Margaret Murray Washington

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Margaret James Murray Washington in 1917

Margaret James Murray Washington in 1915

Margaret Murray Washington (March 9, 1865 - June 26, 1925) was the principal of Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute, now Tuskegee University. She was the third wife of Booker T. Washington She was inducted into the Alabama Women's Hall of Fame in 1972.^[1]

Biography

She was one of ten children born to sharecroppers. Her father was of Irish descent and her mother was African American. Her father died when she was seven, and eventually was led to be foster raised by Quakers.

Education

As a child Murray spent much of her time reading and quickly excelled in school. By the age of fourteen, she was so advanced in her studies that the school offered her a teaching position. Determined to further her teaching career, at the age of nineteen, Murray enrolled in Fisk University, where she completed the college preparatory course in five years and college in four.

Marriage

It was at Fisk that Murray first met Booker T. Washington. Regarding her as a model student, Washington asked her to take over the position of Lady Principal, formerly held by his deceased second wife. By 1890, Murray was writing to Washington to express her deep feelings for him. He proposed the following year and, after some hesitation, Murray accepted Washington's proposal and they were married in 1893. Murray and Washington shared a home with Washington's relatives and his children from his previous marriage until "The Oaks", the homestead of which was built for their family was constructed in 1901. Washington was reluctant to share his feelings with Murray, and often left her to tend to his children while he was away on business. Though Washington never got over the loss of his first two wives, he believed that Margaret provided a well-ordered household, and the two were generally happy with their marriage.

Career

During her tenure as Lady Principal of Tuskegee, she also created the Tuskegee Woman's Club and merged local organizations with women clubs to help improve the values and liberation of womanhood in African American women of the Jim Crow south. She is credited with co-founding the National Association of Colored Women in 1896 ^[2] She founded country schools, taught women how to live and attend to their homes, worked for the improvement of prisons, started the Mt. Meigs school for boys and an industrial school for girls at Tuskegee, and constantly worked for the betterment of the poor and neglected. In 1912, she became the fifth president for the National Association of Colored Women.

After Booker's Death

After the death of her husband in 1915, Washington remained a powerful source in the women's liberation movement and in improving the educational system for African Americans. She became deeply involved in domestic education for mothers in Tuskegee and in supporting schools for children at surrounding plantations.

Like the programs advocated by her husband, Margaret Murray Washington focused on domestic and vocational education. She became involved in interracial cooperation and participated in the path breaking Memphis Women's Inter-Racial Conference in 1920.

Death

Margaret Murray Washington remained at the "The Oaks" until her death in 1925. She is buried at the university cemetery, adjacent to her husband's burial site.

Legacy

In 1972, Washington was inducted into Alabama's Women Hall of Fame for her compassion, intelligence and independence of judgement which led her to be among the greatest women and African American leaders of her century.

M.M. Washington Career High School in Washington, DC is named in her honor. Which is currently closed.

Quotes

"If we wish to help each other let us not only praise ourselves, but also criticize. Plain talk will not hurt us."

"Praise a child always and he will soon get the point to where he thinks it is impossible for him to make mistakes."

"We cannot separate ourselves from our people, no matter how much we try; for one, I have no desire to do so."

External links

M. M. Washington Career High School Website at www.k12.dc.us

Notes

↑ "Inductees". Alabama Women's Hall of Fame. State of Alabama. Retrieved February 20, 2012.
↑ http://english.illinoisstate.edu/kalmbach/351/hypertext98/hankins/african/Washington.html

References

Washington, Margaret Murray (1865-1925) | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed at www.blackpast.org
(1898) Margaret Murray Washington, âWe Must Have a Cleaner Social Morality,â | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed at www.blackpast.org

