Anna Virginia Russell Cole (January 16, 1846 – June 6, 1926) was an American philanthropist known for her contributions to education, social reform, and the arts in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Born into a prominent family in Augusta, Georgia, Cole's life was marked by both personal tragedy and a strong commitment to social justice.

She was a significant figure in the development of Vanderbilt University and a supporter of various social causes, including the Tennessee Industrial School and the Southern Sociological Conference.

[2] During this time, Cole lived in the home of Leopold von Ranke, a renowned historian considered a pioneer of modern historical research.

[2][1] In 1914, during a crucial endowment campaign, she donated $10,000 to support Chancellor James H. Kirkland's effort to assert Vanderbilt's independence from the Methodist church hierarchy.

She divided her time between her Nashville residence, called "Colemere",[3] and homes in Wequetonsing, Michigan, and Washington, D.C. She was known for her social circle and hosted prominent figures, including Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft.

[1] Cole was a donor for the Southern Sociological Conference,[3] a newly formed organization addressing social issues like child welfare, prison reform, public health, education, and race relations.

[1][4] Politically, Cole was in favor of international peace efforts, attending a conference in Vienna in 1916[1] and backing Woodrow Wilson's goal to have the United States join the League of Nations.

[1] Cole had a keen interest in poetry and sponsored a memorial in Augusta honoring four Southern poets: Sidney Lanier, Father Abram Joseph Ryan, James R. Randall, and Paul Hamilton Hayne.