Black History Day 6: Melvin B. Tolson

As we scratch a little more of the surface of Black History Month I present to you Melvin B. Tolson. Tolson was a modernist poet, educator, columnist and politician. His work concentrated of the experiences of African American which includes several long historical poems.

One of his thesis projects was “The Harlem Group of Negro Writers”, which was based on his extensive interviews with members of the Harlem Renaissance. His poetry was strongly influenced by his time in New York. When he completed his work he was awarded the master’s degree in 1940.

After he graduated, Tolson and his wife moved to Marshall, Texas, where he taught speech and English at Wiley College. The small,Methodist Episcopal college had a high reputation among blacks in the south.

In addition to teaching English, he used his energy in several directions at the school. He built an award-winning debate team, the Wiley Forensic Society. During their tour in 1935, they broke through the color barrier and competed against U.S.C., and won. He also co-founded the black intercollegiate Southern Association of Dramatic and Speech Arts, and directed the theater club. He also coached the junior varsity football team.

Tolson mentored students such as James L. Farmer Jr. and Heman Sweatt , who later became civil rights activists. He encouraged his students to be well-rounded and to also to stand up for their rights which was a controversial position in the segregated southof the early and mid-20th century.

Tolson went on to accomplish many great things such as becoming the Poem Laureate of Liberia and becoming mayor of Langston, Michigan from 1954-1960.

Melvin Tolson was definitely a man of great intellect and had a strong influence on his students to where they eventually became part of the Civil Rights Movement. For those who may be unfamiliar with this man, check out the movie The Great Debaters starring Denzel Washington as Melvin B. Tolson