Virginia E. Broughton (née Walker; March 1, 1856 – September 21, 1934) was an African American author and Baptist missionary.
[1] Her father's master permitted him to hire out and work for fees, and to save some of his pay to earn enough money to buy his family's freedom.
After obtaining freedom, Nelson Walker read the law with an established firm and became an attorney; he was known as the first African American man admitted to the state bar association in Davidson County, Tennessee.[when?
][2] Beginning in 1867, Broughton was one of the first four students to attend Fisk College (then offering classes equivalent to a primary school and upper grades) and its Normal Institute, dedicated to teacher training.
(Robinson's graduation was delayed as she was touring overseas with the Fisk Jubilee Singers.