Sarah Ann Blocker
Sarah Ann Blocker (October 27, 1857 – April 15, 1944) was an American educator and co-founder of Florida Memorial College, one of Florida's oldest HBCU. She was renowned for her leadership role as a teacher and administrator, playing a central role in expanding educational opportunities for African American students. Blocker was also inducted into the Florida Women's Hall of Fame in 2003.
Education
[edit]Sarah Ann Blocker went to high school in Augusta, GA. She went on to study at Atlanta University for three years, where she also received her teaching certificate in 1883.[1] Blocker attended summer school at Harvard University.[2]
Career
[edit]Blocker taught at Florida Baptist Academy from 1892,[3] and was head of the normal department there.[4] Blocker is credited with co-founding Florida Memorial College by arranging the merger of Florida Baptist Institute and Florida Baptist Academy, to form the Florida Memorial and Industrial Memorial Institute.[1][5] Blocker served as the Dean of Women, Registrar, and Vice President at the institute for 51 years until 1943.[6][7] During that period, she helped sustain the institute through management and fundraising, including contributing her annual salary to pay teachers’ wages.[8][6] One of her students at Florida Baptist Academy was philanthropist Eartha M. M. White.[9] Another was author Zora Neale Hurston, who later became an instructor at the school.[10]
Personal life and legacy
[edit]Sarah Ann Blocker died April 17, 1944, aged 86 years.[2] She was originally buried on the Florida Memorial's St. Augustine campus alongside fellow co-founder and president, Nathan W. Collier.[11] In 2003, Sarah Ann Blocker was inducted into the Florida Women's Hall of Fame by Governor Jeb Bush.[1] The following year, she received a posthumous honorary doctorate as part of the 125th-anniversary celebration at Florida Memorial University.[12] The university honors her legacy by naming one of its building Sarah A. Blocker Hall.[13] She is also commemorated, alongside other key figures of the institution, through the Collier-Blocker-Puryear Park.[14] Additionally, there is a Sarah A. Blocker Meritorious Service Award given annually by Florida Memorial University.[15] This award is considered to be the most prestigious recognition a female student can receive from the college.[8]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 Michael Reed, "Sarah Ann Blocker Inducted into State's Women's Hall of Fame" Archived 2017-02-17 at the Wayback Machine St. Augustine Record (November 18, 2003).
- 1 2 Northern Baptist Convention (1944). Year book of the Northern Baptist Convention. Internet Archive. [S.l. : s.n.]
- ↑ Florida Memorial University, Our History Archived 2014-09-11 at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ John William Gibson, The Colored American from Slavery to Honorable Citizenship (J. L. Nichols 1903): 122.
- ↑ Carole Elizabeth Boyce Davies, ed., Encyclopedia of the African Diaspora (ABC-CLIO, 2008): 446. ISBN 9781851097050
- 1 2 African American national biography. Internet Archive. Oxford; New York : Oxford University Press. 2013. ISBN 978-0-19-999036-8.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ↑ "Florida Normal Retains High Rating by Southern Association" Pittsburgh Courier (January 12, 1935): 2. via Newspapers.com
- 1 2 McAlister, Grace (2023-02-16). "The history of Florida Memorial University". ECB Publishing, Inc. Archived from the original on 2023-02-17. Retrieved 2026-01-09.
- ↑ "Founders Honored at Florida Normal" News Tribune (June 2, 1957): 14. via Newspapers.com
- ↑ "About FMU – Florida Memorial University". www.fmu.edu. Archived from the original on 2026-01-01. Retrieved 2026-01-09.
- ↑ Lane, Marcia (December 9, 2012). "Early leaders of Florida Memorial University honored". St. Augustine Record. Archived from the original on 2024-12-17.
- ↑ Florida Commission on the Status of Women, Sarah Ann Blocker Archived 2016-01-22 at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ "Center for Academic Resources and Support – Florida Memorial University". www.fmu.edu. Archived from the original on 2025-07-03. Retrieved 2025-10-14.
- ↑ Koth, Cheyenne. "Florida Memorial College | Visit St. Augustine". www.visitstaugustine.com. Archived from the original on 2025-07-17.
- ↑ Florida Memorial University, Traditions Archived 2017-02-06 at the Wayback Machine.
- 1857 births
- 1944 deaths
- 19th-century American educators
- Florida Memorial University
- Educators from Florida
- 19th-century American women educators
- 20th-century American women educators
- 20th-century American educators
- 20th-century African-American academics
- 19th-century African-American women writers
- 19th-century African-American writers
- 19th-century African-American academics
- 20th-century African-American women writers