Mary Ann Camberton Shadd Cary (October 9, 1823 – June 5, 1893) was an American-Canadian anti-slavery activist, journalist, publisher, teacher, and lawyer.

After the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, her family relocated to what is today southern Ontario (then the western part of the United Canadas).

Self-taught, Mary went to Howard University Law School, and continued advocacy for civil rights for African Americans and women for the rest of her life.

Hans Schad was wounded and left in the care of two African-American women, a mother and daughter, both named Elizabeth Jackson.

In 1848, Frederick Douglass asked readers in his newspaper, The North Star, to offer their suggestions on what could be done to improve life for African Americans.

"[8] She expressed her frustration with the many conventions that had been held to that date, such as those attended by her father, where speeches were made and resolutions passed about the evils of slavery and the need for justice for African Americans.

[15] Shadd traveled widely in Canada and the United States to increase subscription to the paper, and to publicly solicit aid for runaway slaves.

She writes that whites read these newspapers to monitor the level of dissatisfaction among African Americans and to measure their tolerance for continued slavery in America.

[11] Between 1855 and 1856, Shadd traveled in the United States as an anti-slavery speaker, advocating for full racial integration through education and self-reliance.

[24] Shadd sought to participate in the 1855 Philadelphia Colored Convention, but women had never been permitted to attend, and the assembly had to debate whether to let her sit as a delegate.

According to Frederick Douglass's Paper, although she gave a speech at the Convention advocating for emigration, she was so well-received that the delegates voted to give her ten more minutes to speak.

[26] In 1858, Shadd was a member of the Chatham Vigilance Committee that sought to prevent former slaves from being returned to the United States and brought back into slavery, such as in the case of Sylvanus Demarest.

[6] During the American Civil War, at the behest of the abolitionist Martin Delany,[28] she served as a recruiting officer to enlist black volunteers for the Union Army in the state of Indiana.

[30] In the United States, Shadd Cary's former residence in the U Street Corridor of Washington, DC, was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1976.

[33] Mary Ann Shadd broke barriers in 1853 when she founded The Provincial Freeman, publishing papers advocating for abolition, racial equality, and self-reliance.

When she did speak openly, her outspoken nature drew criticism, even from fellow abolitionists, as her assertiveness defied expectations for women.

She urged African Americans to enlist, arguing that participation in the war was essential to securing their freedom and proving their loyalty to the U.S.

She worked briefly as a teacher there but encountered fierce racism and eventually relocated to Washington, D.C., to pursue her law degree.

She argued that Black people could thrive in Canada if they worked hard and stayed self-reliant, positioning migration as an act of resistance against systemic oppression in the U.S.

Her speech emphasized education and self-reliance as tools for Black liberation, defying conventions of the time that excluded women from leadership roles.

Though less well-known, she was one of the first Black women to publicly link racial justice with gender equality, paving the way for intersectional feminism.

Mary Ann Shadd’s boldness, intellect, and activism made her a trailblazer in multiple fields—journalism, education, law, and civil rights.

Though she faced immense challenges as a Black woman in the 19th century, her work laid foundations for future generations fighting for equality and justice.

Mary Ann Shadd’s life was filled with pioneering achievements, quiet resistance, and relentless advocacy, making her one of the most remarkable, yet underappreciated, figures of the 19th century.

Shadd's 197th birthday was observed with a Google Doodle on October 9, 2020, appearing across Canada, the United States, Latvia, Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa.

[35][36] On May 12, 2022, the University of Windsor in Ontario, Canada unveiled a bronze statue of Mary Ann Shadd Cary created by local artist Donna Mayne.

The fonds consists of letters received by and written by Mary Ann Shadd Cary during her time living in present-day Ontario.

It also includes business records and lecture notes, as well as copies of articles written by Shadd Cary on topics such as supporting integrated schools, fighting segregation, and the political stance taken by Provincial Freeman editorial staff.

The focus of Douglas Day 2023 was the transcription and enrichment of newly-digitized collections from Mary Ann Shadd Cary.

It comprises 1.6 centimetres of textual records, which consists of personal and professional correspondence, various notes about her life, and copies of her works as an abolitionist.