Edgar Toppin

Infobox Person
name = Edgar Allan Toppin


image_size =
caption =
birth_date = birth date|1928|1|28
birth_place = Harlem, New York, USA
death_date = death date and age|2004|12|8|1928|1|28
death_place = Ettrick, Virginia, USA
residence = Ettrick, VA
known_for = A distinguished scholar, numerous publications in intellectual, business, American and African-American history
education = Howard University, B.A. (1949), M.A. (1950) History
Northwestern University, Ph.D. History (1955)
employer = Virginia State University
Dean of the Graduate School (1979-1993)
Professor of History (1964-2003)
Virginia Commonwealth University Visiting Professor of History (1993-2003)
occupation = Professor, Author, Historian
title =
boards = Colonial Williamsburg Foundation (19XX-19XX)
National Park Service (1975-1980)
Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History, President - (1974-1976)
Virginia Historical Society (1989-1994)
Black History Museum and Cultural Center (19XX-19XX)
National Historical Publications and Records Commission (19XX-19XX)
religion = Christian - Episcopalian
spouse = Antionette Toppin
children = Edgar Allan Toppin, Jr. (1954-1971)
Avis Bent
Louise Toppin
parents = Vivien Leopold Toppin (father),
Maude Catherine Joel Toppin Smith (mother)
relatives = Grandchildren:
Sylvanus Bent III
Mercedes Bent
Maria Bent
footnotes =

Edgar Allan Toppin, Sr. (January 22, 1928 - December 8, 2004) was an African American professor of History and author who specialized in Civil War, Reconstruction and African American history. He spent the majority of his 40+ year teaching career at Virginia State University, and wrote 10 books on the subjects of American and African American history. He served on several historical boards including the National Park Service, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History, the later serving as President. As President, he was instrumental in turning Black History Week into Black History Month in 1976.

Early years

Edgar Allan Toppin was born January 22, 1928 in Harlem, New York to immigrants Maude Catherine Joel (Bermuda) and Vivien Leopold Toppin (Grenada). He was the second oldest of six children; Lucille, George, Mary, Sammy, Eleanor (in birth order). Named after writer Edgar Allan Poe, Dr. Toppin had a passion for reading and learning. He would often escape to the roof of his apartment building on 114th Street and read in order to nurture his yearning for knowledge. His family was poor and on welfare, and growing up during the Great Depression was especially hard. His wardrobe of white shirts and navy blue pants was a symbol of poverty so recognizable that "when you walked into a place, people could spot you a mile away," he recalls.Goodwyn, M.W. [http://www.dailyprogress.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031780059052&path=!news!blackhistory&s=1058750353270 Edgar Toppin] , Richmond Times-Dispatch, dailyprogress.com, accessed July 22, 2007.] At age 16, he attended New York City College and after one semester, enrolled at Howard University on scholarship. He received his B.A. 1949 and M.A. 1950 in History before deciding to matriculate to Northwestern University. He earned his Ph.D. in History in 1955 and was named a William Randolph Hearst Fellow and a John Hay Whitney Opportunity Fellow. [http://www.dom.com/about/education/strong/1992/edgartoppin.jsp Strong Men & Women - Edgar Toppin] , dom.com, accessed July 21, 2007.] [http://www.progress-index.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=13531836&BRD=2271&PAG=461&dept_id=462946&rfi=6 The Progress-Index] , progress-index.com, accessed July 22, 2007.] He was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, Beta Chapter (Spring 1948). [http://members.aol.com/fiveb90/lines.htm Alpha Phi Alpha, Beta Chapter lines] , aol.com/fiveb90/lines.htm, accessed July 21, 2007.]

Teaching career

In 1964, Dr. Toppin began his teaching career at Virginia State University (VSU). In the mid-1960s, he created, "Americans from Africa", an educational 30 lesson television course, that aired on Richmond's public TV station and was later aired on across the country. [http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?051+ful+SJ511 Senate Joint Resolution NO. 511] , leg1.state.va.us, accessed July 20, 2007.]

In 1966, Dr. Toppin was the first African American member admitted to the Virginia Historical Society and in 1989, would become the first African American member of the board of trustees.Urofsky, Melvin I. [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3644/is_200601/ai_n17174958/pg_14 Battle Abbey and the Best Kept Secret, 1945-1978] , Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, 2006. pg. 14.]

Dr. Toppin served as President of the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History from 1974-1976 and played an integral role in turning Black History Week into Black History Month in 1976. [http://www.northwestern.edu/magazine/northwestern/summer2005/classnotes/inmemoriam.htm Northwestern Magazine] , Summer 2005, northwestern.edu/magazine/ accessed July 20, 2007.] In 1975, he was the first African American appointed to the National Park Service's "Advisory Board on National Parks, Historic Sites, Buildings, and Monuments". [http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/tolson/histlist5.htm National Park Service] , nps.gov/history/history/online_books, accessed July 22, 2007.]

In 1979, he was appointed Dean of the Graduate School at Virginia State University. He also served as provost and vice president of academic affairs of the University from 1987 to 1989.

In 1992 Dr. Toppin was honored in the Dominion series Strong Men & Women - Excellence in Leadership that honors African American "positive role models and demonstrate leadership in their chosen field" and "someone whose achievements have made an imprint upon some facet of national or local life". The series has honored such individuals as Colin Powell, Mae Jemison, Michael Jordan, Thurgood Marshall, Reginald Lewis, Maya Angelou and Oprah Winfrey.

