Edward McKnight Brawley (March 18, 1851 – January 13, 1923) was an American educator and minister in North Carolina and South Carolina. He was the first African American to attend Bucknell University. He was an important figure in the development of the African-American church in South Carolina and the American southeast and helped found numerous churches and schools, including the Benedict Institute and Morris College. He served as president at Morris and, earlier, at Selma University. Later in his career he was a professor at Shaw University. He was also a prominent pastor at numerous churches and an important figure in civil rights and religious affairs.
Early life
Edward MacKnight Brawley was born a freeman on March 18, 1851, in Charleston, South Carolina. His parents were James M. and Ann L. Vaughn. He began his education about the age of four when a private tutor taught him to read and prepared him for school. He attended school until 1859 or 1860, when his school for black children closed in response to John Brown's raid. In 1861, Brawley's parents sent him to Philadelphia to attend school. He first attended a grammar school, and after three years entered the Institute for Colored Youth led by Ebenezer D. Bassett, where he attended until 1866. In April 1865 he was baptized into the Baptist church and became involved in Sunday Schools and made plans for the ministry. He then returned to Charleston and apprenticed to be a shoemaker in 1869, but in fall 1870 he enrolled at Howard University as the schools first regularly enrolled theology student. After three months he left Howard and in January 1871 he enrolled in the preparatory department of Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, the schools first African-American student. This move was at the advice of Rev. B. Griffith and Brawley received a scholarship from his wife. He also funded his education through teaching vocal music and preaching during the summers. In the fall he finished his preparation and enrolled in the University, graduating June 30, 1875. He was granted an A. M. from Bucknell in 1878, and an honorary D. D. from Simmons College of Kentucky in May 1885.
Early religious career
In 1873 he was licensed to preach by the white Baptist church in Lewisburg and on July 1, 1875, he was ordained in this church and commissioned by the American Baptist Publication Society as missionary for South Carolina. Finding a lack of Sunday schools in the area, he organized Sunday school organizations and in May 1877, formed these bodies into a state Sunday School Convention, of which he became corresponding secretary and financial agent, working closely with Isaac P. Brockenton. Among his success was securing funding for the Benedict Institute and working to open missions in Africa, which resulted in the notable missionary work of Harrison N. Bouey. During this period and later he was frequently an invited and well-received speaker at the annual national convention of the American Baptist Publication Societies. After eight years, he resigned in ill health and took six months of vacation. During those eight years he helped found 550 Baptist churches in South Carolina with 350 preachers and nearly 100,000 members. In 1882, Brawley clashed with Benedict Institute president Charles E. Becker. Brawley pushed Becker and the institute to hire more black teachers and institute a local board of trustees, challenging Becker's authority.
Marriage and children
In January 1877 he married Mary W. Warrick of Virginia. During that year the couple had a child, but by December both mother and child died. In December 1879 he married Margaret Sophronia Dickerson of Columbia, South Carolina, and the couple had nine children, including Benjamin Griffith Brawley, Mrs. A. R. Stewart, J. Loomis Browley, F. Fustin Brawley, Edgar L. Brawley, and Mrs. L. S. Gaillard.
Early academic career
In October 1883, he succeeded William H. McAlpine in the position of president of Alabama Baptist Normal and Theological School, whose name was changed to Selma University. He was well loved as a president and gave half of his salary to aide poor students. He also founded the Alabama Baptist Women's Convention to provide monetary support to the school. After three years, his second wife's health began to fail and he resigned from Selma and returned to South Carolina. He was succeeded by Charles L. Purce.
