Oral history interview with Thomas L. Dabney, 1971.

Biographical Note

Thomas L. Dabney was born on March 15, 1894 in Richmond, Virginia. Dabney graduated from Virginia Union University in 1924 and later spent a year studying at the Brookwood Labor College in Katonah, New York. Dabney returned to Virginia and began teaching. Through his time as an educator and principal he contributed to research, both independently and under the guidance of Dr. Carter G. Woodson, on the racial wage gap within education. This inquiry eventually led Dabney to be blacklisted by education officials. In 1945, he joined the staff of the Norfolk Journal and Guide. Dabney worked as a highly respected reporter for the publication for three decades.

Scope and Contents

Dabney describes his various professions and how he got started in each, including his introduction to journalism while at Virginia Union University, where he contributed a column to the school paper. Other topics of discussion include: a trip to Russia to study the Bolsheviks; Dabney’s research on the racial wage gap in education; his specialization in church news with the Norfolk Journal and Guide; what makes good news; the most interesting story he covered; the differences between white papers and black papers; and his love of teaching.

Subjects

• African American journalists.
• African American press.
• African Americans--Civil rights.
• Dabney, Thomas L.--Interviews.
• Interviews.
• Journalists--Interviews.
• La Brie, Henry G., interviewer.--http://id.loc.gov/vocabulary/relators/ivr
• Norfolk (Va.)--Newspapers.
• Oral histories (literary works)
• United States--Race relations.