Do You Know the Black Woman on Page 26 of Your Passport?
You know that feeling when you hand over your passport at customs, that little flutter of excitement right before the stamp comes down? There's something sacred about that moment. That little blue book is your key to the world.
But here's something most travelers don't know: tucked inside every U.S. passport since 2007 is a quote from a Black woman born into slavery. And she's the only woman — of any background — whose words appear in those pages.
Her name is Dr. Anna Julia Cooper. And this Women's History Month, she deserves her flowers.
Who was Anna Julia Cooper?
Born in 1858 in Raleigh, North Carolina, Anna Julia Cooper came into the world enslaved. The odds were stacked against her from day one. But from the moment she had access to a classroom, she made it clear she was there to stay.
At St. Augustine Normal School, she was so academically advanced she began tutoring other students by age 10. She pushed her way into courses reserved only for boys. She earned degrees from Oberlin College when most Black women were shut out of higher education entirely. (Shout out to the STEM sistas!) She sent her students to Yale, Harvard, and beyond — then fought the D.C. school board when they tried to stop her.
At age 66, when most people are slowing down, Cooper completed her doctorate at the University of Paris, Sorbonne, becoming only the fourth Black American woman to earn a PhD. She lived and worked until she was 105. One hundred and five!
Her words, your passport
Here's the quote that's been waiting for you on pages 26 and 27 of your U.S. passport:
"The cause of freedom is not the cause of a race or a sect, a party or a class — it is the cause of humankind, the very birthright of humanity." — Dr. Anna Julia Cooper
When the passport was redesigned in 2007, her voice was the one they chose. She is the only woman — and the only African American — quoted in the entire document. Every traveler carrying a U.S. passport has been holding her words without even knowing it.
Some connections just find you
Here's a fun fact that feels a little like fate. In 2007, the year Dr. Cooper's quote was added to the passport, our founder got her very first passport and traveled to the Bahamas.
And the connections don't stop there. Dr. Cooper was born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina, right where Asali Origins is based. And like our founder, Dr. Cooper was also a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Some legacies just find you.
Physical stamps are fading. Your collection doesn't have to
Here's the part that stings a little: physical passport stamps are quietly disappearing. More and more countries are moving to digital entry. Which means those beautiful ink marks, the proof that you were there, are getting harder and harder to collect.
That's exactly why we created the Asali Origins Passport Patch Collection. Each patch is a wearable stamp — a way to honor the countries you've visited and the ones still on your list. Because your journey deserves to be documented, celebrated, and worn with pride.
Dr. Cooper crossed borders at a time when the world was doing everything it could to keep Black women small. You carry her legacy every time you travel. Now you can wear it too. 🌍✊🏾
Where are you taking your birthright next? ✈️✨
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Go deeper: read her words
Want to sit with the mind behind the quote? We highly recommend picking up Dr. Cooper's landmark work, A Voice from the South. It’s widely considered the first book-length work of Black feminist theory.
You can purchase your copy from Mahogany Books — an incredible Black-owned bookstore that, in a beautiful twist of fate, also opened its doors in 2007. 🤎
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