![Charlotte H. Brown](https://i0.wp.com/shemadehistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Charlotte-Brown-2Size.jpg?resize=640%2C640)
Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown (1883-1961) was the founder and leader of the Palmer Memorial Institute (PMI), a trailblazing prep school for African-American girls.
Brown was born on June 11, 1883, in North Carolina. When Brown was 18 she decided to open a school specifically for African-American girls in order to give them greater opportunities through education. She began raising money, purchased a 200-acre piece of land and began construction. In 1902 she opened her doors and named the school after Alice Freeman Palmer, a woman who dedicated her life to women’s education.
Through dedication and determination, Charlotte Hawkins Brown helped elevate over 1000 women through education during her 50 years as president.
![Charlotte H. Brown](https://i1.wp.com/shemadehistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Screen-Shot-2020-03-17-at-8.06.53-PM.png?resize=236%2C300)