Julia Britton Hooks
Encyclopedia
Julia Britton Hooks was a musician and educator whose work with youth, the elderly and indigent was highly respected in her family's home state of Kentucky
and in Memphis, Tennessee
, where she lived with her second husband, Charles F. Hooks. She was a charter member of the Memphis branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
(NAACP), and her example served as an inspiration for her grandson, Benjamin Hooks
, executive director of the NAACP from 1977 to 1992. Julia was also a leader for African-American women and active in the civil rights movement.
, on May 4, 1852. Her mother Laura Marshall was a gifted singer and musician, and well-educated even though she grew up as as a slave in the household of a relation to her father, the Kentucky stateman Thomas F. Marshall
. Laura, nearly white, was emancipated at the age of sixteen. Julia's father, Henry Harrison Britton, was a carpenter and free born. So, Julia was born in a slave state as a free person. She was raised in Lexington
where she became well known as a musical prodigy at an early age, playing in parlor concerts for wealthy white families. She attended school with her older sister Mary Britton (who later became the first African-American, female physician in Kentucky) at Mr. William Gibson's School for Colored Youths in Louisville, Kentucky
in 1859.
At the age of eighteen, Hooks attended Berea College
where she was one of the very first African-American women to attend college in the state of Kentucky. Not only did she attend college as a student, but also became the first African-American on the faculty at Berea College. She was active in musical groups such as the Liszt Mullard club which performed classical music in the community during the 1880s. She taught music at the school from 1870-1872 (the first African-American to teach white students at Berea College), and graduated in the class of 1874.
, to work as a teacher. There she met and married Sam Wertles. She worked to get Blanche K. Bruce elected to the Senate. After her husband died in a yellow fever epidemic, she moved in 1876 to Memphis, Tennessee
. She lived in musicians' paradise, Beale Street
, and became known for her local social service work. By 1881 she began teaching again in public schools.
Julia married her second husband, Charles F. Hooks, in Memphis. But an argument between her husband and her 23-year-old sister, Hattie, led to Hattie's suicide in June 1891. The newspapers reported that Charles had accused her of "immorality" and she shot herself "instead of going to church."
Julia's grandson, Benjamin Hooks
remembered her from his youth as "born to rebel," and he recalled during the that there were several instances when she was arrested for disobeying Jim Crow laws. While attending a performance at a Memphis theatre, she was told to sit in the “colored
balcony” instead of where she had sat in the main section for many other performances. She refused to leave and eventually had to be carried out of the theatre by two policemen. Julia was arrested for disorderly conduct and fined five dollars. Julia battled segregation
in public schools, inequality of facilities and the discriminatory treatment of African American children.
Hooks not only acted for African American civil rights but put her hard work and compassion to good use in other areas. She and her husband, a truant officer, were given supervision of a juvenile detention center in Memphis in 1907. She treated these children with compassion and continued to do so even after her husband was killed in 1913 by one of the detainees. She was admired by the community for her hard work and compassion for others, and her work as an officer of the juvenile court then later as a consultant of the juvenile court judge. She organized the fundraising for the Old Folks and Orphans Home, opened a private kindergarten and elementary school in her own home for African-American children, and founded the Hooks School of Music.
In 1909 she became involved in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). She participated in the suffrage movement, helping women gain the right to vote, and served as president of the Lexington Women’s Improvement Club.
Hooks was admired by friends and family and even had family members follow in her footsteps. Ida B. Wells
also came to the attention of Julia, as an activist and a musician, even though Hooks was senior to Wells by ten years the two worked together with the same drive and passion for equality.
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
and in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, where she lived with her second husband, Charles F. Hooks. She was a charter member of the Memphis branch 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...
(NAACP), and her example served as an inspiration for her grandson, Benjamin Hooks
Benjamin Hooks
Benjamin Lawson Hooks was an American civil rights leader. A Baptist minister and practicing attorney, he served as executive director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People from 1977 to 1992, and throughout his career was a vocal campaigner for civil rights in the...
, executive director of the NAACP from 1977 to 1992. Julia was also a leader for African-American women and active in the civil rights movement.
Background and early life
Julia Ann Amanda Moorehead Britton was born in Frankfort, KentuckyFrankfort, Kentucky
Frankfort is a city in Kentucky that serves as the state capital and the county seat of Franklin County. The population was 27,741 at the 2000 census; by population it is the 5th smallest state capital in the United States...
