Prudence Crandall (September 3, 1803 - January 28, 1890)

( Prudence Crandall Museum / February 25, 2013 )

Crandall was a Quaker schoolteacher who raised controversy with her education of African-American girls in Canterbury, Conn., as stated by the Hartford Courant. In 1833, she established a school dedicated exclusively to the teaching of African-American girls, resulting in what is widely regarded as the first integrated classroom in the U.S. Crandall's school still stands in Canterbury, and currently serves as the Prudence Crandall Museum. In 1995, the Connecticut General Assembly designated Prudence Crandall as the state's official heroine.