Daniel Jackson Sanders (February 15, 1847 – March 6, 1907) was a Presbyterian clergyman who served as president of

Johnson C. Smith University Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) is a Private university, private Historically black colleges and universities, historically black university in Charlotte, North Carolina. It is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA) and accredited by the ...

in North Carolina and published a Presbyterian newspaper for African Americans. He was the first African-American president of a four-year college in the southern U.S.

Biography

Sanders was born a slave in

Winnsboro, South Carolina Winnsboro is a town in Fairfield County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 3,550 at the 2010 census. The population was 3,215 at the 2020 census. A population decrease of approximately 9.5% for the same 10 year period. It is the c ...

on February 15, 1847. Sanders attended

Brainerd Institute Brainerd Institute was a school for African Americans in Chester, South Carolina. It was founded by the Presbyterian Church and opened in 1868. Alumni include Vivian Ayers Allen and Daniel Jackson Sanders. Originally an elementary school it serv ...

and was a tutor at the school. He then graduated from Western Theological Seminary. He published the ''Africo-American Presbyterian'' and served as president of Biddle University for 17 years. Upon his death ''

The Charlotte Observer ''The Charlotte Observer'' is an American English-language newspaper serving Charlotte, North Carolina, and its metro area. The Observer was founded in 1886. As of 2020, it has the second-largest circulation of any newspaper in the Carolinas. I ...

'' reported that his students had always been "well-behaved".

References

1847 births 1907 deaths Johnson C. Smith University 19th-century African-American people African-American Christian clergy 19th-century Presbyterians American Presbyterian ministers 19th-century American slaves People from Winnsboro, South Carolina American academic administrators Heads of universities and colleges in the United States Western Theological Seminary alumni 19th-century American clergy 20th-century African-American people {{AfricanAmerican-stub