Papers of the American Negro Academy. (The American Negro Academy. Occasional Papers, No. 18-19.)

John Wesley Cromwell

1846–1927

Born into slavery in Virginia and freed as a child, this remarkable scholar went on to become a lawyer, teacher, journalist, historian, and civil rights activist in Washington, D.C. His life’s work helped preserve Black history and push for Black political and intellectual leadership in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Lafayette M. Hershaw

1863–1945

A sharp-minded journalist, lawyer, and civil servant, he was part of the circle of Black intellectuals who helped shape public debate in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His writing is closely tied to questions of justice, civil rights, and the realities of American life after Reconstruction.

William Pickens

1881–1954

A powerful speaker and writer of the early civil rights era, he rose from the son of formerly enslaved parents to become a nationally known educator, journalist, and NAACP leader. His life and books helped define what Black ambition, protest, and public leadership could look like in early 20th-century America.

Arthur Alfonso Schomburg

1874–1938

A pioneering collector and historian, he devoted his life to finding and preserving evidence of Black achievement across the Americas and beyond. His work helped lay the foundation for one of the world's most important research centers on Black history and culture.

T. G. (Theophilus Gould) Steward

1843–1924

A minister, teacher, and Army chaplain, he wrote about Black life, service, and history with unusual range and conviction. His work helped preserve the stories of African American soldiers and communities at a time when too many were being ignored.