- W. J. Simmons
Dr. William J. Simmons (
June 29 ,1849 –October 30 ,1890 ) was an ex-slave who becameSimmons College of Kentucky 's second president (1880-1890) and for whom the school eventually was named. Simmons greatly developedHoward University 's teacher training programs when he took over the school. In addition, he was a writer, journalist, and educator. In 1886 he became president of the American National Baptist Convention, one of the organizations that would merge to form theNational Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. [ [http://www.nationalbaptist.com/Index.cfm?FuseAction=Page&PageID=1000082 History of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. Online. October, 8 2007] ] . He was elected president of the Colored Press Association for his work as editor of the "American Baptist", a newspaper inLouisville, Kentucky . He died on October 30, 1890 in Louisville, Kentucky.He was born a slave in
Charleston, South Carolina on June 29, 1849. He and his mother fled slavery for the north, finding refuge inBordertown, New Jersey . From 1862 to 1864 he served as anapprentice to adentist . He served in the Union Army briefly, and returned to dentistry after the war. In 1867, he joined a Baptist church in Bordertown. The congregation helped him through college. He attended Madison University, Rochester University, and Howard University, from which he graduated in 1873. He worked briefly in Washington D.C. at Hillside School.The following year, he and his new bride moved to
Ocala, Florida where he became principal of Howard Academy and served as the pastor of a church. He served there until 1879. He was ordained that year and moved toLexington, Kentucky where he pastored the First Baptist Church. The following year, he became president of the Normal and Theological Institute, which he nurtured for a decade. This grew intoSimmons College of Kentucky . Simmons published "Men of Mark: Eminent, Progressive and Rising" in 1887 while serving as the school's president.ources
*Smith, Jessie Carney (Editor). "Notable Black American Men". pp 1066-1077. Gale Research Incorporated. Detroit, Michigan. 1999.
* [http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/BioRC?vrsn=149&OP=starts&locID=22396_largo&srchtp=name&ca=2&c=1&AI=U13721264&NA=SIMMONS%2C+willi&ste=12&tbst=prp&tab=1&docNum=K1627501046&bConts=33 "William J. Simmons." Religious Leaders of America, 2nd ed. Gale Group, 1999. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale. 2007. Document Number: K1627501046. Online. November 9, 2007.]
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