Virginia Broughton

Virginia E. Walker Broughton (March 1, 1856 – September 21, 1934) was an African American author and Baptist missionary. She was a known religious scholar and wrote articles for the National Baptist Union newspaper and National Baptist Magazine. As a prominent member of the Baptist church and National Corresponding Secretary of the National Baptist Convention, she worked to include the issues of African American religious women among the important components of the governing body of the denomination.

Personal background

Virginia (née Walker) Broughton was born on March 1, 1856, in Nashville, Tennessee to Nelson and Eliza (née Smart) Walker. The slave master of her father permitted him to work elsewhere, in order to earn enough money to purchased his family's freedom. After obtaining his freedom, he became an attorney, and was known as the first African American man admitted to the state bar in Davidson County, Tennessee.^[1] During her childhood, Broughton attended Fisk College and Normal Institute. In 1875, Broughton graduated with honors from Fisk University, from where she earned her teaching credentials. In 1878, she earned a Masters degree in teaching, also from Fisk.^[2] ^[3]^[4] Following her graduation from Fisk University, Broughton began teaching in the public schools in Memphis, Tennessee. She remained there until 1887, when she resigned and accepted a position with the B.B.N.&I. (Bible Bands) Institute in Memphis. Her position with the Institute was the official start of her missionary work.^[5] In August 1902, at the Woman's State Convention of Tennessee, she was elected to serve as the National Corresponding Secretary for the National Baptist Convention.^[6]

Broughton married Julius A. O. Broughton Sr. and together, they had five children, Elizabeth, Emma, Selina, Virginia, and Julius, Jr.^[7]^[8] Broughton died on September 21, 1934 from complications due to diabetes. Her husband died on December 4, 1930 from a stroke.^[9]

Published works

Broughton, Virginia E. Walker (1895). A Brief Sketch of the Life and Labors of Mrs. V. W. Broughton, Bible Band Missionary, for Middle and West Tennessee.
Broughton, Virginia E. Walker (1904). Woman's Work: As Gleaned from the Women of the Bible, and the Bible Women of Modern Times.
Broughton, Virginia E. Walker (1907). Twenty Year's Experience of a Missionary.

References

^ Carter, Tomeiko Ashford, editor (2010). Virginia Broughton: The Life and Writings of a Missionary, The University of Tennessee Press, pp 1-7. ISBN 978-1572336964
^ Carter, Tomeiko Ashford, editor (2010). Virginia Broughton: The Life and Writings of a Missionary, The University of Tennessee Press, page xxxix. ISBN 978-1572336964
^ "Biographies". Digital.nypl.org. Retrieved 2012-12-09.
^ "Project MUSE - Virginia Broughton". Muse.jhu.edu. Retrieved 2012-12-09.
^ Carter, Tomeiko Ashford, editor (2010). Virginia Broughton: The Life and Writings of a Missionary, The University of Tennessee Press, page 2. ISBN 978-1572336964
^ Carter, Tomeiko Ashford, editor (2010). Virginia Broughton: The Life and Writings of a Missionary, The University of Tennessee Press, page 29. ISBN 978-1572336964
^ Carter, Tomeiko Ashford, editor (2010). Virginia Broughton: The Life and Writings of a Missionary, The University of Tennessee Press, pp 14-17. ISBN 978-1572336964
^ Carter, Tomeiko Ashford, editor (2010). Virginia Broughton: The Life and Writings of a Missionary, The University of Tennessee Press, pp 40-41. ISBN 978-1572336964
^ Carter, Tomeiko Ashford, editor (2010). Virginia Broughton: The Life and Writings of a Missionary, The University of Tennessee Press, page xl. ISBN 978-1572336964

Personal background

Published works

References

Further reading