Mary Peake was a courageous teacher who believed everyone had a right to learn — even when it was against the law.

Born free in Norfolk, Virginia, she risked her safety to teach enslaved and formerly enslaved Black children how to read and write. After the Civil War began, she taught under a giant oak tree in Hampton, Virginia — the same tree that would later be known as the Emancipation Oak.

Mary’s school helped lay the foundation for what would become Hampton University, one of the first schools for freed African Americans.

Her passion for education continues to inspire generations of learners and leaders.