Jennie Dean facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jennie Dean |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | April 15, 1848 Sudley Springs, Prince William County, Virginia |
| Died | 3 May 1913 (aged 65) Catharpin, Prince William County, Virginia |
| Occupation | Missionary, educator |
Jennie Dean (born April 15, 1848 – died May 3, 1913) was an amazing woman. She was born into slavery in Virginia. After the American Civil War, she became free. Jennie then worked hard to help other African Americans in northern Virginia.
She helped start many churches and Sunday Schools. Jennie Dean also founded the Manassas Industrial School for Colored Youth. For over 40 years, this school was the only high school for African-American teens in Northern Virginia. It was also one of only two such schools in the state that was not directly linked to a religion.
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Jennie Dean's Early Life and Family
Jennie Dean was born on April 15, 1848. Her parents, Charles and Annie Dean, were both African Americans born into slavery. They were owned by the Newman family, then later by the Cushing family. Jennie had two sisters, Ella and Mary. Jennie Dean herself never married.
During the American Civil War, battles happened near their home. The Dean family stayed in their cabin, hoping to be safe. After the First Battle of Manassas, Jennie's father helped rescue wounded soldiers. He also helped bury the dead. The Second Battle of Manassas happened in the same area later.
Jennie Dean's Career and Community Work
After the war, Jennie Dean went to a school called Manly School. In 1866, as a teenager, she moved to Washington, D.C. to work. She took the train home on weekends to visit her family. In Washington, she joined the Nineteenth Street Baptist Church. She lived simply and saved her money.
Jennie sent most of her earnings home. This money helped her family buy a farm. It also helped them after her father passed away. Her sister Ella used the money to attend the Wayland Seminary and become a teacher. Jennie saw many young African Americans leaving farms to find work in the city. She worried they would get stuck in low-paying jobs. She also worried about other problems they might face.
Building Churches and Sunday Schools
Jennie Dean used her faith to help her community. She helped organize and build churches. She helped start Mt. Calvary Church. She also helped found Prosperity Chapel in Conklin. Catharpin Chapel was another church she helped build near her home. In 1909, she helped create Dean-Divers Chapel.
On weekends, Jennie traveled around northern Virginia. She used a horse-drawn carriage. She taught African-American youth important life skills and values. In 1878, Jennie Dean started her first Sunday school. She would go on to found more than a dozen of them.
Raising Funds for Education
Jennie kept raising money for Sunday Schools and other projects. She often did this during the winter months. She looked for work and fundraising chances in Washington, D.C. She also took longer trips to New York City and Boston, Massachusetts.
In New York, she met Oswald Garrison Villard. He was a publisher for the New York Evening Post. Villard wrote a good story about Jennie Dean. He also gave a lot of money to her programs. Later, he became the head of the board for the Manassas Industrial School. In Boston, Jennie met Edward Everett Hale. He gave money and helped her meet other important people.
Founding the Manassas Industrial School
In 1890, Jennie Dean, her sister Ella, and Jennie E. Thompson had an idea. They wanted to start an industrial school in Manassas. This school would serve African Americans in five nearby counties. They found a farm near the train station that they could buy. They planned to teach students useful skills like sewing, carpentry, and farming. They also wanted to teach them to work hard and save money.
It took almost three years to raise enough money for the land. In January 1893, Jennie spoke at a women's suffrage meeting in Washington. There, she met Emily Howland. Emily donated the last $1,000 needed to buy the farm. This money also helped start building the first school hall, which was named Howland Hall.
The Manassas Industrial School for Colored Youth officially opened on October 7, 1893. Students started attending the next fall. Frederick Douglass was one of the speakers at the opening ceremony. Jennie Dean worked as the financial agent for the school. She also served on its board of directors. Students could learn regular subjects and trades. These trades included dressmaking, cooking, blacksmithing, and shoemaking.
Sadly, Howland Hall burned down in 1895. It had to be rebuilt. A few years later, in 1900, the boys' dormitory also burned down. Despite these challenges, the school grew and did well. It received money from people like Andrew Carnegie. On February 14, 1906, Jennie Dean and some students visited the White House. They met President Theodore Roosevelt.
In 1908, Jennie Dean was removed from the school's management. This happened after a report from accountants hired by Villard. Jennie and Thompson felt that Villard's group ignored local donors. They also felt Villard had too grand plans for the school. Jennie's health got worse after a stroke. She became mostly confined to her home.
Jennie Dean's Death and Lasting Impact
Jennie Dean passed away on May 3, 1913, after another stroke. She was buried next to Mt. Calvary Chapel, a church she helped create. The Library of Virginia honored Jennie Dean in 2000. She was recognized as one of the first "Virginia Women in History."
The Manassas Industrial School for Colored Youth continued for many decades. It helped many African-American students become teachers and leaders. It was one of only two high schools for African Americans in Virginia not linked to a religion. In 1938, the school became the main high school for African-American students in five northern Virginia counties.
After World War II, more schools were built for African-American students. Also, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) fought against segregated schools. This led to important court cases like Brown v. Board of Education. The Manassas Industrial School closed in 1959. This happened as Virginia ended its policy of Massive Resistance to desegregation.
In 1994, the Manassas Industrial School site was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The original buildings were gone, but it became a 70-acre city park. The park has a memorial to Jennie Dean. It also has outlines of the old buildings and signs explaining the history. Today, an elementary school next to the park is named after Miss Dean. There is also a park in Arlington, Virginia, named after Jennie Dean.
