Freedom’s Allies: Mary Brown & Mary Ellen Pleasant

Join us at the California Museum for a special program honoring the legacies of Mary Brown and Mary Ellen Pleasant, two extraordinary women whose lives were deeply connected to the fight for freedom and equality.

Guests will experience:

• Artifact unveiling in the California Museum’s Women Inspire exhibit: a silver-plated chalice presented to Mary Brown by a Victorian-era group of formerly enslaved people, honoring her efforts in the fight for freedom.
• Historical performance by Emmy Award–winning actor Dr. Susheel Bibbs, who brings to life the story of Mary Ellen Pleasant—abolitionist, activist, philanthropist, and the “Mother of Civil Rights in California.”
• Reception featuring light refreshments
• Access to all Museum exhibits

Tickets

Admission provides access to the private event and reception, along with the Museum galleries.

• General Admission: $17, plus Eventbrite fees
• Museum Members: $10, plus Eventbrite fees (Email membership@californiamuseum.org to get the discount code)
  

Visitor information, including parking and public transit information, can be found here.

Address: 1020 O Street, Sacramento, CA 95814

About Mary Brown & Mary Ellen Pleasant

Mary Brown, the widow of famed abolitionist John Brown, endured extraordinary hardship after his execution following the raid at Harper’s Ferry but carried her family’s commitment to freedom westward. Settling in Northern California, she continued to embody the principles of perseverance and equality that defined her life.

Mary Ellen Pleasant, often called the “Mother of Civil Rights in California,” built her influence in San Francisco and Oakland and used her resources to support the Underground Railroad and the broader struggle for justice. She was a close collaborator with John and Mary Brown, financially supporting John Brown’s raid at Harper’s Ferry and working with the family to advance the cause of freedom.

Together, their stories highlight California’s role in the national fight against slavery and the advancement of civil rights. Through their shared commitment to abolition and justice, their legacies continue to inspire the ongoing pursuit of equality.

About the Artifact Unveiling

A group of 19th century African American supporters presented a silver-plated chalice to Mary Brown in honor of her family’s sacrifices for the cause of freedom. The chalice remained in the Brown family for generations and was donated to the California Museum this year by Mary and John Brown’s descendants. It will be featured in our signature exhibit “Women Inspire,” which celebrates the groundbreaking accomplishments of California women from pre-colonization to the present.