Benjamin Tucker Tanner facts for kids
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Benjamin Tucker Tanner (born December 25, 1835 – died January 14, 1923) was an important American religious leader and writer. He became a Bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME Church) in 1886. He also started The Christian Recorder, which was a very important early newspaper for African Americans.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Benjamin Tanner was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His parents were Hugh and Isabella Tanner. He worked as a barber to pay for his studies at Avery College. He studied there for five years.
While at Avery College, some of his classmates became well-known figures. These included Jeremiah A. Brown, Thomas Morris Chester, and James T. Bradford. After Avery College, he studied for three years at Western Theological Seminary.
A Life of Service
When he was 25, Bishop Daniel A. Payne asked him to go to Sacramento, California. However, Benjamin Tanner could not afford the trip. Instead, he moved to Washington, D.C..
In Washington, D.C., he started a Sunday School for formerly enslaved people. This school was in the Navy Yard area. Admiral John A. Dahlgren gave him permission to do this.
Church Leadership and Publishing
In 1863, Benjamin Tanner became a pastor at a church in Georgetown. Three years later, in 1866, he moved to a large church in Baltimore. Soon after, he became the principal of the Annual Conference School in Fredericktown, Maryland. He also helped set up a public school with the Freedmen's Bureau.
In 1868, he was chosen as the chief secretary for the AME Church's general conference. That same year, he founded and became the editor of the church's newspaper, The Christian Recorder. He worked as the editor for 16 years.
During the 1870s, he received an honorary Master of Arts degree from Avery College. He also received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Wilberforce University. In 1884, he became the editor of the A. M. E. Review. He also wrote several books and pamphlets. Some of his writings included 'Apology for African Methodism' and 'The Negro, African and American'.
Missionary Work and Challenges
In 1889, Bishop Tanner focused on missionary work in Haiti. William B. Derrick was helping as the mission secretary. There was a time when the mission's money seemed to be missing.
Bishop Daniel A. Payne asked what happened to the funds. It was found that money had been given to the Haitian mission in cash. This led to some disagreements. Bishop Tanner was careful in handling the situation. Over time, the leaders of the AME Church gained more trust in Derrick, and the two leaders settled their differences.
Later Life and Legacy
On March 5, 1897, Benjamin Tanner attended a special meeting. This meeting celebrated the life of Frederick Douglass. At this event, the American Negro Academy was founded. This was the first major group of African American scholars.
Benjamin Tanner was a member of this academy until 1905. The academy worked to correct racist ideas and promote equal rights for Black people. It also studied the history and social life of African Americans.
Benjamin Tanner had a very talented family. He was the father of the famous artist Henry Ossawa Tanner. His daughter, Halle Tanner Dillon Johnson, became a physician. His granddaughter was Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander. Benjamin Tanner passed away on January 14, 1923, in Washington D.C..