, on May 4, 1852. Her mother Laura Marshall was a gifted singer and musician, and well-educated even though she grew up as as a slave in the household of a relation to her father, the Kentucky stateman Thomas F. Marshall
Thomas F. Marshall
Thomas Francis Marshall was a nineteenth century politician and lawyer from Kentucky. He was the nephew of John Marshall.-Early life and family:...
. Laura, nearly white, was emancipated at the age of sixteen. Julia's father, Henry Harrison Britton, was a carpenter and free born. So, Julia was born in a slave state as a free person. She was raised in Lexington
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
where she became well known as a musical prodigy at an early age, playing in parlor concerts for wealthy white families. She attended school with her older sister Mary Britton (who later became the first African-American, female physician in Kentucky) at Mr. William Gibson's School for Colored Youths in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
in 1859.
At the age of eighteen, Hooks attended Berea College
Berea College
Berea College is a liberal arts work college in Berea, Kentucky , founded in 1855. Current full-time enrollment is 1,514 students...
where she was one of the very first African-American women to attend college in the state of Kentucky. Not only did she attend college as a student, but also became the first African-American on the faculty at Berea College. She was active in musical groups such as the Liszt Mullard club which performed classical music in the community during the 1880s. She taught music at the school from 1870-1872 (the first African-American to teach white students at Berea College), and graduated in the class of 1874.
Education and civil rights activism
After graduating from college she moved to Greenville, MississippiGreenville, Mississippi
Greenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 48,633 at the 2000 census, but according to the 2009 census bureau estimates, it has since declined to 42,764, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington...
, to work as a teacher. There she met and married Sam Wertles. She worked to get Blanche K. Bruce elected to the Senate. After her husband died in a yellow fever epidemic, she moved in 1876 to Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. She lived in musicians' paradise, Beale Street
Beale Street
Beale Street is a street in Downtown Memphis, Tennessee, which runs from the Mississippi River to East Street, a distance of approximately . It is a significant location in the city's history, as well as in the history of the blues. Today, the blues clubs and restaurants that line Beale Street are...
, and became known for her local social service work. By 1881 she began teaching again in public schools.
Julia married her second husband, Charles F. Hooks, in Memphis. But an argument between her husband and her 23-year-old sister, Hattie, led to Hattie's suicide in June 1891. The newspapers reported that Charles had accused her of "immorality" and she shot herself "instead of going to church."
Julia's grandson, Benjamin Hooks
Benjamin Hooks
Benjamin Lawson Hooks was an American civil rights leader. A Baptist minister and practicing attorney, he served as executive director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People from 1977 to 1992, and throughout his career was a vocal campaigner for civil rights in the...
remembered her from his youth as "born to rebel," and he recalled during the that there were several instances when she was arrested for disobeying Jim Crow laws. While attending a performance at a Memphis theatre, she was told to sit in the “colored
Colored
Colored is a term once widely used in the United States to describe black people and Native Americans...
balcony” instead of where she had sat in the main section for many other performances. She refused to leave and eventually had to be carried out of the theatre by two policemen. Julia was arrested for disorderly conduct and fined five dollars. Julia battled segregation
Racial segregation in the United States
Racial segregation in the United States, as a general term, included the racial segregation or hypersegregation of facilities, services, and opportunities such as housing, medical care, education, employment, and transportation along racial lines...
in public schools, inequality of facilities and the discriminatory treatment of African American children.
Hooks not only acted for African American civil rights but put her hard work and compassion to good use in other areas. She and her husband, a truant officer, were given supervision of a juvenile detention center in Memphis in 1907. She treated these children with compassion and continued to do so even after her husband was killed in 1913 by one of the detainees. She was admired by the community for her hard work and compassion for others, and her work as an officer of the juvenile court then later as a consultant of the juvenile court judge. She organized the fundraising for the Old Folks and Orphans Home, opened a private kindergarten and elementary school in her own home for African-American children, and founded the Hooks School of Music.
In 1909 she became involved in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). She participated in the suffrage movement, helping women gain the right to vote, and served as president of the Lexington Women’s Improvement Club.
Hooks was admired by friends and family and even had family members follow in her footsteps. Ida B. Wells
Ida B. Wells
Ida Bell Wells-Barnett was an African American journalist, newspaper editor and, with her husband, newspaper owner Ferdinand L. Barnett, an early leader in the civil rights movement. She documented lynching in the United States, showing how it was often a way to control or punish blacks who...
also came to the attention of Julia, as an activist and a musician, even though Hooks was senior to Wells by ten years the two worked together with the same drive and passion for equality.
External links
- "Julia Britton Hooks", Kentucky Women in the Civil Rights Era