BLACK HISTORY SPOTLIGHT: MARIA FEARING
Thursday, July 24, 2008

Maria Fearing (1838-1937) was a teacher, missionary and former slave.
Born to Mary and Jesse on William O. Winston’s Oak Hill Plantation, near Gainesville, Alabama, on July 26, 1838, she spent much of her time with her mistress and the other children. Amanda Winston taught her children and Maria the Presbyterian catechism, told them Bible stories and tales about missionaries in Africa.
After emancipation, Jesse and his family took the surname of a previous owner, Fearing, and Maria learned how to read and write at the age of thirty-three. She worked her way through the Freedman’s Bureau School in Talladega to become a teacher and taught for a number of years in the rural schools of Calhoun County.
In 1891, Maria heard William Henry Sheppard speak at Talladega College. As a Presbyterian missionary, Sheppard appealed to the audience for volunteers to return with him to the Congo. Maria applied to work with the Presbyterian missionaries in Africa at the age of fifty-six.
She was denied at first, but was eventually approved as a self-supporting missionary. In May 1894, after selling her house and receiving a pledge for $100.00 from the women of the Congregational Church in Talladega, Maria paid her own expenses and sailed from New York to the Congo (Zaire). Once reaching shore, Sheppard, three other blacks and Maria traveled another 1200 miles inland to a mission station at Luebo. The journey lasted almost two months. After two years of service, Fearing was recognized as a full missionary and began receiving a salary.
While in Luebo, Maria learned the Baluba-Lulua language and assisted in the translation of the Bible. She promoted Christianity throughout neighboring villages. One of her lasting contributions was the creation of the Pantops Home for Girls, which helped girls who were orphans and those who had been kidnapped and sold into slavery. Maria used trinkets, tools and even salt to barter for their freedom. She taught reading, writing, arithmetic, homemaking skills, gardening and the tenets of the Christian faith. She hoped that when and if the girls married, they would spread these principles of good conduct and Christianity to their husbands and children. Her students nicknamed her, “mama wa Mputu,” (mother from far away) as a symbol of their love and appreciation.
Maria worked tirelessly for more than twenty years among the children of the Congo. She returned to Alabama in 1905 for a speaking tour to raise financial support for the missions. Ten years later, she was urged to take a leave of absence due to health reasons. In 1918, she received the Loving Cup, an honor bestowed upon her by the Southern Presbyterian Church. After retirement and returning to Alabama at the age of 78, Fearing taught at a church school in Selma and later returned to Sumter County where she died at the age of 99. Maria Fearing was inducted into the Alabama Women’s Hall of Fame in 2000.
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Concrete Loop features ‘Black History Spotlights’ each week honoring black people who have played pivotal roles in history. submissions are welcome.
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46 Comments
1.
Mizz sunSHINE
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
I appreciate this.
2.
Why Didn't My Comment Post?
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
awesome
3.
STLCHICK
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
Thank you for this. Your hard work and efforts don’t go unnoticed @ least not by me.
4.
IT'S ALL LIFE
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
I applaud Angel for adding these Black History Spotlight posts to Concrete Loop and J. Dakar for keeping them up to date. It shows us that all of these blogs aren’t here to try to tear someone down. Keep it up and congrats on the blog’s success.
5.
Hardwoodpoets
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
Thanks,
She lived to be 99 years old, What a blessing. I have never heard of her before so thanks for the info.
6.
-->∂ลრ嫬 of ✰ƒ τ რ✰
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
good for her! i;m proud.
i like these posts
7.
Olivia
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
I enjoy reading the Black History Spotlight, this is information and history to know and keep in mind.
8.
mzc2u
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
Thanks for the Black History Spotlights, I’m glad that you keep this up year around and not just for the month of February.
9.
Rev.
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
Thanks for all the Black History Spotlights. I really enjoy reading them. Keep them coming.
10.
Original Truth (I don't care if ya get mad)
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
Interesting! Thanks for posting!
11.
tg
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
God Bless people like her who aren’t afraid to try a make a difference. Thanks - I enjoyed the story, too.
12.
Hannah
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
This is such an amazing story. It really shows you are never too old to do anything. She left something that many don’t. A LEGACY
13.
mrs sands
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
Love these posts….keep them coming!
14.
Dame(Everything I am not made me everything I am)~Mr. West
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
I love these post
15.
iknowdasrite
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
inspirational
16.
Mel
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
Ms. Fearing lived a very extraordinary life and what a story!
17.
Fantasy
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
Great post I’m so proud of my african-amerikkkan heritage! But I would like to point out thirty three is spell wrong simple typo keep up the good work
18.
atwrk
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
lol were you guys just trying to sound west indian “thirty-tree”
i like these black history spotlights
19.
