Henry Beard Delany facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Henry Beard Delany |
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| Suffragan Bishop of North Carolina | |
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| Church | Episcopal Church |
| Diocese | North Carolina |
| Elected | May 15, 1918 |
| In Office | 1918–1928 |
| Successor | W. Moultrie Moore, Jr. |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | May 2, 1892 |
| Consecration | November 21, 1918 by Joseph Blount Cheshire |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 5, 1858 St. Marys, Georgia, United States |
| Died | April 14, 1928 (aged 70) Raleigh, North Carolina, United States |
| Buried | Mount Hope Cemetery (Raleigh, North Carolina) |
| Nationality | American |
| Denomination | Anglican (prev. Methodist) |
| Parents | Thomas & Sarah Delany |
| Spouse | Nanette James Logan |
| Children | 10 |
| Alma mater | St Augustine's College |
Henry Beard Delany (born February 5, 1858 – died April 14, 1928) was an important American church leader. He was the first African-American person to be elected a Bishop in the Episcopal Church in the United States.
Early Life and Education
Henry Delany was born into slavery in St. Marys, Georgia, in 1858. His father, Thomas Delany, was a carpenter, and his mother, Sarah, worked as a house servant.
After the American Civil War ended slavery, his family moved to Fernandina Beach, Florida. There, young Henry learned skills like bricklaying, plastering, and carpentry from his father. He also helped out on the family farm.
Henry was able to attend a school that was supported by the Freedmen's Bureau and run by missionaries. In 1881, a church leader named Rev. Owen Thackera helped Henry get a scholarship. This allowed him to attend St. Augustine's College in Raleigh, North Carolina. This college was founded by Episcopal priests in 1867 to educate newly freed African Americans. At St. Augustine's, Henry studied theology, music, and other subjects.
Career and Ministry
After graduating in 1885, Henry Delany joined the faculty at St. Augustine's College. He worked there until 1908. He taught carpentry and masonry and oversaw building projects on campus. He also became the school's vice-principal from 1889 to 1908, serving as chaplain and musician.
Even though he wasn't a trained architect, Henry Delany is known for designing and building the beautiful Norman Gothic-style historic chapel. He built it partly with stone from the college campus. Delany and his students also built a library in 1898. They also constructed St. Agnes' Hospital, which was finished in 1909. This hospital was the only one serving African Americans in the area until 1940.
Delany became a member of St. Ambrose Episcopal Church in Raleigh. He was ordained as a deacon in 1889 and later as a priest in 1892. From 1889 to 1904, he served on a national church committee focused on work among African American communities. He visited many different churches, organized schools, and helped arrange educational opportunities for prisoners.
In 1908, Delany was appointed Archdeacon for Negro Work in the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina. He left his teaching job at the college but continued to live on campus. This was because his wife still taught there and served as the college's matron. In 1911, Shaw University in Raleigh gave him an honorary degree for his work in education.
In 1918, Henry Delany was unanimously elected as a suffragan bishop for Negro Work at the North Carolina diocesan meeting. A suffragan bishop helps the main bishop. He also agreed to help bishops in other parts of North and South Carolina. His role was to help set up separate Black parishes, which was common due to Jim Crow laws at the time. Bishop Delany believed it was important to keep African American Episcopalians connected within the Church, even with these segregation practices.
Later Life and Family
Bishop Delany passed away at his home on the college campus in 1928, at the age of 70. After a service in the chapel he helped build, he was buried at Mount Hope Cemetery in Raleigh.
His Family
In 1886, Delany married Nannie James (1861–1956), who was the top student in her class at St. Augustine's College and also a faculty member. They had ten children together.
Two of their daughters, Sadie and Bessie Delany, became famous civil rights pioneers. They wrote a popular book about their lives called Having Our Say. Their son, Hubert Thomas Delany, became one of the first African American judges in New York City. He also advised many important civil rights activists. Henry's youngest son, Samuel, was the father of the well-known author and educator Samuel R. Delany, Jr..
Children
- Lemuel Thackara Delany (1887–1956)
- Sarah Louise Delany (1889–1999)
- Annie Elizabeth Delany (1891–1995)
- Julia Emery Delany (1893–1974)
- The Rev. Henry Delany, Jr. (1895–1991)
- Lucius Delany (1897–1969)
- William Manross Delany (1899–1955)
- Hubert Thomas Delany (1901–1990)
- Laura Edith Delany (1903–1993)
- Samuel Ray Delany (1906–1960)
