Josephine Delphine Henderson Heard (October 11, 1861 – October 21, 1924) was a Black American poet and teacher.

Josephine was born enslaved in Salisbury, North Carolina to enslaved parents Lafayette and Anne H. Henderson.

Her parents ensured she received a good education, sending her to Scotia Seminary in Concord, North Carolina, and later to Bethany Institute in New York.

Her literary talents emerged early, with several of her poems published in religious periodicals during her secondary school years.

Heard’s career as a poet flourished alongside her work as a teacher in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. In South Carolina, she met and married William Henry Heard in 1882 who was born into slavery but worked to become a teacher, railway postal clerk, and minister in the African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church.

The couple shared a love for adventure, traveling extensively across the United States, Europe, and Africa, where they lived for over eight years. They did not have any children; however, their life together was rich with shared experiences and contributions to their communities.

Josephine Heard’s poetry appeared in African American periodicals like A.M.E. Church Review, The New York Age, and The Colored American Magazine.

Her poetry resonated with themes of racial pride, resilience, and faith.
Her sole poetry collection, Morning Glories (1890), is a testament to her belief in the enduring strength and limitless potential of African Americans.

The collection reflects her connection to her culture and her Christian faith, envisioning a future where her people will thrive through education and perseverance in spite of the backdrop of racism and post-emancipation challenges.

Her joy in teaching is reflected in the preface of her 1890 volume of poetry entitled Morning Glories. She wrote “from a heart that desires to encourage and inspire the youth of the Race.”

The work contained seventy-two original poems by her. It was revised and expanded in 1891.

Additional insight into her life is provided by her husband who wrote in his memoir,
“She is scholarly and poetic, and her use of the English language, as well as the criticism of my sermons, have done much in making me the preacher they say I am."
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She died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1924 of breast cancer.
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Narrative source: Wikipedia; African American Poetry: A Digital Anthology-researched and written by Sarah Thompson, summer 2024.