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

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

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

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

  1. ^ a b c 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).
  2. ^ a b Northern Baptist Convention (1944). Year book of the Northern Baptist Convention. Internet Archive. [S.l. : s.n.]
  3. ^ Florida Memorial University, Our History Archived 2014-09-11 at the Wayback Machine.
  4. ^ John William Gibson, The Colored American from Slavery to Honorable Citizenship (J. L. Nichols 1903): 122.
  5. ^ Carole Elizabeth Boyce Davies, ed., Encyclopedia of the African Diaspora (ABC-CLIO, 2008): 446. ISBN 9781851097050
  6. ^ a b 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)
  7. ^ "Florida Normal Retains High Rating by Southern Association" Pittsburgh Courier (January 12, 1935): 2. via Newspapers.com
  8. ^ a b 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.
  9. ^ "Founders Honored at Florida Normal" News Tribune (June 2, 1957): 14. via Newspapers.com
  10. ^ "About FMU – Florida Memorial University". www.fmu.edu. Archived from the original on 2026-01-01. Retrieved 2026-01-09.
  11. ^ Lane, Marcia (December 9, 2012). "Early leaders of Florida Memorial University honored". St. Augustine Record. Archived from the original on 2024-12-17.
  12. ^ Florida Commission on the Status of Women, Sarah Ann Blocker Archived 2016-01-22 at the Wayback Machine.
  13. ^ "Center for Academic Resources and Support – Florida Memorial University". www.fmu.edu. Archived from the original on 2025-07-03. Retrieved 2025-10-14.
  14. ^ Koth, Cheyenne. "Florida Memorial College | Visit St. Augustine". www.visitstaugustine.com. Archived from the original on 2025-07-17.
  15. ^ Florida Memorial University, Traditions Archived 2017-02-06 at the Wayback Machine.
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