William J. Simmons (teacher) facts for kids
William J. Simmons (born June 29, 1849 – died October 30, 1890) was an amazing American leader. He was born into slavery but became a well-known educator, writer, and journalist. He served as the second president of Simmons College of Kentucky from 1880 to 1890. The school was eventually named after him because of his great work there. He also helped improve teacher training programs at Howard University.
Contents
Early Life and Education
William J. Simmons was born on June 29, 1849, in Charleston, South Carolina. His parents were Edward and Esther Simmons. When William was young, his mother bravely escaped slavery with him and his two sisters, Emeline and Anna.
They first went to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There, they were helped by an uncle, Alexander Tardiff, who gave them a home, food, and an education. To stay safe from slave traders, the family moved several times. They lived in Roxbury, Pennsylvania, Chester, Pennsylvania, and finally settled in Bordentown, New Jersey. Their uncle, who was taught by Bishop Daniel Payne, made sure William and his sisters received an education.
From 1862 to 1864, William worked as an apprentice for a dentist. He then joined the Union Army on September 15, 1864, and served for one year during the American Civil War. He was part of important battles like the siege of Petersburg and the Battle of Appomattox Court House. He was even there when Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered.
After the war, he went back to dentistry. In 1867, he became a Baptist and joined a church in Bordentown. This church helped him go to college. He studied at Madison University (now Colgate University), Rochester University, and Howard University. He earned his bachelor's degree from Howard in 1873. While studying, he also taught briefly at Hillsdale School in Washington, D.C..
A New Chapter: Family and Leadership
After graduating, William moved to Arkansas to become a teacher. However, he soon returned to Hillsdale and taught there until June 1874.
On August 25, 1874, he married Josephine A. Silence. They had seven children together: Josephine Lavinia, William Johnson, Maud Marie, Amanda Moss, Mary Beatrice, John Thomas, and Gussie Lewis.
The family moved to Ocala, Florida. In Florida, William bought land to grow oranges. He became the principal of Howard Academy's teacher training program. He also served as a church pastor, a deputy county clerk, and a county commissioner. He supported the Republican candidate Rutherford B. Hayes in his political campaigns. He stayed in Florida until 1879.
That same year, he became an ordained minister and moved to Lexington, Kentucky. There, he became the pastor of the First Baptist Church.
Leading the Way in Education
In 1880, William J. Simmons became the second president of the Kentucky Normal and Theological Institute. He led the school for ten years, helping it grow and improve greatly. Because of his hard work, the school was later renamed the State University of Louisville and then Simmons College of Kentucky in his honor. Charles L. Purce took over as president in 1894.
In Kentucky, Simmons was also chosen to be the chairman of the State Convention of Colored Men for several years.
A Voice for Change
On September 29, 1882, Simmons was chosen to be the editor of a newspaper called the American Baptist. In his writings, he spoke out about how both political parties failed to support African Americans in their fight for civil rights and progress. He also served as president of the American Baptist Company.
In 1886, he was elected president of the Colored Press Association. This was a big achievement, showing his influence as a journalist.
Simmons was also a strong organizer. In 1883, he started the Baptist Women's Educational Convention. In 1884, Blanche Bruce appointed him as a commissioner for Kentucky at the 1884 World's Fair in New Orleans.
In 1886, he helped organize and was elected president of the American National Baptist Convention. This convention aimed to bring African American Baptists together. Other important leaders like Richard DeBaptiste were involved, and speakers like Solomon T. Clanton and James T. White gave presentations. In 1889, at a meeting in Indianapolis, Simmons led the convention in writing a plan to help African Americans who were moving North to escape violence in the South.
Lasting Legacy
William J. Simmons received special honors for his achievements. Howard University gave him an honorary master's degree in 1881. Wilberforce University awarded him an honorary Doctorate degree in 1885.
In 1887, while he was still president of the college, he published an important book called Men of Mark: Eminent, Progressive and Rising. This book shared the life stories of 172 important African-American men. He was also working on another book to highlight the lives of notable African-American women from before 1900, but he sadly passed away before he could finish it.
William J. Simmons died on October 30, 1890, in Louisville, Kentucky. His life showed how someone born into slavery could rise to become a powerful voice for education and civil rights.
