Andrew Foster (educator) facts for kids

Andrew Jackson Foster (1925–1987) was an amazing American who helped deaf people in Africa. He was a pioneer in deaf education. This means he was one of the first and most important people to create schools and learning opportunities for deaf children.

He was the first Deaf African American to get a bachelor's degree from Gallaudet University. This is a special university for deaf students in America. He also earned two master's degrees. In 1956, he started the Christian Mission for the Deaf. He then traveled to Accra, Ghana, where he opened the first school for the deaf in West Africa.

Early Life and Education

Andrew Foster was born on June 27, 1925, in Ensley, Alabama. When he was about 11 years old, Andrew and his brother became deaf. This happened after they both got spinal meningitis.

After this, Foster went to the Alabama School for Colored Deaf. He could only get up to a sixth-grade education there. This was because of unfair laws at the time that limited schooling for African Americans. To continue his education, Foster moved to Flint, Michigan, in 1942. He lived with his aunt and went to the Michigan School for the Deaf. Here, he could get an eighth-grade education. He also took high school classes by mail and worked in factories and restaurants.

A professor from Gallaudet University, Eric Malzkuhn, encouraged Foster to apply there. But he was turned down many times because of his race. In 1950, he earned a diploma in business. In 1951, he got his high school diploma. After this, Foster was finally accepted to Gallaudet University with a full scholarship.

He was the first African American to attend Gallaudet University. He graduated in 1954 at age 29 with a degree in education. Later, he earned two master's degrees. One was in education and the other was in Christian Mission. In 1970, Gallaudet University gave him an honorary doctorate. This was to honor his great work in educating deaf people in Africa.

Helping Deaf Education in Africa

Andrew Foster felt a strong desire to be a missionary. He wanted to help others. While at Gallaudet, he often visited neighborhoods in Washington D.C. He looked for young deaf African American children. He wanted to be a good role model for them.

Through this work, Foster realized he wanted to help black deaf people. He wanted them to have access to communication, education, and the Gospel. In 1956, he learned there were only 12 deaf schools in all of Africa. These were only in Egypt and South Africa. So, Foster started the Christian Mission for Deaf Africans. This group aimed to bring education to every deaf African person. He began by asking schools to let him use their classrooms after hours.

After raising money in America, Foster arrived in Ghana in 1957. Ghana had just become an independent country. Before Foster's mission, there were no schools or teachers for deaf Ghanaians. There was not even a formal signed language recorded. Foster found that deaf people in Ghana were often hidden by their families. This was because of how disability was seen.

He found a public school in Accra that let him use their building after hours. After a few months, 53 deaf people joined Foster's program. This became the Ghana Mission School for the Deaf. It was the first school for the deaf in West Africa. Foster led this school until 1965. He made the school bigger and trained teachers. By the time he left, there were 113 students. Over 300 more were waiting to join. Foster also taught students trade skills and the Gospel. He also convinced churches to help deaf people.

The Ghana Mission School was not the only school Foster started. In 1960, he opened the first deaf school in Nigeria. He opened two more schools there later. In total, Foster started 32 churches and schools for the Deaf. These were in thirteen different countries across Africa. He also created a training center in Ghana. This meant teachers could be trained locally.

Personal Life and Death

In 1961, Foster married Berta Zuther, who was also deaf. They met at a meeting for deaf people in Germany in 1959. They raised five children together in Nigeria. Foster continued to travel the world, raising money and doing missionary work. He also taught teacher-training courses in many countries.

Andrew Foster died on December 3, 1987. He was on a small plane going to Kenya. The plane crashed near Gisenyi, Rwanda, and everyone on board died. On January 26, 1988, friends and coworkers honored Foster's life at Gallaudet University. The National Black Deaf Advocates created an award in his name.

Legacy

Foster's work led to governments in Ghana and Nigeria using his school systems. They copied his ideas for their own schools. Foster also trained deaf Nigerians to run his mission schools. These people were called the Deaf Nigerian Pioneers. They helped keep and improve deaf education in Africa. Foster's work also encouraged other deaf schools to use sign language. This helped sign language grow across Africa. It gave more chances to children across the continent.

Foster changed the lives of many students. These students went on to improve education for special students in their own countries. Because of Foster's efforts, Gallaudet University started accepting students from his schools in Africa. One student, Seth Tetteh-Ocloo, went to Gallaudet after high school. He earned a master's degree and two doctorates. He returned to Ghana to work and started Ghana's second school for the Deaf.

Because of Andrew Foster's work, he is known as the "Father of Deaf Education in Africa." He brought language and education to many deaf people there.

Awards

• 1962 - Received the Man of the Year award from Alpha Sigma Pi.
• 1970 - Gallaudet University gave Andrew Foster an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. He was the first black person to get such a degree from the university.
• 1975 - Received the Edward Miner Gallaudet Award.
• 1981 - Received the Alumni Honor Award from Eastern Michigan University.
• 1982 - Received The Medallion Award from Seattle Pacific University.
• 2004 - Gallaudet University named an auditorium after Andrew Foster. They called him the "Father of Deaf Education in Africa."

Media

• Deaf Mosaic segment - Episode #404 of the Gallaudet University-produced Deaf Mosaic had a tribute to Andrew Foster.

See Also

In Spanish: Andrew Foster (educador) para niños

• Education in Africa
• Deafness
• Deaf culture
• American Sign Language