Lorenzo Dow Turner facts for kids

Lorenzo Dow Turner (born August 21, 1890 – died February 10, 1972) was an important African-American academic and linguist. A linguist is someone who studies languages. Turner is famous for his groundbreaking research on the Gullah language. This language is spoken by the Gullah people in the Low Country of coastal South Carolina and Georgia.

In the 1930s, he made recordings of Gullah speakers. He also led the English departments at Howard University and Fisk University for almost 30 years. He helped create the African Studies program at Fisk. Later, he co-founded a training program for Peace Corps volunteers. This program helped prepare young people going to Africa.

Early Life and Education

Lorenzo Dow Turner was born in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. His birthday was October 21, 1890. He was the youngest of four sons. His parents were Rooks Turner and Elizabeth Freeman.

His father earned a master's degree from Howard University. His mother received the best education available to Black women then. Two of his brothers became a doctor and a lawyer. His family believed strongly in education. This helped Turner succeed in his own studies.

Turner earned his bachelor's degree from Howard University in 1914. He later received a master's degree from Harvard University. He also earned a Ph.D. in English literature from the University of Chicago.

Teaching and Academic Leadership

Turner taught at Howard University from 1917 to 1928. For eight of those years, he was the Head of the English Department. After leaving Howard, he started a newspaper called the Washington Sun. It closed after one year.

From 1929 to 1946, Turner led the English Department at Fisk University. While there, he designed the curriculum for the African Studies Program. This program focused on the history and cultures of Africa.

In 1946, he began teaching at Roosevelt University in Chicago. He became the Chairman of their African Studies Program. In the early 1960s, he helped create a Peace Corps training program. This program prepared young volunteers for service in Africa. Turner retired from Roosevelt University in 1967.

Studying the Gullah Language

Lorenzo Dow Turner is often called the "father of Gullah studies." His interest in the Gullah language began in 1929. He first heard Gullah speakers while teaching a summer class. This was at South Carolina State College.

At that time, many scholars thought Gullah was just "bad" English. But Turner felt it was deeply influenced by African languages. He decided to study it closely. For the next 20 years, he visited the Gullah region. This area is along the coast of South Carolina and Georgia. He interviewed Gullah people, often in faraway places. He took detailed notes on their language. In the 1930s, he also made recordings of Gullah speakers. They talked about their culture, folk stories, and daily life.

To understand Gullah better, Turner traveled to Africa. He visited places like Sierra Leone. He wanted to learn about how Creole languages developed. He also went to Louisiana and Brazil to study other Creole languages and Portuguese. He researched African language systems at the University of London. This helped him understand the "Africanisms" he found in Gullah speech. His deep research showed how Gullah culture and language connect to the wider African diaspora.

In 1949, Turner published his famous book, Africanisms in the Gullah Dialect. This book changed how academics thought about Gullah. His study was so convincing that scholars quickly agreed. They accepted his idea that Gullah is strongly influenced by African languages. He showed how language and culture continued from Africa to the Americas. Many scholars have followed Turner's path. They continue to research the African roots of Gullah language and culture. His work created a new field of study. It also brought appreciation for a special part of African-American culture.

Turner's work was very important for several academic fields. These include Gullah studies, dialect geography, and creole linguistics. He also paved the way for African American studies. This field became popular in the 1960s and 1970s.

His pioneering work was featured in an exhibit in 2016. It was called "Word, Shout, Song: Lorenzo Dow Turner Connecting Communities Through Language." This exhibit was at the Smithsonian's Anacostia Community Museum. The museum received many of Turner's original notes, pictures, and recordings in 2003. They were given by his widow, Lois Turner Williams.

Turner passed away on February 10, 1972. He died of heart failure in Chicago, Illinois.

Legacy and Honors

• A junior high school in Chicago was named after him. It is called the Turner Drew Language Academy. It also honors Charles R. Drew, an African-American scientist.