Richard Allen Tucker was born February 1850 to Reverend Lewis Tucker and Elizabeth “Betsey” Hunter in Norfolk City, Virginia. His father, Lewis Tucker, was from Ferry Point section of Berkley, Norfolk County. Lewis joined the Baptist faith at nineteen years old and decided to take up the ministry as his life work. It led him to become the first African American ordained Baptist minister in Norfolk City. He was posted at Norfolk’s First Baptist Church. (1)

Richard Tucker was educated locally then went to Howard University for training in Theology between 1870 and 1874. (2) He was sent to North Carolina by the Congregational Church for missionary work. Tucker came back to Norfolk City in 1876 where he was hired as a school teacher for Norfolk Public Schools on August 14, 1876. (3) The city and school system approved the building of the Cumberland Street School (renamed the S. C. Armstrong School), the first African American school built by the Norfolk Public Schools, in 1883. When the school opened in 1888, Tucker was made the school’s rector (principal). (4) He held the post for the rest of his career in Norfolk Public Schools.

Richard married Josephine Spooner on May 5, 1874 in Washington, DC. (5) Their union produced twelve children however only five children lived into their adulthood. By 1910, his wife and surviving children had moved to Baltimore, Maryland while Richard stayed here in Norfolk. (6)  In 1918, he was forced to retire due to ill health. Richard A Tucker was 73 years old when he died on January 25, 1924 at his family’s home in Baltimore, Maryland. His funeral was held on the following Monday at the A.M.E. Church in Baltimore. His obituary mentioned that he loved art especially sculpture and painting. Tucker even composed and published several poems. (7)

Sources:

  1. Richard H. Bowling, “Norfolk’s First Regular Ordained Negro Minister Acted as Choir Leader and Composer as Well,” Norfolk Journal and Guide, 5 November 1932, page 2.
  2. Ancestry.com. U.S., School Catalogs, 1754-1986 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Kelly Miller and Howard University. Howard University Alumni Directory, 1870-1919. Washington, D.C.: Howard University, 1920.
  3. School Board, Norfolk Public Schools (Va). “Minutes,” 14 August 1876.
  4. School Board, Norfolk Public Schools (Va). “Minutes,” 17 July 1888.
  5. Ancestry.com. District of Columbia, Compiled Marriage Index, 1830-1921 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2014.
  6. 1910 US Federal Census – Norfolk City, VA and Baltimore, MD
  7. “R. A. Tucker Dies at Baltimore Home,” Norfolk Journal and Guide, 2 February 1924, page 1.

 

Honors, Memorials:

Richard A Tucker Elementary School, (Norfolk Public Schools   (19  - 20  )

Richard A Tucker Anchor Branch Library (Norfolk Public Library)  (Under construction, opening Fall 2021)

 

 

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