Maude Brockway facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Maude Brockway
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Brockway in 1922
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| Born |
Mary Maude Sterling
February 28, 1876 |
| Died | October 24, 1959 (aged 83) |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | M. J. Brockway, Mary Maude Brockway, Maude Jane Brockway, Maude Sterling |
| Education | Arkansas Baptist College |
| Occupation | teacher, milliner, activist |
| Years active | 1896–1959 |
| Children | 1 |
Maude Brockway (born February 28, 1876 – died October 24, 1959) was an American teacher, a milliner (someone who makes and sells hats), and an activist (someone who works for social change). She was born in Arkansas in 1876. After finishing her studies at Arkansas Baptist College, she moved to Indian Territory.
At first, she taught in schools near Ardmore, in the Chickasaw Nation. Later, she started her own hat-making business. In 1910, she moved to Oklahoma City. There, she became very active in the Black Clubwomen's Movement. This movement was made up of Black women who worked to improve their communities.
Maude Brockway helped start the Oklahoma Federation of Colored Women's Clubs. This was a state group connected to the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs. She also helped create the Oklahoma City chapter of this group. She led the city chapter from 1925 to 1950. She was also president of the state federation from 1936 to 1940. She held important roles in the national organization too.
Besides her club work, Brockway was involved in many church groups. She started the Oklahoma Training School for Women and Girls in Sapulpa, Oklahoma. She also founded the Brockway Community Center in Oklahoma City. In 2019, the center named after her was recognized as an important historical place for Black history in Oklahoma.
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Early Life and Education
Mary Maude Sterling was born on February 28, 1876. Her birthplace was Clark County, Arkansas. She grew up in a town called Curtis. Maude went to the Arkadelphia Presbyterian Academy. This school was created to educate the children of formerly enslaved people. After that, she continued her studies at Arkansas Baptist College.
Starting Her Career
By 1896, Maude Sterling had married William Brockway. They moved to Indian Territory, a place where Native American tribes lived. They had a daughter named Inez. Maude Brockway taught at schools in Ardmore and Berwyn. These towns were in the Chickasaw Nation.
She joined the Baptist Young People's Union. By 1906, she was its president. That same year, she opened her own hat-making shop in Ardmore. Around 1910, her family moved to Oklahoma City. Maude kept working as a milliner. Her husband worked as a real estate agent. In Oklahoma City, she became very active in the Black Clubwomen's Movement. This movement worked to make life better for Black citizens.
Leading Community Efforts
In 1910, Maude Brockway helped create the Oklahoma Federation of Negro Women's Clubs. This group later changed its name to the Oklahoma Federation of Colored Women's Clubs. It was connected to the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs. This national group was founded by Mary Church Terrell. The first president of the state group was Harriet Price Jacobson.
The next year, Brockway helped start the Oklahoma City chapter of the State Federation. In 1917, she founded a new school. It was called the Oklahoma Training School for Women and Girls. This school was in Sapulpa. From 1918 to 1919, she was its superintendent. She still kept her home in Oklahoma City. This school later became known as the Drusilla Dunjee Houston Training School.
In 1920, Brockway returned to Oklahoma City. She continued her important club work. She helped the city chapter buy its first meeting place. Many of the clubs she joined were linked to her church work. She was involved in the Order of the Eastern Star. She also became president of the Oklahoma Women's Baptist State Convention in 1918. In 1919, she led the Oklahoma City Mission Society Federation.
As an organizer for the State Federation, Brockway helped clubs grow across Oklahoma. She did this until 1921. The next year, she became the second vice president of the state group. By 1925, she was elected president of the City Chapter. She held this job for 25 years! She used her skills in managing property to help the chapter. She helped them sell their first building. Then, she helped them buy a new property at 615 Northeast 4th Street. Brockway bought nearby land for $15,000. She then gave it to the federation for just $1. This two-story building became known as the Brockway Community Center.
In 1935, Brockway led the National Education Committee for the Women's Auxiliaries. These groups were part of the National Baptist Convention. In 1936, she became president of the State Federation. She served for four years. She helped organize the group into different regions across the state. She also started the Princess Revue program. This program helped raise money for education and charity. It supported groups like the NAACP.
The Brockway Community Center had a health clinic. Two doctors worked there, and Brockway managed it. She also oversaw a free health clinic for babies. There was a nursery, a training center for home skills, and a shelter for young people without homes. After her time as state president, she worked for the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs. She helped with rules and collected important facts.
Throughout the 1940s, Maude Brockway gave talks about helping Black communities. She continued her work with church groups. In 1947, she spent two months in Europe. She gave talks about programs for Black people for the Woman's Missionary Union. When she came back, she shared her experiences with groups in the U.S. Brockway did not support segregated schooling (schools separated by race). She worked against it. However, in 1953, when a new building for Douglass High School was started, she was there. This was the first high school for Black students in Oklahoma City.
Later Life and Legacy
Maude Brockway passed away on October 24, 1959. She was in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. She was attending the state convention of the Women's Auxiliary of the state Baptist Convention. Soon after giving a speech, she had a heart attack and died. Her funeral was held on November 5 at Calvary Baptist Church. She was buried in Trice Hill Cemetery in Oklahoma City.
The Oklahoma Federation of Colored Women's Clubs held a special service for her. This was during the 50th Anniversary of the group's founding. Brockway's daughter, Inez Brockway Brewer, also became an active clubwoman and teacher. In 1968, the Brockway Community Center moved to a new location. In 2019, it was nominated to be on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma. The center is named in Brockway's honor. It is the only building still standing that is connected to the Black Clubwoman's Movement in that area.
