What Manner of Woman?: Ancestor Dr. Margaret Taylor Goss Burroughs
By Eleanor Chatman
Presented by Omni-U Virtual University
What manner of woman was Ancestor Dr. Margaret Taylor Goss Burroughs? I intended to answer this question when I decided to share some of my experiences with Dr. Margaret Taylor Goss Burroughs in my recently published book, "Me and Dr.B." I wondered how a 22-year-old lady could spearhead with others, including Artists Charles Wilbert White Jr. and William Sylvester Carter, the opening of the first Black community art center, The South Side Community Art Center. I was also interested in knowing how this same young lady was able to persuade Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the President of the United States, to attend SSCAC's opening.
How was she able to work as a Chicago Public School teacher while raising a family and negotiating the opening of the DuSable Museum of African History, the first of its kind in the world?
How was she able to write a number of books- some of which were self-published[1] and produce fantastic artworks while traveling the world and representing African American art- often representing the United States, on a number of occasions?
Dr. Margaret T.G Burroughs was a world traveler. She visited Africa a number of times as well as the Orient and Europe. She also took special trips to Cuba and South America.
She gave hundreds of inspirational speeches to Universities, Churches, and even Senior Citizen homes-all while promoting the development of the DuSable Museum.
She was successful in all of her endeavors as an artist, a teacher, writer, an activist, a mentor, and more. I still do not know how she was able to accomplish all that she did. I only know that she did all this and more. For that, I am grateful.
Recommended Readings:
"Dr. Margaret Taylor Goss Burroughs: 'TCB' " by Eleanor Chatman - An H3O Art of Life Blog
Me and Dr.B. by Eleanor Chatman
South Side Venus: The Legacy of Margaret T.G Burroughs. by Dr. Mary Ann Cain
BlogNote
[1] Many of Dr. Burroughs' works are published under the name, Margaret Goss, and are housed at The DuSable Museum of African American History in Chicago, Illinois.
Recommended Viewing:
Featuring: Ancestor Dr.Timuel Black, Jr. ;Eleanor Chatman; Queen Mother Rev. Helen Sinclair; Daniel T. Parker; Dr.Jerome Lee,Jr.; and Debra Hand
We invite you to view the series of episodes that celebrate the Life and Legacy of Dr. Margaret Taylor Goss Burroughs resuming Friday, November 18th @ 8:30PM on CANTV, CHANNEL 19, and continuing each Friday through November 25th. These shows will be repeated on Sundays through November 27th