Jane Edna Hunter
Encyclopedia
Jane Edna Hunter an African-American social worker, was born near Pendleton, South Carolina
. In 1911 she established the Working Girls Association in Cleveland, Ohio
, which later became the Phillis Wheatley Association of Cleveland.
. After her father died in 1892, she did housework for local families. She began school at age 14 at the Ferguson Academy in Abbeville, South Carolina
. She graduated with an eighth-grade education in 1900. She returned to work as a domestic
.
She was briefly married to Edward Hunter, who was about 40 years older. She moved to Charleston, South Carolina
. She began nursing training at the Cannon Street Hospital and Training School for Nurses. In 1904, she completed her training at the Hampton Institute
in Virginia.
She moved to Cleveland, Ohio. In 1911, she founded the Working Girls Association to offer shelter, assistance, and education to women. In 1912, it became the Phillis Wheatley Association of Cleveland, named in honor of the African-American poet Phillis Wheatley
.
In 1925, she graduated from the Cleveland Law School
, which was then affiliated with Baldwin-Wallace College
. She was admitted to the Ohio Bar
.
She served as executive director of the Phillis Wheatley Association of Cleveland until she retired in 1947. She wrote an autobiograpical book A Nickel and Prayer that was published in 1940.
She held honorary degrees from Allen University
, Fisk University
, Central State University
and Tuskegee Institute. She was on the Board of Directors and was a Vice President of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
.
Her health failed in the mid 1950s. She lived in a nursing home
from the early 1960s until her death on January 13, 1971 in Cleveland.
Jane Edna Hunter: a case study of Black leadership is a book about her life.
Pendleton, South Carolina
Pendleton is a town in Anderson County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,966 at the 2000 census. It is a sister city of Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland....
. In 1911 she established the Working Girls Association in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, which later became the Phillis Wheatley Association of Cleveland.
Life
Her parents were sharecroppers on the Woodburn Plantation FarmWoodburn (Pendleton, South Carolina)
Woodburn or the Woodburn Plantation is an antebellum house near Pendleton in Anderson County, South Carolina. It is at 130 History Lane just off of U.S. 76. It was built as a summer home by Charles Cotesworth Pinckney. Woodburn was named to the National Register of Historic Places on May 6, 1970...
. After her father died in 1892, she did housework for local families. She began school at age 14 at the Ferguson Academy in Abbeville, South Carolina
Abbeville, South Carolina
For other communities of the same name, see Abbeville .Abbeville is a city in Abbeville County, South Carolina, United States, 86 miles west of Columbia. Its population was 5,237 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Abbeville County...
. She graduated with an eighth-grade education in 1900. She returned to work as a domestic
Domestic worker
A domestic worker is a man, woman or child who works within the employer's household. Domestic workers perform a variety of household services for an individual or a family, from providing care for children and elderly dependents to cleaning and household maintenance, known as housekeeping...
.
She was briefly married to Edward Hunter, who was about 40 years older. She moved to Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
. She began nursing training at the Cannon Street Hospital and Training School for Nurses. In 1904, she completed her training at the Hampton Institute
Hampton University
Hampton University is a historically black university located in Hampton, Virginia, United States. It was founded by black and white leaders of the American Missionary Association after the American Civil War to provide education to freedmen.-History:...
in Virginia.
She moved to Cleveland, Ohio. In 1911, she founded the Working Girls Association to offer shelter, assistance, and education to women. In 1912, it became the Phillis Wheatley Association of Cleveland, named in honor of the African-American poet Phillis Wheatley
Phillis Wheatley
Phillis Wheatley was the first African American poet and first African-American woman whose writings were published. Born in Gambia, Senegal, she was sold into slavery at age seven...
.
In 1925, she graduated from the Cleveland Law School
Cleveland-Marshall College of Law
The Cleveland–Marshall College of Law is the law school of Cleveland State University, located in Cleveland, Ohio. The school traces its origins to the founding of Cleveland Law School in 1897 which, in 1946, merged with the John Marshall School of Law, founded in 1916, to become Cleveland–Marshall...
, which was then affiliated with Baldwin-Wallace College
Baldwin-Wallace College
Baldwin–Wallace College is a liberal arts college in Berea, Ohio, founded in 1845. It is home to the Riemenschneider-Bach Institute and the Baldwin–Wallace Conservatory of Music, an internationally renowned music school. The college is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Students receive a...
. She was admitted to the Ohio Bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
.
She served as executive director of the Phillis Wheatley Association of Cleveland until she retired in 1947. She wrote an autobiograpical book A Nickel and Prayer that was published in 1940.
She held honorary degrees from Allen University
Allen University
-External links:* -- Official web site...
, Fisk University
Fisk University
Fisk University is an historically black university founded in 1866 in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. The world-famous Fisk Jubilee Singers started as a group of students who performed to earn enough money to save the school at a critical time of financial shortages. They toured to raise funds to...
, Central State University
Central State University
Central State University, commonly referred to as "C-State", is a historically black university located in Wilberforce, Ohio, United States. It is the only public HBCU in Ohio.-History:...
and Tuskegee Institute. She was on the Board of Directors and was a Vice President of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, usually abbreviated as NAACP, is an African-American civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909. Its mission is "to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to...
.
Her health failed in the mid 1950s. She lived in a nursing home
Nursing home
A nursing home, convalescent home, skilled nursing unit , care home, rest home, or old people's home provides a type of care of residents: it is a place of residence for people who require constant nursing care and have significant deficiencies with activities of daily living...
from the early 1960s until her death on January 13, 1971 in Cleveland.
Legacy
The Cuyahoga County Department of Children and Family Services Agency named its principal building the Jane Edna Hunter Social Services Center to honor her work with children and families. The Jane Edna Hunter Museum is at the Phillis Wheatley Center in Cleveland.Jane Edna Hunter: a case study of Black leadership is a book about her life.