Nannie Helen Burroughs: Pioneering Education and Civil Rights Advocate

February 21 2025

Media, Related Organizations, TAUC News, Unions

As we continue celebrating Black History Month, TAUC proudly honors Nannie Helen Burroughs, a trailblazer in education and civil rights who dedicated her life to empowering African American women.

Early Life and Education

Born on May 2, 1879, in Orange, Virginia, to formerly enslaved parents, Burroughs faced early adversity with the passing of her father. She and her mother relocated to Washington, D.C., seeking better opportunities. There, Burroughs excelled academically, graduating with honors from M Street High School (now Paul Laurence Dunbar High School). Despite her outstanding performance, she was denied a teaching position in the D.C. public schools, a setback attributed by some historians to colorism within the Black community.

Founding the National Training School for Women and Girls

Undeterred by discrimination, Burroughs envisioned an institution dedicated to educating and training African American women beyond domestic roles. She presented her idea to the National Baptist Convention (NBC), which purchased six acres in Northeast Washington, D.C., for the school. Determined to rely on support from the Black community rather than wealthy white donors, Burroughs raised funds through small donations from African American women and children. In 1909, she successfully opened the National Training School for Women and Girls, offering courses in domestic science, business, and other vocational skills.

Advocacy for Civil Rights and Women’s Suffrage

Beyond her educational endeavors, Burroughs was a fervent advocate for civil rights and women’s suffrage. She believed in the necessity of Black and white women collaborating to secure voting rights, emphasizing that suffrage was essential for African American women to protect their interests in a discriminatory society. Her activism extended to co-founding the Women’s Auxiliary of the National Baptist Convention, where she served from 1900 to 1947, amplifying the voices of Black women in religious and social spheres.

Legacy and Lasting Impact

Burroughs dedicated her life to the education and empowerment of Black women, never marrying and remaining steadfast in her mission. After her passing on May 20, 1961, the school she founded was renamed the Nannie Helen Burroughs School in 1964, continuing her legacy of providing quality education. The Trades Hall, constructed in 1928 as part of the school’s expansion, stands today as a National Historic Landmark, symbolizing her enduring impact on education and civil rights.

Nannie Helen Burroughs’s unwavering commitment to education and equality not only transformed the lives of countless African American women but also laid the groundwork for the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Her life’s work remains a testament to the power of resilience and community-driven change.