Upon the death of his father, he was placed in the hands of his maternal grandmother, who carefully nurtured him and looked after his educational interests with true motherly zeal. When the free school system was inaugurated, she saw that Joseph was one of the first pupils to be enrolled. Remaining at school until seventeen, he then became a teacher, afterward entering the branch Normal School of the University at Pine Bluff, Ark., under Prof. J. C. Corbin, the linguist. He also attended Roger Williams University. Having been licensed to preach, he here attempted a theological course, but relinquished it after one year, and continued the regular college course until graduation, which occurred May 26, 1886, when he received the degree of A. B.
On returning home from school, he was appointed state missionary of Arkansas, under the joint commission of the State Mission Board and the Executive Board of the American Baptist Home Mission Society. He was engaged in this only twelve months before he was appointed president of Arkansas Baptist College. As the Convention Board had already decided to have a denominational organ in the school, (which would be an advantage to the paper and the school alike) this brought Mr. Booker in direct connection with the paper, in the fall of 1887. He was at once made its managing editor. This position he filled creditably, and with profit to the paper, notwithstanding the overburden of work the young school necessitated, with its very small corps of teachers.
The paper was at first known as The Arkansas Baptist; but the white Baptists of the state presuming to name their paper The Arkansas Baptist, brought on a business collision between the two, and in March, 1889, The Arkansas Baptist (colored) changed its name to The Baptist Vanguard. Under this new title it continued to advance and flourish, gaining in popularity and material work.
