Islay Walden

Alfred Islay Walden (1847-1884) was an African-American poet and minister.

Life
Alfred Islay Walden was born a slave in Randolph County, North Carolina Sold twice as an infant, he was recognized at a young age for his facility with mental math calculations and general acuity. Walden gained his freedom after the Civil War. Determined to become a minister, he walked to Washington, D.C., on foot during the winter of 1867 and supported himself by selling poems on the streets. He enrolled at Howard University on scholarship, earning a degree in 1876.

Walden established a mission school for needy African Americans in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He became one of the first African American graduates of New Brunswick Theological Seminary. He was ordained in 1879, and returned to North Carolina where he led a congregation until his death.

Publications

 * Walden’s Miscellaneous Poems, which the author desires to dedicate to the cause of education and humanity. 1873.
 * Walden’s Sacred Poems, with a sketch of His life. 1877.