Baty. Fannie's father, Charles Baty, grew up enslaved in Virginia. During the Civil War he escaped and worked for the Union Army. Charles first worked as a laborer with horses, and later as a cook. Fannie's mother, Maggie Cowen Baty, was born free in Danville, Kentucky, the daughter of Cyrus Cowen. The family later moved to Oxford, Ohio, where Charles and his brother received their education at Miami (Ohio) University and joined the ministry. Charles and Maggie married in 1866 and moved to Michigan after 1870. Maggie's brother, George Cowen, served with the 54th Massachusetts, Company J and lived with the Baty family in Joyfield Twp., Benzie County. 

Fannie  grew up in Joyfield. There were few families of color in Benzie County at that time, and some of them lived near the Baty family. There were also a number of African-American homesteads along US-31 in Benzie and Manistee counties. After finishing 8 grades in a rural school, Fannie attended Benzonia College (in Benzonia). 

Fannie Batty at Benzonia College with classmates. Fannie is seated in the middle of the middle row. 

Next, she attended Central State Normal School. Fannie graduated in 1901 with a  certificate to teach in rural schools.

The CMU Annual Catalog lists 1901 graduates including Fannie, whose name was spelled as Fanny Baty. 

Fannie returned to Benzie County to teach at Joyfield Twp. No. 4, the school she had attended as a child. Fannie was the first teacher of color in Benzie County. 

In 1903 at the age of 25 after being ill for over a year Fannie died. She is buried in Joyfield Twp. cemetery near her parents and siblings.

Fannie's obituary in the Benzie Banner March 19, 1903.

Thank you Andy Bolander and Benzie Area Historical Society for alerting me to and sharing this important history with the Clarke. This previously unknown information helps us identify Fanny and better understand our early university history, learn about our early graduates of color, and appreciate the impact they had on other Michiganders and our state history!!! 

For more information about Emma Norman Todd see https://www.oldsettlersreunion.com/index.php/emma-norman-todd-mary-moore.

For more information on the 54th see https://www.nps.gov/articles/54th-massachusetts-regiment.htm. 

For more information about the Benzie Area Historical Society see https://benziemuseum.org/.