Arenia Mallory facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Arenia Mallory
Arenia Mallory, from the cover of The Crisis (May 1936)
Born	December 28, 1904 Jacksonville, Illinois, U.S.
Died	May 1977 (aged 72)
Occupation	Educator, activist

Arenia Conelia Mallory (born December 28, 1904 – died May 1977) was an amazing American educator and activist. She lived in Lexington, Mississippi. Arenia Mallory became famous across the country for her work. She fought for better education and civil rights for African Americans.

She was the president of Saints Industrial and Literary School. She led this school for over 50 years! When she started in 1926, it had only a few students. By the time she finished, it was a large school. It taught students from kindergarten all the way through junior college. The school was built on 350 acres of land. It was connected to the Church of God in Christ, a Pentecostal church. Arenia Mallory had been part of this church since she was about 18.

Mallory helped create important groups for Black women across the country. She raised money for her school from these groups and from white supporters. Saints Academy was very important for Black education in Mississippi. For many years, it was the only accredited high school for Black students in its area. Students came from almost every state and even from African countries. They came because the school had a great reputation for learning. Over the years, Mallory taught an estimated 20,000 students at Saints.

She also became a national leader in the Women's Department of the Church of God in Christ (COGIC). From the 1940s, she helped church women get more involved in their communities. They worked to make the world a better place. Arenia Mallory was also a founding member of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) in 1935. She was a vice-president for many years. Through the NCNW, she worked for education and civil rights for African Americans. She worked with famous leaders like Mary McLeod Bethune. She raised money for her school in Mississippi. She also encouraged women leaders to take on bigger public roles. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy asked her to serve in his government.

Through Saints Academy and her community work, Mallory supported the Civil Rights Movement. She also helped the mostly Black and poor sharecroppers in her county. In 1968, she made history. She was the first woman and first person of color elected to the Holmes County Board of Education. She was elected again for a second term in 1974.

Arenia Mallory's Early Life and Education

Arenia Mallory was born in Jacksonville, Illinois in 1904. Her parents were successful in show business. Arenia first trained to be a concert pianist. Around age 17, she joined the Pentecostal Church of God in Christ. The church had strict rules. This caused her to become separated from her family. The church did not want members involved in show business. It also had dress codes, like no make-up for women.

Mallory earned her first college degree in 1927. She got a bachelor's degree from Simmons College of Kentucky. This was a historically black college. She continued her studies while working in Mississippi. In 1936, she earned a master's degree in education. This was from Jackson State University. It was the top-ranked historically black college in Mississippi. Later, she went back to college again. She earned another master's degree in administration in 1950. This was from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. People often called her "Dr. Mallory." This was a title of respect for her great achievements.

Building a School and a Career

When she was young, Arenia Mallory was invited to Mississippi. Charles Harrison Mason, who started the COGIC church, asked her to come. He wanted her to be a music teacher at a local religious school. This school was for Black students in Lexington, Mississippi. Mallory knew there was a huge need for Black education in the state. She also helped spread the word about the fast-growing church.

Early on, she formed a group of five singers. They toured to raise money for the school. During the Great Depression, they performed in Harlem, New York. They raised $8,000 in donations. This was a lot of money at the time!

Later, Mallory created a bigger school choir. They were called the Jubilee Harmonizers. They toured and became famous across the country. They even performed at the White House for President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt. Their tours helped raise money for what became Saints Industrial and Literary School.

As Mallory became a national leader, she used money from her own speeches. She used it to build the school's library. It was the only African-American school in the area with a great library. The school became known for its "quality education and Christian principles."

Mallory was the president of the school from 1926 until she died in 1977. She oversaw its growth from kindergarten to 12th grade. She also made the school's lessons stronger. The campus grew to have classrooms and dorms worth over one million dollars. A junior college department was added before 1963. Saints Academy attracted students from almost every state. Students also came from countries in Africa. She educated "tens of thousands" of students.

Mallory set high standards for Christian behavior and education. Many parents had moved north for jobs during the Great Migration. They often sent their children back to Lexington. They wanted their children to get a strong education at Saints Academy. Over the years, Mallory guided students through big changes. These included public schools becoming integrated. She also helped many African-American leaders grow.

The school was later renamed Saints Academy. It stayed connected to the Church of God in Christ. The school closed in 2006.

Religious and Political Activism

Mallory worked hard to provide health and welfare services. She helped the mostly Black and poor sharecroppers in Holmes County, Mississippi. This county had many cotton plantations during slavery. Most people in the countryside still worked on farms.

From her first years at the school, Mallory raised money for her poor students. She made sure they had shoes and clothes. She helped organize several programs in the county. These programs raised money, books, and clothing for her students.

In 1934, during the Great Depression, Mallory hosted a special event. It was for the sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) Mississippi Health Project. This sorority was made up of rural teachers. Her ongoing work with this group helped her connect with national networks. These connections helped her get funding for her school in Lexington.

Mallory also focused on adult education. She set up classes for adults, especially parents of her students. In the 1960s, she received a grant. This grant helped her set up classes for migrant farm workers. She was an active leader in the Church of God in Christ (COGIC) Women's Department.

In this role, she met other national leaders. She formed a partnership with Mary McLeod Bethune. Bethune founded the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) in 1935. This group aimed to expand the power of women's clubs. In the 1940s and 1950s, COGIC women worked to combine their church work with community involvement.

Mallory was a strong supporter of rights for Black people and women. She was a founding member of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW). She supported its goals to improve education and rights for African Americans. For years, she used this national network to raise money for her students and Saints Industrial School. She served as the Vice President of NCNW from 1953 to 1957.

From 1952 to 1955, Mallory also served on a special board. This was the board of directors for the Regional Council of Negro Leadership. This civil rights group was led by Dr. T. R. M. Howard. They worked to help Black people advance. They focused on education and job training.

In 1963, President John F. Kennedy appointed Mallory as an advisor. She advised the United States Department of Labor. That same year, she learned about the Head Start program. She then started the very first Head Start program in Mississippi at her school.

In 1968, Mallory became the first woman and first person of color elected to the Holmes County Board of Education. She was re-elected in 1974 for another term.

Legacy and Honors

Arenia Mallory received many honors for her important work:

• In 1946, she was named one of twelve outstanding women in America. This was in a poll by the National Council of Negro Women.
• In 1950, she was the only woman from the Deep South invited to President Harry S. Truman's inauguration.
• In March 1950, she received an honorary PhD in Laws. This was from Bethune-Cookman College. It was for her services in rural Christian education.
• In 1952, her church chose her to represent them. She went to the World Pentecostal Convention in London, England.
• In 1955, she was chosen as a United States delegate. She attended the 10th anniversary of the United Nations in San Francisco, California.
• Two places were named after her: the Arenia C. Mallory Community Health Center in Lexington, Mississippi, and the Arenia Mallory School of Religion in Miami, Florida.
• On April 19, 1974, the governor declared it Dr. Arenia Conelia Mallory Day.
• The Dr. Arenia Conelia Mallory Foundation was created by alumni of Saints. This happened in the early 21st century to continue her work.