Gurley Brewer facts for kids
Gurley Brewer (1866–1919) was an important American lawyer, newspaper publisher, and political activist. He is best known as the editor of the Indianapolis World, which was one of the first newspapers in Indiana created by and for African Americans.
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Biography of Gurley Brewer
Early Life and Education
Gurley Brewer was born in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1866. His father, Hubbard Brewer, was a barber. When Gurley was a young boy, his family moved to the town of Vincennes, Indiana.
Gurley Brewer went to Wilberforce University in Wilberforce, Ohio. This was a special college that was created for Black students. He studied hard and graduated with honors in 1888.
Gurley Brewer's Career
Gurley Brewer was a very good public speaker. In 1888, he traveled around Indiana to speak for Benjamin Harrison, who was running for president with the Republican Party. Brewer continued to speak for the Republican Party during elections for the rest of his life.
In February 1890, Brewer became a lawyer in Indiana. He was the first African-American man to become a lawyer in Southern Indiana. He opened his own law office in his hometown of Vincennes, Indiana.
From 1894 to 1897, Brewer also worked as the principal of the "colored schools" in Mount Vernon, Indiana. These were separate schools for Black students during a time when schools were segregated.
In 1900, Brewer was named the Deputy State Historian of Indiana. He also worked as a Deputy State Statistician that year. He was chosen to be a delegate for the Republican National Convention in 1900.
Early in the 1900s, Gurley Brewer became the editor of the Indianapolis World newspaper. This was one of the first newspapers in Indiana made for Black communities. Brewer often wrote articles that shared a conservative point of view. For example, in 1903, he supported the Negro Business League. This group was formed in Indianapolis to help unemployed Black people find jobs and improve relationships between different groups of people in the community.
In 1904, Brewer became a co-publisher of the World newspaper with Alexander Manning. He stayed in charge until 1912. During this time, he was very active in the National Negro Press Association, which is a group for Black newspaper publishers. He was elected Second Vice President of this association in 1913.
Brewer was a strong supporter of the Republican Party. In the 1912 election, he supported William Howard Taft. Taft was a conservative Republican, and he ran against Theodore Roosevelt, who was a former Republican president with more progressive ideas.
In early 1919, Brewer was named the Indiana Deputy State Oil Inspector.
Death and Legacy
Gurley Brewer passed away at his home in Indianapolis on March 30, 1919. He was 53 years old and died from a heart attack.
A special memorial service was held for Brewer on April 4, 1919. Important Republican leaders spoke at the gathering, including Indiana Governor James P. Goodrich and Indianapolis Mayor Charles W. Jewett.
