Nannie Helen Burroughs' Intersection of Faith and Activism
Nannie Helen Burroughs was a prominent African American educator, orator, religious leader, and civil rights activist in the early 20th century. Born in 1879 in Orange, Virginia, Burroughs dedicated her life to empowering and uplifting black women through education, employment training, and spiritual guidance. Her legacy and influence continue to resonate today. (Scroll to the bottom of this blog to see a video about Nannie Helen Burroughs!)
Burroughs established the National Training School for Women and Girls in Washington, D.C. in 1909, which aimed to provide industrial arts and domestic science training for Black women. She believed that providing practical vocational skills and education would equip Black women for success and economic independence at a time when opportunities were extremely limited. The school later expanded into a boarding high school and eventually a junior college before closing in the 1960s.
In addition to her groundbreaking work in education, Burroughs was a leader in the National Baptist Convention and spoke passionately about racial discrimination and women’s rights. She advocated for Black self-help and protested segregation while also criticizing some elite Black institutions. Her fiery speeches and activism made her a prominent figure in the early civil rights movement.
Today, Burroughs is considered an important figure in womanist theology, which incorporates perspectives from black women's experiences with oppression. Her emphasis on practical training and financial independence for black women, along with her critiques of sexism, foreshadowed womanist ideas. Scholars now recognize her as both an educator and spiritual leader who contributed a progressive womanist voice decades before the womanist movement emerged.
More than 60 years after her death in 1961, Nannie Helen Burroughs’ teachings and activism provide invaluable insight. Her tireless efforts to uplift and empower Black women through practical skills and education helped pave the way for future leaders. Burroughs should be remembered as a bold pioneer committed to equality and justice.
Additional Resources:
- Nannie Helen Burroughs School National Historic Site, National Park Service - https://www.nps.gov/places/nannie-helen-burroughs-school.htm
- Encyclopedia Britannica entry - https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nannie-Helen-Burroughs
- “Nannie Helen Burroughs: The Black Goddess of Liberty” by Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham (article)
- “Nannie Helen Burroughs” by Virginia Lantz Denton (biography book)
- “Faithful to the Task at Hand: The Life of Lucy Diggs Slowe” by Adele Logan Alexander (book mentioning Burroughs)
- “Journey to the Well” film documentary about Burroughs’ leadership