Lena Doolin Mason facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lena Doolin Mason
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| Born | May 6, 1864 |
| Died | August 28, 1924 (aged 60) |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Douglass High School |
| Occupation | Ministry |
| Years active | 1887–1924 |
| Known for | Colored Conference |
Lena Doolin Mason (born May 6, 1864 – died August 28, 1924) was an American Methodist preacher and a talented poet. She was known for her powerful speeches and her writings that spoke out against unfairness.
Early Life and Education
Lena Doolin was born on May 6, 1864, in Quincy, Illinois. Her parents were Vaughn and Relda Doolin. When she was about eight years old, in 1872, she joined the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Hannibal, Missouri.
She went to Douglass High School in Hannibal. Later, she also studied at Professor Knott's School in Chicago.
Family Life
In 1883, Lena Doolin married George Mason. They had six children together. Sadly, only one of their children lived to become an adult.
A Life of Preaching
When Lena Mason was 23 years old, she decided to become a preacher. A preacher is someone who gives religious talks, often in a church. For her first three years, she preached mainly to white people.
Mason was known as a very good speaker, or an "orator." During her career, she traveled a lot. She preached in almost every state in the United States. She was also a member of the "Colored Conference," which was a group for African American religious leaders.
Her Powerful Poetry
Besides preaching, Lena Mason also wrote songs and poems. Only two of her poems are still known today. One poem was called "A Negro in It." She wrote this poem after a very important event, the assassination of President William McKinley.
Her other known poem was "The Negro in Education." In this poem, she challenged common ideas from her time. Some people used to argue that education made people unfit to be enslaved. Mason's poem showed that this idea was wrong. She used her writing to speak up for justice and equality.
