CALLED TO TEACH: THE ANNA JULIA COOPER STORY

Called to Teach: The Anna Julia Cooper Story, a feature length docudrama set primarily in Washington, DC, explores the life of Dr. Anna Julia Cooper, as she grows from a child born in slavery (1858) in Raleigh, NC. At the tender age of eight years old, she began teaching many of the elder freed slaves to read and write. She attends Oberlin College in Ohio, then goes on to become an educator and visionary administrator in Washington, DC at the M Street High School – the most prestigious school for blacks in America at the time.

We follow Dr. Cooper’s career advancements from a beloved teacher and educator to a courageous administrator challenging the Washington, DC school board’s requirements for black students to complete a vocational curriculum. 

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Called to Teach documents her efforts as a loyal advocate for black rights, political and social activism, and her fight for citizenship and human rights through the collective efforts of the Civil Rights Movement.