Charles H. Wesley | |
|---|---|
 Charles H. Wesley at the Opening of the Emancipation Proclamation Exhibit | |
| Born | Charles Harris Wesley (1891-12-02)December 2, 1891 Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Died | August 16, 1987(1987-08-16) (aged 95) District of Columbia |
| Occupation | Historian, Author |
| Period | 1925–1987 |
| Genre | History |
| Notable works | Prince Hall Life and Legacy |
| Spouse | Louise Johnson (d. 1973) Dorothy B. Porter (1977–1987)[1] |
| Children | 2, includingCharlotte Wesley Holloman[1] |
Charles Harris Wesley (December 2, 1891 – August 16, 1987) was an American historian, educator, minister, and author. He published more than 15 books on African-American history, taught for decades atHoward University, and served as president ofWilberforce University, and founding president ofCentral State University, both in Ohio.
Charles Wesley was born inLouisville, Kentucky, the only child of Matilda and Charles Snowden Wesley. He attended local schools as a boy, and went on to graduate in 1911 fromFisk University, ahistorically black college inNashville, Tennessee. He earned a master's degree fromYale University in 1913. Continuing with his graduate work, in 1925, Wesley became the third African American to receive a PhD fromHarvard University.[2]
Wesley became an ordained minister of theAfrican Methodist Episcopal Church (AME). He also had an academic career as a professor of history and wrote a total of more than 15 books on African-American history and political science. He served as the Dean of the Liberal Arts and the Graduate School atHoward University.
He won aGuggenheim Fellowship that enabled him to travel in 1931 toLondon, England, where on March 31 he was present withHarold Moody at the founding of theLeague of Coloured Peoples that was inspired in part by theNAACP, of which Wesley was a member.[3][4][5]
In 1942 Wesley was called as President of Wilberforce University (an AME-affiliated university) inWilberforce, Ohio, serving until 1947. That year, he foundedCentral State University across the street from Wilberforce. He served as its president until 1965, when he returned to Washington, D.C.[6]
That year, Wesley became the Director of Research and Publications for theAssociation for the Study of Negro Life and History. He was executive director from 1965 to 1972, later becoming Executive DirectorEmeritus'. In 1976, he became Director of the Afro-American Historical and Cultural Museum in Philadelphia, now known as theAfrican American Museum in Philadelphia. He was also a life member of theAmerican Historical Association.[6]
Wesley was active in African-American fraternal organizations, both during and after college. He was elected as the 14th and a five-term General President, and later National Historian for seven decades, ofAlpha Phi Alpha, the first intercollegiateGreek-letterfraternity established by and for African Americans. He wroteThe History of Alpha Phi Alpha (1929), updating it in many new editions. Wesley was also an archon ofSigma Pi Phi (the Boule), the first of all Black Greek Letter Organizations (BGLO). He was aPrince Hall Freemason, a Sovereign Grand Inspector General (33rd Degree) of the United Supreme Council (Southern Masonic Jurisdiction of theScottish Rite, Prince Hall); a member of theOdd Fellows,Elks, and many other fraternal organizations.[6]
Wesley died on August 16, 1987, in Washington, D.C. at 12:35 am. He was buried atLincoln Memorial Cemetery,Suitland, Maryland.[6][1]
He was the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including:[6]
| Preceded by Bert A. Rose | General President ofAlpha Phi Alpha 1932–1940 | Succeeded by |
