Lewis H. Fenderson
Lewis H. Fenderson was an influential figure in education and literature, born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1907. He pursued higher education at the University of Pittsburgh, where he completed his bachelor's degree in 1941, a master's degree in 1942, and a Ph.D. in 1948. Additionally, he earned a certificate from Oxford University in 1950. Fenderson's career spanned various roles, including working as a correspondent for the Pittsburgh Courier and serving as an educational counselor and teacher at institutions such as West Virginia State College, Howard University, and Texas Southern University. He was also a contributor to the McGraw-Hill Black Legacy series, writing biographies of prominent African Americans, including Thurgood Marshall and Daniel Hale Williams. His editorial work included co-editing two significant collections focusing on the African American experience. Notably, Fenderson published a provocative article in the College Language Association Journal in 1971, analyzing the perspectives of contemporary Black writers. He continued his writing and educational endeavors until his passing in 1983 due to an aortic aneurysm in Washington, D.C. Fenderson's work remains a part of the discourse on African American literature and education.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Lewis H. Fenderson
Writer
- Born: July 24, 1907
- Birthplace: Baltimore, Maryland
- Died: December 12, 1983
- Place of death: Washington, D.C
Biography
Lewis H. Fenderson was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1907. He attended the University of Pittsburgh, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in 1941, a master’s degree in 1942, and his Ph.D. in 1948. He also received a certificate from Oxford University in 1950.
Fenderson held a number of different jobs. He worked as a correspondent for the Pittsburgh Courier and was an educational counselor and a teacher at several universities and colleges, including West Virginia State College, Howard University, and Texas Southern University.
In addition, Fenderson was one of the authors who contributed to the McGraw-Hill Black Legacy series, young adult biographies about important African Americans. He wrote two books in the series, Thurgood Marshall: Fighter for Justice (1969) and Daniel Hale Williams: Open-Heart Doctor (1971). He also was the coeditor of two books, Many Shades of Black (1969), edited with Stanton L. Wormley, and The Black Man and the Promise of America (1970), edited with Lettie J. Austin and Sophia P. Nelson.
Fenderson published a controversial article in the College Language Association Journal in September, 1971, “The New Breed of Black Writers and Their Jaundiced View of Tradition.” In this article, Fenderson examined the work of several black writers, including Ernest J. Gaines, who had been accused of reverse racism. Fenderson continued to write and work into the early 1970’s. In 1983, he died of an aortic aneurysm in Washington, D.C., where he had lived for many years.