Viola Burnham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Viola Burnham
OR
|
|
|---|---|
| Vice President of Guyana | |
| In office August 1985 – October 1991 |
|
| President | Desmond Hoyte |
| First Lady of Guyana | |
| In role 6 October 1980 – 6 August 1985 |
|
| President | Forbes Burnham |
| Preceded by | Doreen Chung |
| Succeeded by | Joyce Hoyte |
| Spouse of the Prime Minister of Guyana | |
| In role 1967 – 6 October 1980 |
|
| Prime Minister | Forbes Burnham |
| Preceded by | Bernice Lataste |
| Succeeded by | Ruth Reid |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Viola Victorine Harper
26 November 1930 New Amsterdam, Berbice, British Guiana |
| Died | 10 October 2003 (aged 72) |
| Nationality |  Guyanese |
| Spouse | Forbes Burnham (m. 1967) |
| Children | 3 (One adopted) |
| Parents |
|
| Alma mater | University of Leicester, University of Chicago |
Viola Victorine Burnham (born Harper; 26 November 1930 – 10 October 2003) was an important Guyanese politician. She was a member of the People's National Congress party. She was also the wife and later the widow of Forbes Burnham, who was a former leader of Guyana.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Viola Burnham was born in New Amsterdam, in a region called Berbice. She was the youngest of eight children. Her father, James Nathaniel Harper, was a school teacher. Her mother was Mary Chin.
Moving to Georgetown
After her father passed away, her family moved to Georgetown. There, Viola attended Bishops’ High School. She was able to go to this school because she received a special scholarship.
Becoming a Teacher
After a short time working at a newspaper called The Argosy, she decided to become a teacher. This job helped her get a scholarship to study at a university overseas. She earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Latin from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom. Later, she earned a Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in Education from the University of Chicago in the United States. After finishing her studies, she returned to Guyana to teach Latin at Bishops’ High School.
Political Career and Public Service
In 1967, Viola married Forbes Burnham, who was the Prime Minister of Guyana at the time. This was his second marriage. They had two daughters together.
Helping Women in Politics
In the same year, 1967, she took on a role as Vice-Chairperson of the Women's Auxiliary of the PNC. This group was part of the People's National Congress party. She helped to reorganize the group and took on more duties related to women's issues.
Leading Women's Movements
By 1976, the Women's Auxiliary became known as the Women's Revolutionary Socialist Movement (WRSM). Viola Burnham was elected as its Chairperson. Through the WRSM, she worked on projects to help women find jobs and get an education in Guyana. Her work also helped women in the wider Caribbean region.
International and National Roles
Viola Burnham was also a founding member and Vice-President of the Caribbean Woman's Association. She led the Guyanese group at the first three United Nations Conferences on Women. These conferences focused on improving the lives of women around the world. She also served as the chair of the Guyana National Commission for the Year of the Child. This showed her dedication to children's well-being.
Serving as Vice President
After her husband, Forbes Burnham, passed away, Viola continued her political work. In August 1985, she joined the government of Desmond Hoyte. She became a Vice President and a deputy prime minister. Her responsibilities included education, social development, and culture.
Member of Parliament
She was elected to the Parliament of Guyana in 1985. She served in these important roles until October 1991, when she decided to step down from both Parliament and the cabinet.
Awards and Recognition
In 1984, Viola Burnham received a special award called the Order of Roraima. This is a high honor given in Guyana.
See also
In Spanish: Viola Burnham para niños
