Wayland Seminary facts for kids

Wayland Seminary was a school in Washington, D.C. It was part of the National Theological Institute. This institute was started in 1865 by the American Baptist Home Mission Society. At first, it helped African-American people who had been enslaved (called freedmen) to become ministers. But soon, it offered many more classes to help these newly free people get an education. Near the end of the 1800s, Wayland Seminary joined with another school, the Richmond Theological Seminary. Together, they formed Virginia Union University in Richmond, which is still a university today.

1865: Helping Former Slaves Get an Education

By late 1865, the American Civil War had ended. Slavery in the United States was also over because of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Millions of African Americans who had been slaves were now free. However, they often did not have job skills or opportunities. Many could not even read or write. For example, in Virginia, it was against the law to teach a slave to read after Nat Turner's Rebellion in 1831.

Many people realized that these newly freed people needed schools. Members of the American Baptist Home Mission Society (ABHMS) suggested creating a "National Theological Institute." This school would train people who wanted to become Baptist ministers. Soon, the plan grew. The institute decided to offer college, high school, and even basic classes. These classes were open to both men and women.

1867–1897: The School in Washington, D.C.

The National Theological Institute set up schools in two cities: Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Virginia. Another school, the Augusta Institute (now Morehouse College), also received support. Classes started in both Washington and Richmond by 1867. In Washington, the first classes were held in the basement of the First Colored Baptist Church. This church was later renamed the Nineteenth Street Baptist Church. The classes in Washington grew into a school called Wayland Seminary. The school was named after Francis Wayland. He was a former president of Brown University and a strong leader against slavery.

The first president of Wayland Seminary was George Mellen Prentiss King. He was against slavery and led the school for 30 years, from 1867 to 1897. During his time, the Richmond branch of the National Theological Institute faced many challenges. Its first classes were even held in a building that used to be a "slave jail."

George Rice Hovey was the president of Wayland Seminary from 1897 to 1899.

1899: Joining to Form Virginia Union University

In the 1890s, there were plans to combine several schools supported by the ABHMS into one university. By 1899, Wayland Seminary and Richmond Theological Seminary agreed to join together. They formed Virginia Union University (VUU) in Richmond. New land was bought for a campus. More than 100 years later, VUU's 84-acre campus is still located there. You can find it at 1500 North Lombardy Street in Richmond's North Side.

Famous Students of Wayland Seminary

Many students who attended Wayland Seminary between 1867 and 1897 became important African American citizens. Here are some of them:

• Alfred L. Cralle, who invented the ice cream scoop.
• Kate Drumgoold, an author who wrote A Slave Girl’s Story in 1898.
• Henry N. Jeter, a minister in Newport, Rhode Island.
• Harvey Johnson, a pastor in Baltimore, Maryland and an early civil rights activist.
• Robert S. Laws, a Baptist pastor from the 1800s who started two churches that are still active today.
• Nellie Arnold Plummer, a teacher and author.
• Adam Clayton Powell, Sr., a pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, New York City. He was also a civil rights activist, speaker, and author.
• John Wesley Terry, a labor leader from Chicago.
• Booker T. Washington, a well-known educator and political figure.