Marie Bolden knew prejudice well in fact, it was one of the words contestants were asked to spell.
The 1908 bee also became a magnet for racism "It's a blueprint for today's would-be Spelling Bee champions." "Her parents and friends helped her memorize words, and she read a newspaper each day to perfect her spelling," said Malcolm Massey, a language expert at Babbel.
#Black girl who won spelling bee software
Bolden's accomplishment drew renewed attention in 2021, when Zaila Avant-garde became the first African American to win the Scripps contest.īolden's story then drew the interest of Babbel, the language-learning software company, which contacted Brown after researching his grandmother's win. The famous Scripps National Spelling Bee, which began in 1925, held its finals this week. The contest is recognized as the first nationwide spelling bee by Guinness World Records - which also notes Bolden's role. Going through a box of her belongings, Brown says, they found a newspaper clipping from The Plain Dealer relating the story of the Black mail carrier's daughter who out-spelled hundreds of white kids.Īfter her stunning victory, Bolden was hailed by "a storm of applause" and congratulations from hundreds of people, including members of the team from New Orleans, according to Indiana's South Bend Tribune.īolden's story has only emerged in recent yearsĬleveland hosted the spelling contest in June 1908, using it as a marquee event to kick off the National Education Association's conference. It was only after Bolden died that her family realized her place in history.
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