▁Ay ers , ▁was ▁of ▁mixed - race , ▁born ▁into ▁sla very . ▁ ▁They ▁both ▁supported ▁education ▁for ▁their ▁two ▁children , ▁a ▁daughter ▁and ▁son . ▁ ▁Their ▁daughter ▁Mary ▁Church ▁Ter rell ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁black ▁American ▁women ▁to ▁ear n ▁a ▁college ▁degree . ▁ ▁She ▁became ▁a ▁teacher , ▁then ▁a ▁principal , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁civil ▁rights ▁activ ist . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 9 ▁she ▁was ▁a ▁found ing ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Association ▁for ▁the ▁Ad van cement ▁of ▁Col ored ▁People , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 6 ▁the ▁first ▁black ▁woman ▁to ▁be ▁appointed ▁to ▁the ▁school ▁board ▁of ▁a ▁major ▁city ▁( W ashington , ▁DC ). ▁Church ▁and ▁Louis a ▁divor ced . ▁ ▁Second ly ▁he ▁married ▁Anna ▁Wright . ▁They ▁also ▁had ▁a ▁son ▁and ▁daughter . ▁Their ▁son ▁Robert ▁Re ed ▁Church , ▁Jr . ▁became ▁a ▁business man , ▁taking ▁over ▁his ▁father ' s ▁enter pr ises . ▁ ▁He ▁became ▁polit ically ▁influ ential , ▁establish ing ▁the ▁Lincoln ▁League ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁to ▁work ▁to ▁register ▁black ▁vot ers , ▁fund raise ▁to ▁help ▁cover ▁poll ▁tax es , ▁and ▁advoc ate ▁for ▁the ▁interests ▁of ▁African ▁Americans ▁in ▁the ▁Republican ▁Party . ▁Within ▁a ▁short ▁time , ▁he ▁signed ▁up ▁ 1 0 , 0 0 0 ▁new ▁black ▁vot ers ▁in ▁M emph is , ▁and ▁worked ▁with ▁E . ▁H .