Boonville in Cooper County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
James Milton Turner
(1839 - 1915)
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., April 11, 2011
1. James Milton Turner Marker
Inscription.
James Milton Turner.
Born in slavery in St. Louis County, Mo. Freed 1843 Founder, Elias Buckner African-American School in Boonville 1869 Established 32 Missouri schools for African-Americans in 1870 Secured state funding for Lincoln Institute (later Lincoln University) Secretary, Missouri Equal Rights League U.S. Minister and Counsel General to Liberia, 1871-78 Founder, Colored Emigration Aid Association Hannibal Black Masonic Home Advocate Attorney for the Cherokee Freedmen Buried, Father Dickson's Cemetery, St. Louis County, Mo., Dedicated August 7, 2005 Sculptor: Kwan Wu. , James Milton Turner was born a slave in St. Louis, Missouri, on August 22, 1839. By the time of his death, on November 1, 1915, he had devoted a lifetime to the betterment of humanity and above all, to the education of his own African American race., Freed in 1843, he became an outspoken advocate of abolition and the rights of Freedmen. After the Civil War and Emancipation, he worked tirelessly for black suffrage and other civil rights. First and foremost, he passionately believed that education was the key to freedom., In 1868 he and his wife Ella came to Boonville and established the first African American school in the area, where both taught. In 1869 he began one of the greatest projects of his life, as a field agent for the Freedmen's Bureau and a representative of the State Superintendent of Schools. From his home base of Boonville, Turner fought racism and helped establish more than thirty African American public schools in Missouri. He also played a major role in the founding and funding of Lincoln Institute in Jefferson City - a school that would train generations of African American teachers., Sadly, the importance of Turner's contributions was never fully recognized during his lifetime. His tremendous and visionary efforts were a bold early step toward a racially free and equal United States. -Brett Rogers
Born in slavery in St. Louis County, Mo.
Freed 1843
Founder, Elias Buckner African-American School in Boonville 1869 Established 32 Missouri schools for African-Americans in 1870
Secured state funding for Lincoln Institute (later Lincoln University)
Secretary, Missouri Equal Rights League
U.S. Minister and Counsel General
to Liberia, 1871-78
Founder, Colored Emigration Aid Association
Hannibal Black Masonic Home Advocate
Attorney for the Cherokee Freedmen
Buried, Father Dickson's Cemetery, St. Louis County, Mo.
Dedicated August 7, 2005
Sculptor: Kwan Wu
James Milton Turner was born a slave in St. Louis, Missouri, on August 22, 1839. By the time of his death, on November 1, 1915, he had devoted a lifetime to the betterment of humanity and above all, to the education of his own African American race.
Freed in 1843, he became an outspoken advocate of abolition and the rights of Freedmen. After the Civil War and Emancipation, he worked tirelessly for black suffrage and other civil rights. First and foremost, he passionately believed that education was the key to freedom.
In 1868 he and his wife Ella came to Boonville and established the first African American school in the area, where both taught. In 1869 he began one of the
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greatest projects of his life, as a field agent for the Freedmen's Bureau and a representative of the State Superintendent of Schools. From his home base of Boonville, Turner fought racism and helped establish more than thirty African American public schools in Missouri. He also played a major role in the founding and funding of Lincoln Institute in Jefferson City - a school that would train generations of African American teachers.
Sadly, the importance of Turner's contributions was never fully recognized during his lifetime. His tremendous and visionary efforts were a bold early step toward a racially free and equal United States.
-Brett Rogers
Erected 2005 by City of Boonville, Concerned Citizens and Others.
Location. 38° 58.599′ N, 92° 44.666′ W. Marker is in Boonville, Missouri, in Cooper County. Marker is on Morgan Street near Main Street (U.S. 40), on the left when traveling east. Monument is in Morgan Street Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Boonville MO 65233, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., April 11, 2011
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., April 11, 2011
3. James Milton Turner Marker
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., April 11, 2011
4. James Milton Turner Bust
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr.
5. Morgan Street Park
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on August 11, 2011, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 1,361 times since then and 46 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on August 11, 2011, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
