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

Born to formerly enslaved parents and rising from rural Arkansas to Yale, this gifted speaker became one of the best-known Black public intellectuals of his era. His life joined scholarship, journalism, and civil rights work in a way that still feels strikingly modern.

Arthur Alfonso Schomburg

1874–1938

A pioneering collector and historian, he devoted his life to preserving the stories, documents, and achievements of people of African descent. His work helped lay the foundation for one of the world’s most important centers for Black history and culture.

T. G. (Theophilus Gould) Steward

1843–1924

An influential African American minister, educator, and army chaplain, he wrote about Black history, military service, and public life at a time when those stories were too often ignored. His work joined scholarship, faith, and activism in a way that still feels strikingly modern.