Dorothy Burdine Papers

Blair-Caldwell
African American Research Library
Denver Public Library
2004

Biographical Note | Scope and Content | Container Listing

Biographical Note

Dorothy Irene Burdine was born in Denver on 12 December 1903 to Alfred B. and Alice Fowler Burdine.

She was educated in Denver Public Schools and graduated from East High in 1923.

Burdine garnered both her A.B. and A.M. (in 1927 and 1933, respectively) from the Colorado State Teachers College (now Colorado State University) in Greeley.

After doing some post-graduate work at the University of Denver and Texas A&M, Burdine began her teaching career at Tennessee State University in Nashville.

Became the first African American to teach in Denver Public Schools.

Relocated to Prairie View, Texas in about 1938.

Taught at Prairie View Training School until 1969. (Served as principal for six years.)

Remained in Prairie View until 1993, before moving to Houston.

Died on 10 June 2003.

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Scope and Content

The Dorothy Burdine Papers are divided into four series: Correspondence, Education, Publications, and Photographs. Within each series, the documents are arranged chronologically.

The Correspondence Series (Box 1, Folder 1) contains a single letter addressed to the Hilliard Family in Illinois. Although not entirely evident, Burdine’s godson (and donor of these papers), David Hilliard, seems to be the recipient of the correspondence.

The Education Series (Box 1, Folder 2) holds certificates from the Colorado State Teachers College in Greeley. They include her teaching certificates and diplomas (both graduate and undergraduate).

The third series, Publications (three folders), contains three subseries about Burdine: Yearbook, Reunion, and Obituary/Clippings. Box 1, Folder 3 houses the 1923 Angelus annual from East Denver High School. Burdine is featured on page twenty; from 1917-1968, a training school operated in Prairie View, Texas. The third annual reunion (1997) memorial booklet appears in Box 1, Folder 4. Burdine served as principal of the Prairie View Training School from 1946-1951. She appears prominently throughout this publication; the final subseries, Obituary/Clippings, contains newspaper excerpts about Burdine’s life and her funeral program.

The last series, Photographs, consists of one folder (Box 1, Folder 6). Researchers can view three images of Burdine – all of them taken, presumably, prior to 1940.

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Container Listing

Box 1

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