John Dunjee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Dunjee
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| Born |
John William Dunjee
1833 Charles City County, Virginia, U.S.
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| Died | April 19, 1903 (aged 69–70) Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.
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| Resting place | Fairlawn Cemetery Association |
| Alma mater | Oberlin College |
| Spouse(s) |
Lydia Ann Taylor
(m. 1859) |
| Children | Drusilla and Roscoe |
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John William Dunjee (also known as John Dungy or John Dungee) was born in 1833 and passed away on April 19, 1903. He was an important American missionary, teacher, and Baptist minister. He also worked as a publisher and helped start many Baptist churches across the United States. John Dunjee was also an agent for Storer College, a school that was very important for African American students.
Early Life and Education
John William Dunjee was born in Virginia in 1833. At that time, he was forced to be a slave. His family believed that President John Tyler was his father. When he was working for a former Virginia governor in 1859, John learned he was going to be moved to Alabama. He decided to escape to freedom.
He bravely escaped to Canada using the Underground Railroad, a secret network that helped slaves find freedom. William Still, a famous abolitionist, helped him on his journey. John arrived in Philadelphia in February and then traveled to Hamilton, Canada. He lived there for several years, working as a barber and studying at night.
After the American Civil War ended, John returned to the United States. He studied at Oberlin College in Ohio. While there, he changed the spelling of his name to "Dunjee" because he was told it was the "correct" way. Later, he moved to Maine to find more affordable education. From 1866 to 1868, John studied at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. Because Bates College was connected to the founding of Storer College in West Virginia, John decided to move there. He wanted to do missionary work and help recruit students for Storer.
Career and Community Work
John Dunjee played a big role in supporting Storer College. This school in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia was a Freewill Baptist College created for African American students. William Still, the same person who helped John escape slavery, also served on the board of trustees for Storer College.
After his work at Storer, John became a minister with the Baptist Home Missionary Society. He traveled all over the country, from New England to the South and the Midwest. He preached and helped start new Baptist churches, especially in rural areas, for African Americans.
John Dunjee was also a strong supporter of many other African American schools. These included Spelman College, Shaw College, Hampton College, and Langston University. He was friends with many well-known people, including Frederick Douglass. In 1882, John also started a newspaper called the Harper's Ferry Messenger. He was the business manager for the paper. His children, Drusilla Dunjee Houston and Roscoe Dunjee, later wrote for the Messenger and became editors of another newspaper called the Black Dispatch in Oklahoma.
Personal Life
While living in Canada, John Dunjee married Lydia Ann Taylor. They had two children together:
- Drusilla Dunjee Houston (born February 20, 1876 – died February 8, 1941) became a writer and historian.
- Roscoe Dunjee (born June 21, 1883 – died March 1, 1965) became a civil rights activist and journalist.
See also
- List of Bates College people
