Earl E. Thorpe Explained

Earlie Endris Thorpe (November 9, 1924 – January 30, 1989) was a professor of history, an author, and clergyman in the United States. He lived in Durham, North Carolina^[1] and was a professor at North Carolina Central University for 27 years. Duke University has a collection of his papers and correspondence.^[2]

Thorpe served in Italy during World War II. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees in history from North Carolina College for Negroes. He earned a Ph.D. in History from Ohio State University in 1953.^[3]

He and his wife, Martha Vivian Branch, had two daughters: Rita Harrington and Gloria Earl.

Legacy

Marcus P. Nevius delivered the 30th Annual Earlie E. Thorpe Memorial Lecture at North Carolina Central University in 2020.^[4]

Writings

• "Negro Historiography in the United States", dissertation
• Negro Historians in the United States (1958)^[5]
• The Desertion of Man: A Critique of Philosophy of History (1958)
• The Mind of the Negro: An Intellectual History of Afro-Americans (1961)
• Eros and Freedom in Southern Life and Thought (1967)
• The Central Theme of Black History (1969)
• "The Black Experience in America" editor, ten-booklet series
• Struggle for a nation's conscience : the civil rights movement^[6]
• Pioneers and Planters; Black Beginnings in America with Joseph Penn, American Education Publications (1971)
• The Old South: A Psychohistory (1972)^{[7] [8]}
• "Black history and the organic perspective : an essay to introduce the directory and bibliography no. 870-872" (1975)^[9]
• "The uses of Black history : a speech delivered during the observance of Black History Week", February 11, 1980
• African Americans and the Sacred: Spirituals, Slave Religion, and Symbolism (1982)
• Slave Religion, Spirituals, and C. J. Jung (1983)
• A Concise History of North Carolina Central University (1984)

References

9. Gershenhorn, Jerry. "Earlie Thorpe: Antiracist Scholar Who Centered Black Voices in US History.” Review of The Central Theme of Black History,

by Earlie Thorpe. American Historical Review 129 (September 2024): 1200-1205.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Thorpe, Earlie Endris | NCpedia. www.ncpedia.org.
2. Web site: Earl E. Thorpe papers, 1942-1990 - Archives & Manuscripts at Duke University Libraries. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.
3. Gershenhorn . Jerry . 2010 . "Earlie Thorpe and the Struggle for Black History, 1949-1989" . Souls: A Critical Journal of Black Politics, Culture and Society . 12 . 376-397.
4. Web site: 2021 . NCCU & ASALH TV Present The 30th Annual Earlie E Thorpe Memorial Lecture . youtube.
5. Web site: Negro Historians in the United States. Earl E.. Thorpe. December 11, 1958. Fraternal Press. Google Books.
6. Book: Thorpe, Earl E. Struggle for a nation's conscience: the civil rights movement. December 11, 1971. American Education Publications, Education Center. 4810492 . Open WorldCat.
7. McColley . Robert . Review of The Old South: A Psychohistory . The Journal of Southern History . 290–292 . 10.2307/2205630 . 1973. 2205630 .
8. Web site: The Old South: a Psychohistory. Earl E.. Thorpe. December 11, 1972. Seeman Printery. Google Books.
9. Book: Thorpe, Earl E. Black history and the organic perspective: an essay to introduce the directory and bibliography no. 870-872. December 11, 1975. Council of Planning Librarians. 1620661 . Open WorldCat.