Daniel Jackson Sanders

Daniel Jackson Sanders (February 15, 1847 – March 6, 1907) was an American clergyman, academic administrator, and newspaper publisher. He served as president of Biddle University (now Johnson C. Smith University) in North Carolina for seventeen years, becoming one of most prominent Black educators in the South. He had various positions of importance with the Presbyterian Church of the United States and was considered the leading Black Presbyterian minister in the United States when he died. Sanders also established, edited, and published the Africo-American Presbyterian newspaper.

Early life Sanders was born a slave near Winnsboro, South Carolina on February 15, 1847. His parents were Laura and William Sanders, who were enslaved by Reverend Thomas Hall and Major Samuel Barkley, respectively. When Barkley died, he left his estate, including enslaved people, to Barkley. There, he met John and William Knox, white brothers who were a teacher and student at Red Oak Academy; the brothers tutored Sanders in arithmetic, geography, grammar, Greek, history, and Latin.

In 1870, the Fairfield Presbytery licensed Sanders as a minister in the northern branch of the Presbyterian Church of the United States. He was appointed temporary clerk of the Atlantic Synod in December 1874. From 1875 to 1890, he also worked as the principal of Wilmington's school for Black children. Sanders published articles and editorials that highlighted racial injustice and violence, while endorsing the teachings of the Presbyterian Church. Africo-American Presbyterian was published until 1939 when it merged with The Southern Evangelist.

In 1891, Sanders left Wilmington and became the pastor of the Pilgrims' Chapel Church and Chadbourn Presbyterian Church.

Sanders served on the Presbyterian Assembly three times and was appointed to the Detroit Assembly. His funeral was held at Biddle University on March 8, 1907. Sanders was buried in Pinewood Cemetery (now the Ninth Street Cemetery) in Charlotte. Sanders' estate was valued at $25,000 ($ in 2024 dollars), including real estate, personal property, furniture, stocks, and life insurance.