Blanche Armwood
Encyclopedia
Blanche Armwood Educator, activist and the first African-American woman in the state of Florida to graduate from an accredited law school. Blanche is also known for being the first Executive Secretary of the Tampa Urban League and as a founder of five Household Industrial Arts Schools for African-American woman in five different states. Armwood High School
in Tampa, Florida is named in her honor.
Commissioner from 1873 to 1877.
Armwood graduated with honors from St. Peter Claver Catholic School in 1902. That same year, she passed the State Uniform Teacher’s Examination. During that time, Tampa did not have a high school for blacks. As a result, at the age of twelve, her parents sent Blanche to Spelman Seminary (later Spelman College
in Atlanta, GA. Blanche excelled in English and Latin courses and graduated summa cum laude from Spelman in 1906 earning a teacher’s certificate.
where she would remain for the next seven years. In 1913, Armwood suspended her teaching career when she married attorney Daniel Webster Perkins; a marriage that would soon result in divorce. Armwood’s service to the community began 1914 when the Tampa Gas Company, in conjunction with the Hillsborough County Board of Education and the Colored Ministers Alliance commissioned her to organize an industrial arts school designed to train black women in the domestic sciences. From this alliance spawned the Tampa School of Household Arts which was founded around 1915 and trained black women and girls to use then modern household appliances as well as other skills which would enable the students to excel in domestic service.
Following the school’s first year of operation, over two hundred women received certificates of completion. Later, Armwood would go on to establish similar schools in Roanoke, Virginia
; Rock Hill, South Carolina; Athens, Georgia
and New Orleans, Louisiana
.
Between 1917 and 1920, while living in New Orleans and married to dentist, John C. Beatty, Armwood received state and federal acclaim for her work in training domestic workers. In 1918, she published Food Conservation in the Home a cookbook which was popular with women of all races. Because the cookbook was published during World War I
, her introduction was particularly poignant in stating that: “Every pound of white flour saved is equal to a bullet in our Nation’s defense.”
In 1922, Jesse Thomas, of the National Urban League
nominated Armwood as the first Executive Secretary of the Tampa Urban League. Throughout her service with the Tampa Urban League, she simultaneously served as assistant principal at Tampa’s Harlem Academy School. Soon after, she was appointed as the first Supervisor of Negro Schools by the Hillsborough County School Board.
During her tenure as Supervisor, Armwood established five new school buildings, increased black teacher salaries and extended the school year for blacks from six to nine months. She is also credited for establishing the Booker T. Washington
High School in 1926 for black youth in Tampa.
, National Campaign Speaker for the Republican Party and as State Organizer for the Louisiana Chapter of the NAACP. Her increased interest in politics and equal rights for blacks and women led her to pursue a career in law. In 1934, Armwood enrolled in Howard Law School. She earned her juris doctorate in 1938 making her the first black female from the state of Florida to graduate from an accredited law school.
While on a speaking tour in Medford, Massachusetts, Armwood became ill and died unexpectedly at the age of forty-nine on October 16, 1939. In 1984, Congressman Michael Bilirakis
and the Florida House of Representatives
paid tribute to Armwood’s legacy. That same year, Blanche Armwood Comprehensive High School (today, Armwood High School
) in Tampa was opened in her honor.
Armwood High School
Armwood High School, located in Seffner, Florida, on U.S. Highway 92 opened in August 1984. The school is named after Blanche Armwood, a longtime Tampa resident, educator and activist. The school's mascot is the Hawk. The principal is Mike Ippolito.-Athletics:...
in Tampa, Florida is named in her honor.
Early life
Blanche Armwood was born on January 23, 1880 in Tampa, Florida to Levin Armwood, Jr. and Margaret Holloman. Born into a prominent middle class family, she was the one five children. Her great uncle, John Armwood was a negotiator between the Seminole Native Americans and white settlers along the Florida frontier. John Armwood was also an early landowner who homesteaded 159 acres of land in Hillsborough County. Her father was Tampa’s first black policeman whom also served as a country deputy sheriff. Mr. Armwood along with Blanche’s brother, Walter, owned the only black-owned drugstore in Tampa the “Gem.” Walter Armwood held positions as a professor at Bethune-Cookman University and as a state supervisor for the U.S. Bureau Negro Economics. Her maternal grandfather, Adam Holloman owned citrus groves and was the Hillsborough CountyHillsborough County, Florida
As of the census of 2000, there were 998,948 people, 391,357 households, and 255,164 families residing in the county. The population density was 951 people per square mile . There were 425,962 housing units at an average density of 405 per square mile...
Commissioner from 1873 to 1877.
