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BIOGRAPHY:  Frances Simpson Leggett

Frances Simpson was born in 1845.  Her parents were Prudence Simpson and Eugene, also known as John, Simpson.  Both of her parents were born in the state of Maryland.

Mrs. Leggett is cited as one of two female teachers in the Vine Street African School, established for Buffalo’s colored residents in the 1860’s. The school was a source of controversy following the end of the Civil War. In 1867 a group of parents, led by Henry Moxley, sued to integrate their children into the regular public school system. Citing the Fourteenth Amendment that said, "no state can deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." the Black parents appeared before the School Committee of the Buffalo Common Council to argue that the segregated Vine Street African School violated their rights. They wanted to send their children to the other schools on Buffalo's East side. When the Council ignored their plea, Moxley and the others enrolled 18 of their children in two other East Side schools.

The Buffalo Common Council had the children sent back to the Vine Street African School and Moxley and the parents sued the Superintendent and the School Committee of the Common Council. The suit was thrown out of court. Eventually, the African American children were allowed to attend any Buffalo school and the Vine Street African School was closed.

Leggett was also said to have been a “beauty culturist” and a noted soprano in early Buffalo.