Ida Wilcox
| William and Ida Wilcox | |
|---|---|
Ida and Rev. Wilcox
|
|
| Born |
August 6, 1850 Richfield, Ohio (William) December 29, 1858 Northfield, Minnesota (Ida) |
| Died | January 26, 1928 (aged 77) Glendale, California (William) May 13, 1940 (aged 81) Glendale, California (Ida) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | missionaries |
| Known for | adopting John Dube and giving black people land in Natal |
| Spouse(s) | Ida Belle Clary Wilcox |
| Children | eight |
The Reverend William Cullen Wilcox (August 6, 1850 – January 26, 1928) was an American missionary to South Africa. With his wife, Ida Belle Clary Wilcox, he "adopted" John Dube, who was to be the first President of the African National Congress and the first black founder of a South African school. Ida Wilcox taught Nokutela Mdima who was to become Nokutela Dube. The Wilcoxes arranged for black South Africans to own land, and as a result they were driven out of South Africa in 1918. The South African government conferred the Order of the Companions of O. R. Tambo on the Wilcoxes for their work in 2009. They "sacrificed all that they had in solidarity with the South African people."
William Cullen Wilcox was born in Richfield, Ohio, to Jeremiah Cullen and Julia Ann (born Wilder) Wilcox. William married Ida Belle Clary Wilcox in Northfield, Minnesota, where she was born. They were to have eight children together.
They were sent to South Africa as missionaries by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions and they arrived in Inanda, north of Durban, in 1881. This was a substantial mission known as the American Zulu Mission or AZM. Ida Wilcox taught girls including the future Nokutela Dube and Ida wrote a regular contribution for Rice County Journal in Northfield, Minnesota to publicize their work.
William was asked to talk to John Dube about his poor behavior at the Adams School in Amanzimtoti. John was the son of the Reverend James Dube who was the Congregational minister at the AZM in Inanda.
In 1887, they were returning to the United States, and Dube and his mother persuaded the missionary couple to take John Dube to the United States where he could further his education. The Wilcoxes agreed on the condition that the child was to maintain himself financially.
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Wikipedia