The Most Influential Black Woman You’ve Never Heard Of Is Finally Getting her Due

An underappreciated leader in the labor and civil rights movements will be celebrated this week in Washington, D.C. A Rutgers professor is co-chairing the events.

When Danielle Phillips-Cunningham began writing her latest book, she never imagined just how deeply it would resonate or how far it would go.

"Nannie Helen Burroughs: A Tower of Strength in the Labor World" tells the story of a Black woman who opened her own school in Washington, D.C. in 1909. The National Training School for Women and Girls operated for more than 50 years, helping thousands of Black women to enter white-dominated career fields such as business, education, horticulture, and even acting.

Burroughs later established a labor organization, The National Association of Wage Earners, to help Black domestic workers achieve better pay and working conditions. She also fought for women's voting rights, chaired a presidential commission on housing, and wrote several plays.

Yet, despite her accomplishments, Burroughs is rarely mentioned alongside other civil rights leaders of her time.

That is finally beginning to change thanks to Phillips-Cunningham, an associate professor in the Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations. In the 15 months since the book came out, she has discussed Burroughs' life and legacy in several book talks, radio segments, a NewsNation series, and a USA TODAY article.

Going even further, she has partnered with Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Patricia Williams to establish the Nannie Helen Burroughs Preservation Association. They are working to install historical markers and protect the physical spaces that Burroughs created.

This week, they will host a conference and parade in Washington, D.C. They talked to Rutgers Today about their efforts.

It has been 15 months since the book came out. What has the response been like?

Phillips-Cunningham: It's been overwhelming. Scholars, students, pastors, museum curators, archivists, artists, even former New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and an NFL coach have expressed their enthusiasm about the book. It also meant a lot to me that Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, wrote an endorsement for it.

What inspired you to go beyond the printed page and create a preservation association?

Phillips-Cunningham: It really started when I met Commissioner Williams and some of the other wonderful community leaders and residents in the Deanwood neighborhood, where Burroughs built her school. It's one of the oldest self-sustaining Black communities in Washington. When I learned what they have been doing to preserve and amplify Burroughs' legacy, we decided to come together and organize a public history project to take it to another level.

You're working with the city to preserve the campus of the National Training School for Women and Girls. Why is that important?

Phillips-Cunningham: There are three buildings remaining at the site, owned by a private school. Only one of them, Trades Hall, is designated as a National Historic Landmark. We're working to have all three buildings, including the Abraham Lincoln Arch at the entrance, designated as a National Historic District and added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Williams: We are currently seeing gentrification in many Washington, D.C. neighborhoods. While presented as "revitalization," it frequently leads to rapid increases in property values and rent prices, which can force out long-time residents and jeopardize historic buildings. Securing a National Historic District designation is a vital tool for preserving physical structures and protecting the integrity of our community's heritage

What does Burroughs mean to Deanwood's heritage?

Williams: She is a foundational figure in this neighborhood. She symbolizes self-reliance, racial pride, and the transformative power of education for Black women. Her legacy remains physically, culturally, and economically anchored in the community she served. She taught us to remain determined regardless of the obstacles we face, and she has left our neighborhood with a lasting legacy of empowerment.

Burroughs established her labor organization in another part of the city. What have you done to recognize her work there?

Phillips-Cunningham: There is a historical marker outside the National Training School for Women and Girls, but there is nothing outside the building where Burroughs started the National Association of Wage Earners in 1921. We went before the Advisory Neighborhood Commission in Ward 2, and they unanimously approved our proposal to install a historical marker. We will hold the public ribbon-cutting ceremony once it's ready to go.

You've been working hard to organize this week's events. What's on the agenda?

Phillips-Cunningham: The conference will take place on Friday, May 8 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Sargent Memorial Presbyterian Church, which is within walking distance of Burroughs' school. It will feature oral histories from people who knew her, as well as panel discussions, a dance performance, poetry, music, and a walking tour of the campus. It's free and open to the public.

Williams: The parade is set for Saturday, May 9 from 1pm to 3pm along the 5000 to 5400 blocks of Nannie Helen Burroughs Ave. N.E. We'll have high school marching bands, community organizations, government leaders, and many others. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Why is it important to continue raising awareness of Burroughs, especially now?

Phillips-Cunningham: The enthusiastic responses to the book and our preservation projects are a loud testament to the significance of Black history at a time when it's disappearing in so many places. Burroughs had a phrase. She said she wanted to make the "wholly impossible" a reality. She and her co-organizers, such as Mary McLeod Bethune and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., laid the foundation for civil, labor, and women's rights, which are quickly being dismantled today. We could learn a lot from their stories and strategies.