Mary Anna Custis Lee was born on October 1, 1808 in Arlington, Virginia. She came from a prominent family and was the daughter of George Washington Parke Custis, the grandson of Martha Washington and step-grandson of George Washington. Mary Anna grew up with a strong sense of family and tradition, instilled in her from a young age.
In June 1831, Mary Anna married Robert E. Lee, a young officer in the United States Army. The couple would go on to have seven children together and build a life rooted in military tradition and duty. Robert E. Lee would later become known as one of the main generals for the Confederate side during the American Civil War.
Despite being the wife of a Confederate general, Mary Anna Custis Lee was a complex and progressive woman for her time. After her marriage ended, she became an advocate for eventual emancipation, a controversial stance in the antebellum South. She took it upon herself to teach her slaves how to read and write, empowering them with knowledge and skills that were rare for enslaved individuals during that era.
Throughout her life, Mary Anna Custis Lee remained dedicated to her family. She supported her husband in his military career and endured the hardships of war with grace and strength. Despite the tumultuous times, she never wavered in her commitment to her children and her beliefs.
Mary Anna Custis Lee's legacy is a complex one, filled with contradictions and challenges. She navigated a society deeply divided by race and politics, all while maintaining her own sense of morality and compassion. Her advocacy for emancipation and education for slaves was ahead of its time and speaks to her character as a woman of courage and conviction.