Kat
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
I really like the black history post!!!! Keep up the good work
20.
Ms Ke
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
wow! very interesting! thanks!
21.
Ms. Lady
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
I love all the gossip posts and the fashion posts and the political posts. But, I truly enjoy these Black History posts. Thank you for doing what no other blog does Angel. I love Concreteloop.
22.
MW09
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
She was so inspirational……. she makes me so proud, I’m glad I found out about all her amazing work……Thanks CL…….. I LOVE THESE!!!!!!!
23.
TMI4me
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
WOW
24.
thoro
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
Now thats what I am talking about- and I have the nerve to complain about the rain!
Thank you for this informative posts CP keep up the good work!
25.
bria
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
I love these black history stories. It shows us what we are made of and who we come from. Somewhere between the 1980’s and now we lost our way and forgot what kind of stock we are actually made of. So I hope by reading this we would get away of these defiatism and victimized attitudes that we as a race have adopted. And before everyone goes crazy I am not talking about every black person. But I hear too many black people say black people don’t do this or we don’t do that and I am glad too know that people can start reading these stories and realize you can do whatever you want too do.
26.
dame1001
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
simply beautiful
27.
AK
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
What an amazing woman she was. WOW. I am just so thankful for people like her in this world. Thanks so much for sharing.
28.
juicyb16
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
GAINESVILLE ALABAMA?! OR IS IT GAINESVILLE FLORIDA.
29.
SexyGaPeachInCali
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
These posts are always interesting…keep up the excellent work CL. Thanks
30.
CHERRY
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
I don’t know who submitted this to CL but it is wonderful!!! These are the stories I want to read, hear about and see depicted on film. Good job Concreteloop!! Keep up the excellent work..
31.
SOS
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
really nice, good post, what I like about those history is that black people back then was more united, I meant black people not just African american, now we see a big division between blacks born in Africa and blacks born in America, and only one race win with this situation, yo know what race I am talking about, did yo know that africans comming to USA working for those oil company are advised not to deal with african americans because they’re aggressive? just the same way they put on african americans mind that they’re different from blacks born in Africa, and if you go to Africa you will see the same race over there acting like they’re helping when they’re there to take those people oil and diamonds,
WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!!
32.
MJ
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
Wow… I have never heard of her, though my dad once told me that in his native language, there are words that resemble english words…. I am from Congo (Zaïre), which is now called DRC. My dad was born and raised in that region of the country. By the way, the language of these people is called Tshiluba (Tshi = Chi). Great work, and I really appreciate these posts… I come every thursday to read them.
33.
luvsmoochez
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
Thanks for the post. I lvoe these. I learn something new each time. I always pass this information one. You are one of a kind!
34.
Compton Cutie
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
Thank so much…I truly love the Black History Spotlight!
35.
BrownBaby
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
A true woman of distinction, thank you for bringing her to us……….
36.
J. Dakar
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
#17: Thanks. See what happens when you don’t proofread your work! Haha.
#28: Alabama.
37.
Kofeebrown
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
I really have to applaud you for adding these Black History Spotlights. I personally wouldn’t have ever known about most of these people. Thank you so much and please keep being the positive blog you have become. I enjoy reading you blog everyday.
38.
OrangeSharpie
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
wow!
39.
Have Not Thought of a New User Name
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
I love these post!
40.
closetcolumnist
Thursday, July 24, 2008 /
beautiful and inspiring. thanks.
41.
tj
Friday, July 25, 2008 /
She went from being a victim of judeo-christian psychological colonialism to spreading that message of self hatred and white is right to Africans. Well history is history, and I certainly appreciate the post. I just think we need to ask ourselves how is this woman a “heroine”? Certainly not for taking an oppressive religion to a different continent and convincing the natives that their beliefs were sub-par in respect to the European construction (perhaps re-construction) of christianity which was thrust upon her while being held captive.
Just sayin…
42.
Treysongz
Sunday, July 27, 2008 /
Thanks for sharing that piece of history. I look forward to more.
43.
miss shay- shay
Monday, July 28, 2008 /
truely amazing how much we accomplished with faith and determination alone compared to nowadays when we have so much material possessions but a broken spirit
44.
Simone
Thursday, July 31, 2008 /
Awsome….
Im proud to kno where i cam 4m =D..
45.
Rashida
Friday, August 1, 2008 /
“Mama Wa Mputu” means ‘Stubborn mother’ rather than mother from far away.
46.
7th grade pooh gets it right
Friday, September 12, 2008 /
damn no direspect she look like a dude and that lady next to her look like jay-z