Richard R. Wright facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Robert Wright Sr.
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| President of Georgia State Industrial College for Colored Youth | |
| In office 1891–1921 |
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| Succeeded by | Cyrus G. Wiley |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 16, 1855 Dalton, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | July 2, 1947 (aged 92) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Spouse | Lydia Elizabeth (Howard) Wright |
| Alma mater | Atlanta University The Wharton School |
| Profession | Military officer, educator, banker |
| Military service | |
| Rank | Major |
| Unit | United States Volunteers |
Richard Robert Wright Sr. (May 16, 1855 – July 2, 1947) was an amazing American leader. He was a military officer, a teacher, and a college president. He also worked in politics, fought for civil rights, and started a bank. Richard Wright founded a high school, a college, and a bank. He also created the National Freedom Day Association in 1941.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Richard Wright was born on May 16, 1855. He was born into slavery in a small log cabin near Dalton, Georgia.
After slavery ended in 1865, his mother moved with him to Cuthbert, Georgia. He went to the Storrs School. This school later became Atlanta University, which is a historically black college or university (HBCU). HBCUs are colleges started to educate Black students. Many formerly enslaved people wanted their children to get an education there.
One day, a retired Union General named Oliver Otis Howard visited the school. He asked the students what message he should take back North. Young Richard Wright famously told him, "Sir, tell them we are rising." This inspiring moment led to a famous poem called "Howard at Atlanta" by John Greenleaf Whittier.
The Storrs School was one of many schools for Black children started by the American Missionary Association (AMA) in the South. Richard Wright was the top student in his class. He gave a speech at Atlanta University's first graduation ceremony in 1876.
Career and Leadership
Military Service
In August 1898, President William McKinley chose Richard Wright to be a major in the United States Army. He became a paymaster, which means he handled money for the soldiers. He was the first African American to be a U.S. Army paymaster. During the Spanish–American War, he was the highest-ranking African-American officer. He left the army in December of the same year.
Leading a College
In 1890, a new law said that states with separate schools for Black students needed to create colleges for them. Georgia created the Georgia State Industrial College for Colored Youth.
In 1891, Richard Wright became the first president of this new college. It was the first public historically black college (HBCU) in Georgia. The college started in Savannah, Georgia, and it's still there today as Savannah State University. It began with only five teachers and eight students, but it quickly grew.
Richard Wright visited other colleges to learn about the best ways to teach students. He wanted to make sure his college offered a great education. He included different ideas in the school's plan. He wanted students to learn classic subjects, but also practical skills.
Many important leaders visited the college while he was president. These included Mary McLeod Bethune, George Washington Carver, and Booker T. Washington. Even U.S. Presidents William McKinley and William Howard Taft came to speak to the students.
By the time Richard Wright left the college, it had grown from 8 students to over 400. He added classes to train teachers and teach about farming and machines. He also started a high school program. This helped students who came from areas without good high schools.
Richard Wright was also part of the American Negro Academy. This group of Black scholars and activists worked to fight against racist ideas. They also promoted equality and shared the history of African-American life.
Starting a Bank
After moving to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1921, Richard Wright decided to open a bank. Even at 67 years old, he went to the Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania to learn how to do it.
In 1921, he opened Philadelphia's Citizens and Southern Bank and Trust Company. At that time, it was the only Black-owned bank in the North. It was also the first Black-owned company that could manage trusts (money for others). He also started the Negro Bankers Association, which was the first banking group for African Americans.
His bank was strong enough to survive the Great Depression, a very difficult economic time. When the bank was sold in 1957, it had $5.5 million.
Personal Life
Richard Wright married Lydia Elizabeth Howard. They had nine children together. One of their sons, Richard R. Wright Jr., also became a leader in education.
Legacy and Impact
Fighting for Civil Rights
Richard Wright wrote an important letter to President Harry S. Truman about a terrible event. A Black veteran named Isaac Woodard was badly beaten by white police officers and lost his eyesight. Because of this letter and efforts by the NAACP, President Truman asked for an investigation.
This event and other calls for change led President Truman to create a Committee on Civil Rights. This committee suggested many important changes. They said there should be a permanent Civil Rights division in the Justice Department. They also said the entire federal government should end segregation (separation by race).
Because of these efforts, President Truman ordered the military to end segregation. The U.S. military has been desegregated ever since.
Family's Achievements
In 1898, Richard Wright's son, Richard R. Wright Jr., was the first person to earn a bachelor's degree from Georgia State Industrial College. Richard Jr. later became the first African American to earn a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. He became a professor and president of Wilberforce University. He also became a bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
One of Richard Jr.'s daughters, Dr. Ruth Wright Hayre, also earned a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. They were the first African-American father and daughter to both earn Ph.D.s from that university. Dr. Ruth Wright Hayre became the first full-time African-American teacher in Philadelphia's public schools. She became a principal and later the first female president of the Philadelphia Board of Education.
When she was 80, she started a program called "Tell Them We Are Rising". She promised to pay for college for 116 sixth-graders if they finished high school. Her story is told in her book, Tell Them We Are Rising: A Memoir of Faith in Education.
National Freedom Day
In 1941, Richard Wright invited leaders to Philadelphia. He wanted to create a special day to remember the signing of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This amendment, signed by President Abraham Lincoln on February 1, 1865, ended slavery in the U.S. They formed the National Freedom Day Association.
One year after Richard Wright passed away, the U.S. Congress passed a bill to make February 1 National Freedom Day. President Harry S. Truman signed it into law on June 30, 1948. This holiday was a step towards what we now know as Black History Month.
Images for kids
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Richard R. Wright Sr.
