Carrie Steele Logan (1829 – November 3, 1900) was an American philanthropist and founder of the Colored[sic] Orphanage of Atlanta, the oldest Black orphanage in the U.S. Born into slavery in Georgia around 1829, she learned to read and write despite her challenging upbringing, including being orphaned as a child. Her experiences as a young enslaved mother shaped her compassion for children in need.
After moving to Atlanta, she supported herself by selling handmade goods and later worked as a matron at a train depot, where she observed many homeless children. In response, Steele Logan began caring for them and eventually raised funds through speeches, community donations, and her savings. With support from the Atlanta City Council, local advocacy groups, and the state of Georgia, she established the orphanage in 1889, later housed in a three-story building accommodating up to 50 children. She also wrote an autobiography to raise funds.
In 1890, she married minister Josehia Logan and had a son, James Robert Steele, who worked as a barber and later became an elder at Bethel AME Church. Carrie Steele Logan died in 1900 at 71, with her funeral attended by over 3,000 people. Her legacy endures through the Carrie Steele-Pitts Home, which still operates, and she was honored as a Georgia Woman of Achievement in 1998. A bronze bas relief sculpture commemorates her in Atlanta.
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