Alabama Women's Hall of Fame

1971–1979

1971	Farmer, HallieHallie Farmer Keller, Helen AdamsHelen Adams Keller Tutwiler, Julia StrudwickJulia Strudwick Tutwiler

1972	Harris, Agnes EllenAgnes Ellen Harris Washington, Margaret MurrayMargaret Murray Washington

1973	Mitchell, Edwina DonnellyEdwina Donnelly Mitchell Wallace, Lurleen BurnsLurleen Burns Wallace

1974	Gibbs, HenriettaHenrietta Gibbs Tunstall, Loraine BedsoleLoraine Bedsole Tunstall

1975	Graves, Dixie BibbDixie Bibb Graves Owen, Marie BankheadMarie Bankhead Owen

1976	Berrey, Ruth RobertsonRuth Robertson Berrey Price, Annie LolaAnnie Lola Price

1977	Gorgas, Amelia GayleAmelia Gayle Gorgas Wilson, Augusta Jane EvansAugusta Jane Evans Wilson

1978	Daugette, Annie Rowan ForneyAnnie Rowan Forney Daugette Jacobs, Patti RuffnerPatti Ruffner Jacobs

1979	Brooke, MyrtleMyrtle Brooke Tuggle, Carrie A.Carrie A. Tuggle

1980–1989

1980	Mallory, Kathleen MooreKathleen Moore Mallory Tartt, Ruby PickensRuby Pickens Tartt

1981	Bankhead, TallulahTallulah Bankhead Johnston, ElizabethElizabeth Johnston

1982	Moynahan, ChrysostomChrysostom Moynahan Dunn, Loula FriendLoula Friend Dunn

1983	Bilbro, Anne MathildeAnne Mathilde Bilbro Parrish, Clara WeaverClara Weaver Parrish

1984	Warner, Mildred WesterveltMildred Westervelt Warner White-Spunner, KatherineKatherine White-Spunner

1985	Dean, Blanche EvansBlanche Evans Dean Vickery, KatherineKatherine Vickery

1986	Thomas, Chamintney StovallChamintney Stovall Thomas Young, Martha StrudwickMartha Strudwick Young

1987	Crosby, Elizabeth CarolineElizabeth Caroline Crosby Warren, LellaLella Warren

1988	Cater, Katherine CooperKatherine Cooper Cater Thompson, Mary Elizabeth PhillipsMary Elizabeth Phillips Thompson

1989	Bristow, GwenGwen Bristow Mercer, GenevaGeneva Mercer

1990–1999

1990	Kelly, Maud McLureMaud McLure Kelly Le Vert, Octavia WaltonOctavia Walton Le Vert

1991	Praytor, Frances VirginiaFrances Virginia Praytor Praytor, Anna LintonAnna Linton Praytor Barron, Julia TarrantJulia Tarrant Barron

1992	Bellingrath, Bessie MorseBessie Morse Bellingrath Smith, Frances Scott FitzgeraldFrances Scott Fitzgerald Smith Fitzgerald, Zelda SayreZelda Sayre Fitzgerald

1993	Mathis, Ida Elizabeth BrandonIda Elizabeth Brandon Mathis Waite, Mary George JordanMary George Jordan Waite

1994	Bender, Doris MarieDoris Marie Bender Howell, LotticeLottice Howell

1995–1996	Bashinsky, Elizabeth BurfordElizabeth Burford Bashinsky Lindsay, Maude McKnightMaude McKnight Lindsay

1997	Wilkins, Hattie HookerHattie Hooker Wilkins Spidle, Marion WalkerMarion Walker Spidle

1998	Crawford, Martha FosterMartha Foster Crawford Weeden, Maria HowardMaria Howard Weeden

1999	Booth, Margaret H.Margaret H. Booth Hopkins, Juliet OpieJuliet Opie Hopkins

2000–2009

2000	Bateman, Florence GolsonFlorence Golson Bateman Fearing, MariaMaria Fearing

2001	Moffett, Ida VinesIda Vines Moffett Pool, Sibyl MurphreeSibyl Murphree Pool

2002	Childs, Idella JonesIdella Jones Childs Katz, Jane LobmanJane Lobman Katz

2003	Branscomb, LouiseLouise Branscomb Walcott, Bess BoldenBess Bolden Walcott

2004	Crews, Nancy BatsonNancy Batson Crews Gerhardt, RosaRosa Gerhardt

2005	Hall, VeraVera Hall Morgan, Juliette HamptonJuliette Hampton Morgan

2006	Durr, Virginia FosterVirginia Foster Durr Weatherly, Mary Celesta JohnsonMary Celesta Johnson Weatherly

2007	McKee, FranFran McKee Myers, Martha CrystalMartha Crystal Myers

2008	Parks, Rosa McCauleyRosa McCauley Parks

2009	King, Coretta ScottCoretta Scott King

2010–2019

2010	Burks, Mary IvyMary Ivy Burks Smith, Margaret CharlesMargaret Charles Smith

2011	Anderson, Evelyn DanielEvelyn Daniel Anderson Stovall, Ada RuthAda Ruth Stovall

2012	Nina Miglionico

Persondata
Name	Murray, Margaret James
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1859
Place of birth
Date of death	1925
Place of death

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