Eva Roberta Coles Boone

Eva Roberta Coles Boone (1880 - 1902) was an African-American educator and missionary who served in the Congo.

Early life

Eva Roberta Coles was born January 8th, 1880, in Charlottesville, Virginia.[1][2][3] Coles attended Hartshorn Memorial College, the first college in the world for women of color.[1][2] She graduated in 1899. [2] [1]

Career and family

After graduation, Coles returned to Charlottesville to teach. [1][2] In 1901, Coles married Clinton Caldwell Boone[1], who had attended seminary at Virginia Union University, located a block north of Hartshorn. [2] Boone and her husband received an appointment to the mission field, supported by the American Baptist Missionary Union and the Lott Carey Foreign Mission Convention. [2][3] At this time, it was unusual and controversial for people of color to be offered opportunities to serve in Africa.[4] In the Congo village of Palabala, she taught kindergarten[5][3], administered medical treatment, and organized a sewing circle for the women of the village.[2][3] The organization of the sewing circle was difficult due to cultural taboos against women sewing, but she was able to draw about 40 participants. [3] The women of the village welcomed her presence, calling her "Mama Bunu."[2][1]

Coles died December 8, 1902 of a venomous bite.[5][2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Hylton, Raymond Pierre (2014). Virginia Union University. Arcadia Publishing. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Culpepper, Reginald. "Eva Roberta Coles-Boone". HBCU Connect. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 edited by Larry G. Murphy, J. Gordon Melton, Gary L. Ward. Encyclopedia of African American Religions. Routledge. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  4. ↑ Rogers, Jaye (2006). “Ye Are All One Missionaries in the Congo and the Dynamics o f Race and Gender, 1890-1925. Cincinnati, Ohio: Dissertation, Union Institute and University.
  5. 1 2 Perkins, Claude Grandford. "Virginia Union's First 150 Years: A bridge to intellectual freedom and equality". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
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