T. J. Sellers facts for kids

Thomas Jerome Sellers (1911-2006) was an important African American journalist, newspaper editor, publisher, and teacher from Charlottesville, Virginia. He worked hard to support civil rights and share important news with his community.

Early Life and Education

Thomas Sellers was born in 1911 and grew up in Charlottesville and Esmont, Virginia. He went to Esmont High School for a while. In 1930, he was part of the first group of African American students to graduate from an officially recognized high school in the Charlottesville area. This school was called the Jefferson School.

Years later, in 1977, Mr. Sellers wrote an article for The New York Times. In it, he talked about the unfair, racist environment he experienced at Jefferson High School. Even though the teachers were all women and very dedicated, the system around them was not fair.

Mr. Sellers' wife, Eleanor, later became an English teacher at Jefferson High School. Thomas and Eleanor Sellers were well-known and respected members of the African American community in Charlottesville. They moved to New York in the early 1950s. Their daughter, Thomasine, was born in 1942. In the 1940s, Mr. Sellers also worked as a superintendent for an insurance company in Charlottesville.

Fighting for Civil Rights

Thomas Sellers was a strong supporter of African American people having a voice in politics. He worked tirelessly for Black rights during the Jim Crow era. This was a time when laws in the Southern United States kept Black and white people separate and treated Black people unfairly.

In 1950, Mr. Sellers was at a very important meeting. This meeting led to the University of Virginia accepting its first African American law student, Gregory Swanson. This was a big step forward for equal rights in education.

Mr. Sellers also guided a white civil rights activist named Sarah Patton Boyle. She wanted to help end segregation in schools in Charlottesville. Mr. Sellers became her mentor, teaching her about the challenges and how to help. Sarah Patton Boyle wrote about his influence in her book, The Desegregated Heart.

Life in New York and Teaching Career

In 1953, the Sellers family moved to New York. Thomas Sellers went to New York University (NYU). He earned his bachelor's degree in the early 1950s. He also studied for a master's degree in school management.

In the 1960s, he taught at a school called P.S. 175. He taught African American history, which was not common in schools at that time. He continued teaching into the 1970s. After that, he worked in education administration in the Bronx. He helped the school district and worked in public relations for education.

In 1974, he returned to Charlottesville to speak for the local branch of the N.A.A.C.P. (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). He spoke about the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to end school segregation, which had happened twenty years earlier. Mr. Sellers was also a member of important groups for education writers and school public relations.

Newspaper Work

Thomas Sellers started his newspaper career early. He was the editor of his high school newspaper, the Esmont High School Journal.

His first professional newspaper was The Reflector. It started in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1933. It was known as "Charlottesville's Only Negro Weekly." Mr. Sellers wrote most of the articles and opinion pieces. The newspaper covered many topics important to the African American community. This included local politics, civil rights, and local news. Sadly, most copies of The Reflector from after 1935 have been lost.

In 1935, while he was a student at Virginia Union University, Mr. Sellers started a magazine called The Dawn. He also worked for the university's publication, The Panther. In 1937, he helped create the Colored Collegiate Press Association with students from other colleges.

He also wrote for the Norfolk New Journal and Guide for many years, from the 1940s to the 1970s. In 1950, Mr. Sellers became the editor of The Charlottesville Tribune. This newspaper was connected to the Roanoke Tribune. It was published for only a few years. After moving to New York, Mr. Sellers worked as a managing editor for the Amsterdam News until 1956.

Newspaper Collections

Some of the only known copies of The Reflector and The Charlottesville Tribune are kept at the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library at the University of Virginia. You might also find the first issue of The Dawn there.