07/12/2026
One of the stories I love sharing with visitors to the Camden Shoe Shop & Quilt Museum is the remarkable life of Rosa J. Young. Her faith, determination, and love for education changed lives not only here in Wilcox County but across the South.
As our nation celebrates America's 250th anniversary in 2026, we're also remembering another special milestone—the 110th anniversary of Christ Lutheran Church in Rosebud, founded in 1916 because Rosa Young never gave up on her dream of bringing education and opportunity to her community.
I'm excited to share this field report written by Lutheran Missions pastor Rev. Nils Bakke, who made his first visit to Rosebud in December 1915 after receiving Rosa's heartfelt letter asking for help. Reading his words gives us a glimpse into what Rosebud was like over 110 years ago and reminds us how one woman's courage and perseverance left a legacy that still inspires us today.
If you've visited the museum, you know Rosa Young's story holds a special place in my heart. I hope you'll enjoy reading this fascinating piece of Wilcox County history as much as I do.
Thanks for the post Rosa Jinsey Young page!
We hope you'll enjoy this fascinating piece of our local history.
Our nation's 250th anniversary -- 2026 -- is the 110th anniversary of the 1916 founding of Christ Lutheran Church in Rosebud, Alabama thanks to the faithful witness of Rosa J. Young.
Here is a field report from Lutheran Missions pastor, Rev. Nils Bakke about his first visit to Rosebud in December, 1915, a response to her letter of request for help).
"Rosa Young and her school have been and still are an asset to the community. "Miss Rosa," as her pupils call her, is a graduate of Payne University of Selma, a highly educated young woman, and loved and respected by both races. A [young woman] like that is more than an asset, she is a shining light and a benefactress to her people. What induced her to establish her school (in 1912)? In her section, like in many others of the South, the Colored children received only three to four months of public schooling. This did not meet the requirements of the people, and being unable to send their children away to better schools, they requested her to establish a private school, and premised to support it to the best of their ability, which they did.
The white people too were interested in the undertaking.
After having enlisted moral and financial support of her white and Black friends, she secured five acres of beautiful timberland, erected a schoolhouse with three small rooms, and established "The Rosebud Literary and Industrial School." The equipments are rather primitive. The long benches and teachers' chairs are homemade. The little children write with their tablets or papers on the bench, kneeling on the floor. There are a few imitation blackboards, but no maps or charts were visible. As no chimneys are provided, the stovepipes are run through the windows. ...
During the first year, 1912, Miss Ross crowded into these rooms 215 children. Two teacher were added, and the larger girls were instructed in sewing and cooking. A number of books were collected for a circulating library, and the er****on of a spacious chapel was begun.
But hard times came. The low price of cotton, and the boll weevil, the latter worse than the former, caused a scarcity of money and it became necessary to cut down the expenses. This left the principal, Miss Rosa, alone with over 100 children in her care. T save the school from becoming "a memory only" the trustees appealed to the Methodist Church for help, but met with a refusal. (editor: Rosa's father was an African Methodist Episcopal preacher, so this is the church body they appealed to for funds)
Then they authorized the principal to offer the school t any Protestant church-body that would continue to conduct it in the interest of the Colored children, and she applied to the (Lutheran) church.
What induced her to appeal to us? The Lutheran Church and its great and benevolent work among her people were unknown to her at the time. At a loss what to do, and yet desiring to do her best for the school, in the interest of which had had taken many heavy lifts, she decided to consult Dr. Booker T. Washington, the great educator, leader, and counselor of her people. He advised her to apply to the Mission Board of the Lutheran Church, stating, among other things, that of all the Churches working for the uplift of the Colored people, the Lutheran Church stood in the front ranks because of the excellent Christian school-training which it offers to the children. Dr. Washington was familiar with our work, and personally acquainted with some of our missionary workers, and he knew whereof he spoke (Dr Washington had personally visited Immanuel Lutheran College in Greensboro, NC in 1910 when Rev Bakke was serving there.)
He sent her his YearBook, in which among others, the address of our chairman was given. (The forward-thinking Washington had hired sociologist and data pioneer Monroe Nathan Work in 1908 to found the Department of Records and Research at the Tuskegee Institute. At Washington's suggestion, Work compiled the data he gathered on Black life and history into the inaugural 1912 volume. The 1915 volume contained the name of the Lutheran church and contact information in St. Louis)
At a meeting which the writer held with the principal and the Board of Trustees it was unanimously resolved to offer to deed to the Mission Board of the Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference for Colored mission the entire school property under the condition that said Board will conduct for seven to nine months in the year the school for the Christian training of Colored children and that Rosa J. Young, the founder be retained as a teacher."
The next Sunday Rev Bakke preached a sermon and lecture of the Lutheran church and its work and on Monday talked to the students. On both occasions he had a large and appreciative audience. Whites and Blacks were kind and hospitable, and Rev Bakke returned to St. Louis to meet with the mission board in early 1916 with the promise "May the Lord, our God, be with us, and prosper the work of our hands!" (part two next week)
