Butler R. Wilson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Butler Roland Wilson
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Butler R. Wilson ca. 1916
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| Born | July 22, 1861 Greensboro, Georgia, U.S.
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| Died | October 31, 1939 (aged 78) Boston, U.S.
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| Resting place | Forest Hills Cemetery |
| Alma mater | Atlanta University Boston University School of Law |
| Known for | |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Evans Wilson |
| Children | 6 |
Butler Roland Wilson (1861–1939) was a lawyer, civil rights activist, and a person who helped others. He lived in Boston, Massachusetts. He was born in Georgia but moved to Boston for law school. He spent the rest of his life there. For more than 50 years, he fought against unfair treatment based on race. He was one of the first African-American members of the American Bar Association. Wilson also helped start and lead the Boston branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
Butler Wilson's Early Life
Butler Roland Wilson was born in Greensboro, Georgia, on July 11, 1861. His parents were Dr. John R. and Mary Jackson Wilson. They were "free people of color," meaning they were not enslaved. His father was a respected doctor and community leader in Atlanta.
Wilson went to Atlanta University. This was a historically black college. He was the captain of the baseball team. He also earned his B.A. degree in 1881 and his M.A. in 1884.
His parents wanted him to become a minister. But Wilson chose to study law instead. He moved to Boston to earn his law degree at the Boston University School of Law. There, he became friends with Archibald Grimké, another civil rights activist. Wilson also wrote for Grimké's newspaper, The Hub. He graduated with honors in 1884. He became a lawyer in Massachusetts that same year.
Wilson's Family Life
On June 27, 1894, Wilson married Mary P. Evans. Archibald Grimké's brother, Reverend Francis James Grimké, performed the wedding. The couple moved to 13 Rutland Square in Boston's South End. They raised their six children there.
Mary Wilson also became a well-known activist. She helped start the Women's Service Club. She was also a founding member of the NAACP Boston branch.
Wilson's Legacy and Death
Wilson passed away from pneumonia in Boston on October 31, 1939. He was 79 years old. His home at 13 Rutland Square has a special plaque. This plaque honors his important work.
Early in his career, Wilson helped the city put up a monument. This monument honors Crispus Attucks and others. They were victims of the Boston Massacre. The monument is made of bronze and granite. It stands on Boston Common.
