William J. Watkins Sr. facts for kids

William J. Watkins Sr. was an important African-American leader who lived from 1803 to 1858. He was a strong voice against slavery, known as an abolitionist. He also worked as a teacher and a minister in Baltimore, Maryland.

Early Life and Education

William J. Watkins Sr. was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1803. His father, William Watkins, was a founder of the Sharp Street Methodist Church.

William attended the Bethel Charity School. This school was special because it was started by Daniel Coker in 1807 for Black children. This was at a time when laws in Maryland made it very hard for Black people to get an education. When William was 19, he became a teacher at this same school. This happened after Daniel Coker left to join a movement that wanted to send Black people back to Africa.

Family and Later Years

In the mid-1820s, William J. Watkins Sr. married Henrietta Russell. They had eight children together. One of their sons, William J. Watkins Jr., also became a well-known abolitionist. He even wrote for The North Star, a famous anti-slavery newspaper started by Frederick Douglass.

In 1852, William J. Watkins Sr. moved to Toronto, Canada. His son, William J. Jr., joined him there. William J. Watkins Sr. passed away in Canada in 1858.

Watkins also raised his niece, Frances Ellen Watkins Harper. She came to live with him after her family died. He taught her in his school until she was 13. Frances grew up to be a very important person. She became a co-founder of the American Woman Suffrage Association in 1869, which worked for women's right to vote. She was also a talented African-American poet who published many works.

William Watkins' Career

William J. Watkins Sr. had many different jobs throughout his life. He was a teacher, a writer for newspapers, and a minister at the Sharp Street AME Church. He also started a Black Literary Society and was known as a "self-taught doctor."

As a teacher, Watkins combined the Bethel Charity School with the Sharp Street schools. This led to the creation of Watkins' Academy for Negro Youth between 1820 and 1828. This academy provided free education for Black children for over 20 years. Each year, about 50 to 70 students attended the school.

Watkins believed that education was extremely important for African Americans to gain their freedom. Because of this, his work as a teacher and his fight against slavery were closely connected.

Fighting Against Slavery

William J. Watkins Sr. was a very strong opponent of slavery. He also disagreed with the "colonization movement." This movement suggested that Black people should be sent back to Africa. Watkins believed this idea was more about helping white people than truly freeing Black people.

He wrote many articles and gave speeches against slavery and the colonization movement. He started this work in the 1820s and continued until he died. His writings appeared in important anti-slavery newspapers like Freedom's Journal, The Liberator (published by William Lloyd Garrison), Genius of Universal Emancipation (published by Benjamin Lundy), and later, The North Star (published by Frederick Douglass).

Watkins met William Lloyd Garrison before Garrison started The Liberator. Their discussions helped shape Garrison's views on the colonization movement. Later, Watkins helped spread abolitionist ideas in Baltimore by becoming an agent who sold subscriptions for The Liberator newspaper.

Lasting Impact

The William J. Watkins, Sr. Educational Institute is named after him. This institute works to make sure that all children, especially those in communities that don't have many resources, get the best education possible.