Gertrude Emily Hicks Bustill Mossell (July 3, 1855 – January 21, 1948)[1] was an American journalist, author, teacher, and activist.

The speech, entitled "Influence", impressed Bishop Henry McNeal Turner, editor of the African Methodist Episcopal newspaper, The Christian Recorder.

Her nationally syndicated column, "Our Woman's Department," offered practical advice on domestic responsibilities and promoted virtues of frugality and pragmatism.

Each one, many of which ran on the front page, began with the following editor's note: "The aim of this column will be to promote true womanhood, especially that of the African race.

[3] Mossell also covered a variety of political and social issues, where she used her platform to advocate for racial equality, particularly in the realm of employment.

[3] In 1894, Mossell published The Work of the Afro-American Woman, a collection of eight essays and seventeen poems that recognized the achievements of black women in a range of fields.

[6] Gertrude Bustill Mossell was also engaged in civic work, leading the fundraising drive for the Frederick Douglass Memorial Hospital and Training School, which opened in 1895.