Valena C. Jones
Valena C. Jones | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Valena Cecilia MacArthur August 3, 1872 Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | January 13, 1917 (aged 44) New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Burial place | Greenwood Cemetery, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Other names | Valena Cecelia MacArthur Jones, Valena C. McArthur Jones |
| Education | Straight University |
| Occupation(s) | Educator, principal, assistant editor |
| Spouse | Rev. Robert R. Jones (m. 1901–1917; her death) |
Valena Cecilia Jones (née MacArthur; August 3, 1872 – January 13, 1917) was an American educator and principal.[1][2][3] Several schools have been named in her honor, including in New Orleans, and Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi.[4][5]
Life and career
[edit]Valena Cecilia Jones was born as Valena Cecilia MacArthur on August 3, 1872, in Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi;[1] to parents Henrietta Knight and Elbert Eldridge MacArthur.[6] Jones graduated in 1892 from Straight University in New Orleans (later merged with Dillard University).[1][2]
After graduation, she became the principal of the Bay Saint Louis Negro School in her hometown, where she remained until 1897.[1] She returned to New Orleans to teach at public schools for the next few years. She was awarded a bicycle after being voted "most popular colored teacher in the city".[7]
In 1901, she married Rev. Robert R. Jones, and together they had three children.[6] Jones had to leave teaching after marriage, and helped her husband edit the Southwestern Christian Advocate for the next 12 years.[6][7]
After struggling for six months with an illness she died on January 13, 1917, in New Orleans, and is buried at Greenwood Cemetery.[7][8]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Dean, Lauren (March 7, 2013). "Valena Cecelia MacArthur Jones: New Orleans Educator 1872-1917". New Orleans Historical. Archived from the original on May 25, 2022. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ a b Barney, Tammy C. (August 23, 2024). "Legacy of Valena C. Jones spans New Orleans and Bay St. Louis". Verite News New Orleans. Archived from the original on February 9, 2025. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ "Hancock County Obituary Record : Jones, Valena C." Hancock County Historical Society. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ Orfila, Rebecca (August 2016). "Shared History - Valena Cecilia McArthur Jones". The Shoofly Magazine. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ Belcher, Geoff (November 22, 2023). "Remembering Valena C. Jones School". The Sea Coast Echo.
- ^ a b c "Dictionary of Louisiana Biography - J". Louisiana Historical Association. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ a b c "NOLA4Women: Valena C. Jones' Legacy in Two Cities". Amistad Research Center. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ "High Honors Paid Late Mrs. Jones". The Twin City Star. February 10, 1917. p. 3. Retrieved 2025-07-14 – via Newspapers.com.