Hanging on the wall of the Fort St. Joseph Museum, 508 E. Main St., is a historic painting that once graced the walls of the White House.
The painting, titled “President Lincoln with a Former Slave,” depicts the moment when Abraham Lincoln met abolitionist Sojourner Truth. It was created by Niles resident Charlotte “Lottie” Wilson.
Wilson is known for historic paintings such as this, as well as her portrait landscapes, fine needlework talent and china paintings, which may be found around the eastern part of the country. Today, her family and Niles historians continue to preserve her legacy.
On Monday, Sen. John Proos presented Wilson’s cousin, Pat Gresham, with a tribute recognizing Wilson’s accomplishments.
“Lottie [is] a significant contribution to our community and our state,” Proos said.
As she held the framed tribute Monday, signed by State Rep. Dave Pagel, U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, Gov. Rick Snyder and Sen. Proos, Gresham said she was reminded of the desire to always speak her mind, which she shared with Wilson. She wished that her mother, Alice Findley Brown, could have been there, too.
“I know that my mother is looking down and smiling,” Gresham said. “This is so overwhelming, because no one knows what it was for a black woman to be in any part of the state. It is amazing to me to know all of the things that have gone on.”
Gresham recalled how her mother spent hours in the Niles library reading about her relative and helping to uncover Wilson’s story so that it would not be forgotten.
Wilson was born in 1854 in Niles. She pursued a college education and would be the first African American woman to graduate from the School of the Art Institute in Chicago.
Wilson was also an advocate for women’s rights, civil rights and education. Her accomplishments earned her a place in the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame in October 2016.
Through her life, Wilson created several works that captured the time period. Her work “President Lincoln with a Former Slave,” shows that historic 1864 meeting between President Abraham Lincoln and Sojourner Truth. In 1902, Lottie would present the historic work to President Teddy Roosevelt. The painting was one of the first African-American created paintings to be displayed in a prestigious building, but her story is one that was almost lost, according to assistant director of the Niles History Mollie Kruck Watson.
The painting came into possession of a conservator during an auction in the 1980s. The conservator soon discovered that inscribed on the back of the art was Wilson’s name and hometown. Wanting to know more, the conservator contacted the Niles District Library. This is where Gresham’s mother stepped in to help Wilson’s history be recognized. Once the historical significance was realized, the library was able to purchase the painting, where it has remained part of their collection since the mid 1980s.
“To see this honored at the state level is tremendous,” Kruck Watson said. “And I think it means a lot to her family too.”
Wilson passed away in 1914, after a battle with cancer. Her home remains at the corner of Fifth and Ferry Streets, according to Gresham. She is buried in the Silverbrook Cemetery.
Now Niles residents who visit the Fort St. Joseph Museum can come “face to face with history,” Kruck Watson said.