Pioneering Suffragist and Educator Edna Meade Colson Was a Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha

This article was written and submitted to Watch The Yard by Recognize Our Pride

In commemoration of Pride Month, we recognize the life and legacy of pioneering
suffragist, educator and Alpha Kappa Alpha soror Edna Meade Colson.

Dr. Edna Meade Colson (1888–1985) was a barrier-breaking educator, civil rights activist, and proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. As one of the most influential figures in advancing higher education for Black teachers during the Jim Crow era, Colson shattered limitations in graduate education at a time when opportunities for African Americans in the South were severely restricted. A lifelong champion for equity in education and civil rights, she shaped generations of Black educators at Virginia State University and left a lasting legacy as an early Black woman voter, pioneering LGBTQ+ icon, and leader in Black women’s civic organizations.

Career as an Educator

Born in Petersburg, Virginia, Dr. Edna Meade Colson (1888–1985) was the eldest child of prominent educators James and Kate Colson and became a major contributor to the development of African American teachers. She earned a B.A. in Education from Fisk University in 1915, followed by a B.S. in 1923, an M.A. in 1924, and a Ph.D. in 1940 all from Teachers College, Columbia University in New York. Because graduate education was unavailable to African Americans in Virginia’s segregated universities, Colson pursued her post-baccalaureate studies outside of Virginia, an experience that deeply shaped her commitment to educational equity. Drawing on this, she played an influential role in expanding graduate education opportunities for African Americans in Virginia, notably chairing the committee that launched Virginia State’s new graduate-level courses in the summer of 1937.

During her distinguished career at Virginia State University (then the Virginia Normal and Industrial Institute), Colson served as a classroom teacher, supervisor of student teaching, director of the Normal School, and director of the Division of Education. In 1951, she became director of Virginia State’s newly created School of Education, before retiring in 1953.

Suffrage and Civil Rights Activism

Beyond her contributions to education, Colson was politically active.
According to the Library of Virginia, Colson was among the first African American
women to register to vote after the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was
ratified in 1920.

In 1921, Colson became a charter member of the Delta Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa
Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, in Petersburg, Virginia, where she served as the chapter’s
third president.

Additionally, she became the first Black Virginia woman to become a life member of the
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in 1950 and held life
memberships with the American Teachers Association and the National Education
Association.

LGBTQ+ Icon and Legacy

Colson’s longtime partner was Amaza Lee Meredith (1895-1984), a Lynchburg, Virginia
native who was one of the first Black women architects.

According to the NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project, Meredith enrolled at the Virginia
Normal and Industrial Institute in the summer of 1915, where she met Colson, one of
her teachers.

According to the NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project, Historian Jacqueline Taylor notes in Suffragette City, “Meredith fell in love with learning and with her instructor. Colson made it clear that she reciprocated her student’s romantic feelings, and they began a sporadic but long-term love affair.”

After encouragement from Colson to pursue professional development in the north,
Meredith enrolled at Teachers College, Columbia University in 1926. Meredith
eventually earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in fine arts and returned to
Petersburg in 1930 to begin her teaching career at Virginia State. Meredith founded
Virginia State’s Fine Arts department. She retired in 1958.

Colson and Meredith lived in “Azurest South,” a 1939 house designed by Meredith in
the International Style located on the edge of Virginia State’s campus. Designated as a
National Historic Landmark in 2024, Azurest South is among the country’s earliest
houses designed by a Black woman.

According to Preservation Virginia, Azurest South was Meredith and Colson’s primary
residence for the rest of their lives. Virginia State University National Alumni Association
acquired their home after their deaths in the mid-1980s.

Sources:
Edna Meade Colson · Virginia Changemakers
Delta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha About Us
NOTABLE DELTA OMEGA WOMEN | deltaomega
A Guide to the Papers of The Colson-Hill Family Colson-Hill 1965-13
Amaza Lee Meredith Residence – NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project
Weekly List 2024 12 20 – National Register of Historic Places (U.S. National Park
Service)

Recognize Our Pride is a digital platform that celebrates the LGBTQ+ members of
historically Black fraternities and sororities. Recognize Our Pride thanks Denise Verdant
(@deniseverdant) for making them aware of Edna Colson.