Honoring Black History Through Child Advocacy: Janie Porter Barrett

Janie Porter Barrett, born 1865, was an educator and a pioneer in welfare work. In 1915, she established the Virginia Industrial School for Colored Girls, a residential school for young black girls who had been incarcerated. The school focused on character building, self-reliance and self-discipline, as well as teaching work skills to help the girls who lived there find employment and establish themselves in their community.