Robert Thomas Kerlin

Born in 1866, Robert Thomas Kerlin was an American teacher, minister, editor, and writer whose career joined literary study with social activism. He taught English and became known for speaking out against racial injustice at a time when doing so often brought professional consequences.

Kerlin is especially remembered for works connected to Black literature and civil rights, including editing The Voice of the Negro and Negro Poets and Their Poems. His writing and editorial work helped preserve and promote important voices while also showing his belief that literature should engage directly with the moral issues of its time.

He died in 1950, leaving behind a body of work that reflects both scholarly interests and a strong sense of public responsibility. For listeners interested in overlooked American authors, his life offers a vivid example of how books, teaching, and conscience can intersect.