“Stagecoach” Mary Fields (c. 1832-1914) was
born a slave in Tennessee and following the Civil War, she moved to the
pioneer community of Cascade, Montana. In 1895, when she was around 60
years old, Fields became the second woman and first African American
carrier for the US Postal Service. Despite her age, she never missed a
day of work in the ten years she carried the mail and earned the
nickname “Stagecoach” for her reliability. Fields loved the
job, despite the many dangers and difficulties such as wolves and
thieves (she was an excellent marksman, defending her route with a
revolver and a rifle).
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