Essay Sample on Joseph N. Crooms Was an Influential African American

One man making education accessible for everyone. Joseph N. Crooms was an African American Civil Rights activist that fought for education for African Americans. Joseph N. Crooms was born to former slave from Tallahasse, Florida and migrated to Orlando, Florida with his family. While he was here, he managed 2 schools to enable education for African Americans, and helped African Americans get jobs. These are one of the many reasons Joseph N. Crooms was an influential African American Floridan.

The first reason Joseph N. Crooms was an influential African American who opened 1 school and was in charge of another to help African Americans get the education they deserve. According to “The Orlando Sentinel” in the article “Crooms family opened doors wide to learning”, when Joseph Crooms was only 26 years old he became the principal of Hoppers Academy. Crooms had to do a lot of work to maintain this because he had a lot of students to work with and had a lot of teachers he needed to pay. Despite this, Crooms made it work teaching them many useful skills and taught up to 8th grade where it was near impossible for most African Americans to get any education at all. The same article from the Orlando Sentinel, talks about how he then opened Crooms Academy to further give them access to K-12 education. This is important because this is the only way African Americans in Orange County could get education. He extended education for African Americans so that they not only have middle school, and elementary school, but even highschool so that they can continue to go to college.

Another reason Joseph N. Crooms was an influential African American as he employed many African Americans giving people a way to support their family. According to “everything.explained.today”, section “Personal life”, Joseph N. Crooms would hire teachers, librarians, and staff members for his schools. This was essential to African Americans because it was hard for them to get jobs. At this time these people were getting discriminated against and him hiring them helped them support their families.  According to “The Crooms Family: A Legacy of Education.” by Orange County Regional History Center, Joseph bought a beach with his corporation. This beach will need contractors, and landscapers to manage the beach which provides jobs for African Americans. Even acts like these that don’t seem like they make a lot of jobs actually do because he could hire African Americans to landscape, do the paperwork, and manage the motels on the beach. 

Joseph N. Crooms has made a wonderful impact on the African American community. From helping manage schools that educated the oppressed African Americans, to helping them pay the bills. Joseph N. Crooms impact is still here today with his school he founded still standing that many students attend each year. He was a leader that contributed to getting African Americans the right to education in Orange county. Without him, many would go without this valuable asset of education.