Armwood graduated with honors from St. Peter Claver Catholic School in 1902. That same year, she passed the State Uniform Teacher’s Examination. During that time, Tampa did not have a high school for blacks. As a result, at the age of twelve, her parents sent Blanche to Spelman Seminary (later Spelman College
Spelman College
Spelman College is a four-year liberal arts women's college located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The college is part of the Atlanta University Center academic consortium in Atlanta. Founded in 1881 as the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary, Spelman was the first historically black female...
in Atlanta, GA. Blanche excelled in English and Latin courses and graduated summa cum laude from Spelman in 1906 earning a teacher’s certificate.
Career
Armwood returned to Tampa where she began teaching in the Hillsborough County Public SchoolsHillsborough County Public Schools
Hillsborough County Public Schools, Florida is a school district headquartered in Tampa, Florida. It is more commonly referred to as the School District of Hillsborough County, or SDHC....
where she would remain for the next seven years. In 1913, Armwood suspended her teaching career when she married attorney Daniel Webster Perkins; a marriage that would soon result in divorce. Armwood’s service to the community began 1914 when the Tampa Gas Company, in conjunction with the Hillsborough County Board of Education and the Colored Ministers Alliance commissioned her to organize an industrial arts school designed to train black women in the domestic sciences. From this alliance spawned the Tampa School of Household Arts which was founded around 1915 and trained black women and girls to use then modern household appliances as well as other skills which would enable the students to excel in domestic service.
Following the school’s first year of operation, over two hundred women received certificates of completion. Later, Armwood would go on to establish similar schools in Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
; Rock Hill, South Carolina; Athens, Georgia
Athens, Georgia
Athens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...
and New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
.
Between 1917 and 1920, while living in New Orleans and married to dentist, John C. Beatty, Armwood received state and federal acclaim for her work in training domestic workers. In 1918, she published Food Conservation in the Home a cookbook which was popular with women of all races. Because the cookbook was published during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, her introduction was particularly poignant in stating that: “Every pound of white flour saved is equal to a bullet in our Nation’s defense.”
In 1922, Jesse Thomas, of the National Urban League
National Urban League
The National Urban League , formerly known as the National League on Urban Conditions Among Negroes, is a nonpartisan civil rights organization based in New York City that advocates on behalf of African Americans and against racial discrimination in the United States. It is the oldest and largest...
nominated Armwood as the first Executive Secretary of the Tampa Urban League. Throughout her service with the Tampa Urban League, she simultaneously served as assistant principal at Tampa’s Harlem Academy School. Soon after, she was appointed as the first Supervisor of Negro Schools by the Hillsborough County School Board.
During her tenure as Supervisor, Armwood established five new school buildings, increased black teacher salaries and extended the school year for blacks from six to nine months. She is also credited for establishing the Booker T. Washington
Booker T. Washington
Booker Taliaferro Washington was an American educator, author, orator, and political leader. He was the dominant figure in the African-American community in the United States from 1890 to 1915...
High School in 1926 for black youth in Tampa.
Later Years
In addition to her leadership positions in Tampa, she also held positions in national several organizations as the Chair of the Home Economics Department of the National Association of Colored WomenNational Association of Colored Women
The National Association of Colored Women Clubs was established in Washington, D.C., USA, by the merger in 1896 of the National Federation of Afro-American Women, the Women's Era Club of Boston, and the National League of Colored Women of Washington, DC, as well as smaller organizations that had...
, National Campaign Speaker for the Republican Party and as State Organizer for the Louisiana Chapter of the NAACP. Her increased interest in politics and equal rights for blacks and women led her to pursue a career in law. In 1934, Armwood enrolled in Howard Law School. She earned her juris doctorate in 1938 making her the first black female from the state of Florida to graduate from an accredited law school.
While on a speaking tour in Medford, Massachusetts, Armwood became ill and died unexpectedly at the age of forty-nine on October 16, 1939. In 1984, Congressman Michael Bilirakis
Michael Bilirakis
Michael Bilirakis , American politician, was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1983 until 2007, representing the 9th District of Florida....
and the Florida House of Representatives
Florida House of Representatives
The Florida House of Representatives is the lower house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The House is composed of 120 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 156,677.The House convenes at...
paid tribute to Armwood’s legacy. That same year, Blanche Armwood Comprehensive High School (today, Armwood High School
Armwood High School
Armwood High School, located in Seffner, Florida, on U.S. Highway 92 opened in August 1984. The school is named after Blanche Armwood, a longtime Tampa resident, educator and activist. The school's mascot is the Hawk. The principal is Mike Ippolito.-Athletics:...
) in Tampa was opened in her honor.