Nannie Burroughs and the Rhetorical Resistance of The Worker

Nannie Helen Burroughs, an influential Black clubwoman and school builder, used publications like The Worker and A Missionary Quarterly to uplift Black women workers as missionaries, clubwomen, writers, and political figures of resistance. Her work highlights the importance of Black Women's Rhetoric(s) challenging traditional narratives by emphasizing the autonomy and empowerment of African American women through faith and activism. Her print publications correct the notion that church-based activist work cannot be political resistance. By providing an opportunity for Black women to speak and write in their own voice even during times of financial and political stresses, Burroughs altered the political conversation around Black women's employment. When market circumstances changed, Burroughs subtly shifted into writing about Biblical lessons to maintain her earlier goals of promoting Black women's voices and experiences. This study reclaims Burroughs' legacy as a rhetorical strategist whose publishing work influenced Black women's political presence.