Title
Emma Henderson, 1925 - 2014
Subject
Teachers
Educators
African Americans--History--Tuscaloosa
Description
Emma Henderson was a pioneer of education in Tuscaloosa and the state of Alabama.
Henderson moved from Birmingham to Tuscaloosa in 1947 to teach in the Tuscaloosa City Schools. In addition to teaching high school, she taught adults who wanted to obtain their high school diplomas, but who were too old for school.
Seven years later, Henderson opened Tuscaloosa Day Care Center in McKenzie Court. Later, the day care was moved to Stillman College and was renamed Stillman Daycare Center and Kindergarten and was the first licensed day care/pre-kindergarten program in Tuscaloosa. It was the second oldest in the state; the oldest was believed to be in Mobile.
Henderson had 103 students and 30 faculty members at the center's peak in the 1970s. Henderson was said to take a break in the mornings to ride through the low income housing projects to talk to parents of children she saw out playing to qualify them for the program. In the 50 years the program was open, Henderson taught about 5,000 children. Many, like U.S. Magistrate Judge John England III, are well-known throughout the state.
In addition to participating in educational associations throughout her life, Henderson marched in civil rights movement protests and led some voter registration drives in the 1960s and 1970s.
Henderson moved from Birmingham to Tuscaloosa in 1947 to teach in the Tuscaloosa City Schools. In addition to teaching high school, she taught adults who wanted to obtain their high school diplomas, but who were too old for school.
Seven years later, Henderson opened Tuscaloosa Day Care Center in McKenzie Court. Later, the day care was moved to Stillman College and was renamed Stillman Daycare Center and Kindergarten and was the first licensed day care/pre-kindergarten program in Tuscaloosa. It was the second oldest in the state; the oldest was believed to be in Mobile.
Henderson had 103 students and 30 faculty members at the center's peak in the 1970s. Henderson was said to take a break in the mornings to ride through the low income housing projects to talk to parents of children she saw out playing to qualify them for the program. In the 50 years the program was open, Henderson taught about 5,000 children. Many, like U.S. Magistrate Judge John England III, are well-known throughout the state.
In addition to participating in educational associations throughout her life, Henderson marched in civil rights movement protests and led some voter registration drives in the 1960s and 1970s.
Source
Tuscaloosa News
Publisher
Tuscaloosa News
Date
2014
Contributor
Betty Slowe (Description)
Type
Photograph
Identifier
1237
Coverage
Tuscaloosa (AL)
Original Format
Photograph