Drusilla Dunjee Houston facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Drusilla Dunjee Houston
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| Born | Drusilla Dunjee January 20, 1876 Harpers Ferry, West Virginia |
| Died | February 8, 1941 (aged 65) Phoenix, Arizona |
| Occupation | Writer, Historian, Educator |
| Nationality | American |
| Notable works | Wonderful Ethiopians of the Ancient Cushite Empire |
| Spouse |
Price Houston
(m. 1899) |
Drusilla Dunjee Houston (born Drusilla Dunjee; January 20, 1876 – February 8, 1941) was an amazing American writer, historian, and teacher. She was also a journalist, musician, and even a screenwriter from West Virginia. She is best known for her important book, Wonderful Ethiopians of the Ancient Cushite Empire.
Contents
About Drusilla Dunjee Houston
Drusilla Dunjee Houston was born on January 20, 1876, in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Her parents were Rev. John Dunjee and Lydia Ann (Taylor) Dunjee. Her father was a preacher and teacher. He had studied at Storer College, which was a special school for training teachers.
Early Life and Education
Drusilla went to a finishing school in the North. She also studied classical piano at the Northwestern Conservatory of Music in Minnesota. She had nine brothers and sisters, but only four of them lived to be adults. These were Roscoe, Irving, Blanche, and Ella.
In 1892, Drusilla's family moved to Oklahoma City, which was then called Oklahoma Territory. Her father was sent there by the Baptist church. From 1892 to 1898, Drusilla worked as a teacher. She taught kindergarten and elementary school in Oklahoma City.
Starting a Family and Schools
In 1899, Drusilla married Price Houston. They settled in McAlester, Oklahoma. At that time, this area was still known as Indian Territory. Oklahoma became a state in 1908.
In McAlester, Drusilla Houston started her own school. It was called the McAlester Seminary for Girls. She led this school for 12 years. Later, in 1917, the Baptists hired her. She became the principal of the Oklahoma Baptist College for Girls. She moved to Sapulpa, Oklahoma, for this job. Drusilla worked as principal there for six years.
When she returned to Oklahoma City, she opened another school. This one was called the Oklahoma Vocational Institute of Fine Arts and Crafts. After 1934, Drusilla Houston also worked as a religious director. She helped at the Oklahoma Home for Delinquent Boys.
Writing and Activism
Drusilla's father passed away in 1903. Her younger brother, Roscoe Dunjee, helped support their mother and younger siblings. Roscoe later started the Oklahoma Black Dispatch in 1915. This was the first Black newspaper in Oklahoma City.
Drusilla joined her brother in writing for the newspaper. She was a contributing editor and wrote columns. Around the same time, in 1915, she wrote a script called Spirit of the South: The Maddened Mob. This script was written to speak out against a movie called The Birth of a Nation. She faced challenges in producing her script.
Drusilla Houston also became a historian. Starting in 1901, she spent many years researching. She looked into many different sources. In 1926, she published her multi-volume history book. It was titled Wonderful Ethiopians of the Ancient Cushite Empire. This book was very important. It helped African Americans learn about their ancient history. It showed that their ancestors had complex and old civilizations.
Drusilla was also a co-founder of several important groups in Oklahoma. She helped start chapters of the YWCA, the Red Cross, and the NAACP in Oklahoma City. She was also an early leader of the Oklahoma Federation of Colored Women's Clubs. In 1932, her brother Roscoe Dunjee helped form a state organization for the NAACP. Drusilla also co-founded the Dogan Reading Room of Oklahoma. She served as its president.
Drusilla Dunjee Houston passed away on February 8, 1941. She died from tuberculosis in Phoenix, Arizona. She had moved there because the dry climate was thought to help people with lung problems. At that time, there was no cure for tuberculosis.
Selected works
- Wonderful Ethiopians of the Ancient Cushite Empire (1926)
- Spirit of the South, The Maddened Mob (1915)
Legacy
The Black Classic Press in Baltimore created a special award in her honor. It is called the Drusilla Dunjee Houston Memorial Scholarship Award. This award helps new female scholars of African descent. It supports their research into the history of African American women.