In December 1999, the Surry County, Virginia, Historical Society and Museums called Dr. Toppin,"one of the greatest living authorities on African-American history. [who] spoke on the Civil War and the little understood post-war period of Reconstruction". [http://www.rootsweb.com/~vaschsm/oldmeet.html Surry County, Virginia, Historical Society and Museums] , Archived Meeting Information, rootsweb.com/, accessed July 22, 2007]

On December 8, 2004, Dr. Edgar Toppin died of heart failure at the age of 76. He is buried at Blandford Cemetery in Petersburg, Virginia beside his son, Edgar Toppin, Jr. Dr. Toppin once said, "I hope people would remember me for my humaneness, for being kindly to both colleagues, staff and students; for seeing the worth and potential in each person, no matter who it is or their background." Known for his warm and outgoing personality, his grave reads: "He Never Met a Stranger" [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=10075684 Find a Grave - Edgar Toppin] , findagrave.com accessed July 22, 2007]

He is survived by his wife Antoinette Toppin, his two daughters Avis Bent and Louise Toppin, and his three grandchildren Sylvanus Bent III, Mercedes Bent and Maria Bent.

In 2005, VSU established the Edgar A. Toppin Endowment Fund. [VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY, BOARD OF VISITORS, DRAFT MINUTES, Friday, January 21, 2005 ]

Books and Publications by Edgar Toppin

*Edgar A. Toppin, "Negro Emancipation in Historic Retrospect: Ohio, the Negro Suffrage Issue in Postbellum Ohio Politics", Journal of Human Relations, XI, 1963, 232-246
*Edgar A. Toppin, "Humbly They Served: The Black Brigade in the Defense of Cincinnati", Journal of Negro History, XLVIII, 1963, 75-97.
*Lavinia G Dobler and Edgar A. Toppin, "Pioneers and patriots: the lives of six Negroes of the Revolutionary era", Garden City, N.Y., Doubleday, 1965 ISBN 0980882282.
*Drisko, Carol F and Edgar A. Toppin, "The Unfinished March the History of the Negro in the United States Reconstruction to World War I " , New York, 1967 ISBN 0385047053
*Edgar A. Toppin, "Blacks in America: then and now", Illustrations by Gene Langley. The Christian Science Publishing Society, Boston. 1969 ISBN B0007DECN6
*Edgar A. Toppin, "A Mark Well Made:The Negro contribution to American culture" , Rand McNally Chicago. 1969
*Edgar A. Toppin, "A Biographical History of Blacks in America Since 1528", David McKay Company, Inc. New York, 1971 ISBN 9780679300144
*Edgar A. Toppin, "The Black American in United States History", Boston: Allyn and Bacon, Inc., 1973 ISBN 9780205033034
*"The World and Its People: The United States and Its Neighbors", Silver Burdett,1982 ISBN 9780382028335
*Edgar A. Toppin, "Opening day centennial: A century of service at Virginia State University, 1883 to 1983", CPS Systems, Virginia State University, 1983
*"Virginia History and Government, 1850 to the present", Silver Burdett, 1986 ISBN 9780382081163
*Val Arnsdorf, Timothy Helmus, Norman Pounds, Edgar A. Toppin, "The United States Yesterday And Today", Silver Burdett, 1988, ISBN 0382084098
*Edgar A. Toppin, "Setting the Record Straight: African American History", Colonial Williamsburg (Spring 1990): 10-12
*Edgar A. Toppin, "Loyal Sons and Daughters: Virginia State University 1882 to 1992", Norfolk: Pictorial Heritage Publishing Company, 1992 ISBN 9781880373002
*Edgar A. Toppin, "African Americans in the Confederacy", in Encyclopedia of the Confederacy, 1993, pg. 4-9
*Edgar A. Toppin, "Scott, Emmett Jay", American National Biography. February 2000.
*Edgar A. Toppin, "Ulysses Simpson Grant", in Melvin I. Urofsky, ed., The American Presidents, New York: Garland Pub., 2000, pg. 185

Other work

*Edgar Toppin and Benjamin Quarles, "The black man in the Civil War", Format: [Sound recording] , discussion of the impact of emancipation, the black desire to fight against slavery, and the influence of Frederick Douglass in assisting black participation in the war.
*Edgar A. Toppin and John Hope Franklin, "Reconstruction & the black codes", discussion of the reconstruction. Format: [sound recording] : Author: Toppin, Edgar Allan, Publisher: North Hollywood, CA : Center for Cassette Studies, Date: c1971.

Awards and Honors

*named "Distinguished Virginian" by Gov. Linwood Holton
*1992, "Strong Men & Women - Excellence in Leadership Honoree", Dominion
*1994, "Scholar Awards", Virginia Social Science Association [http://www.vssa.net/scholar.html Virginia Social Science Association] , vssa.net/scholar.html, accessed July 22, 2007.]
*1995, "Outstanding Faculty Award for teaching excellence", Virginia State Council of Higher Education
*2003, "distinguished professor emeritus", Virginia State University

Quotes about Dr. Toppin

*"He is recognized and acknowledged as one of the great authorities in African-American history." - Dr. Charles F. Bryan Jr., Director of the Virginia Historical Society
*"one of the greatest living authorities on African-American history." - The Surry County, Virginia, Historical Society and Museums, December 1999
*"He was and continues to be a scholar, gentleman and a mentor to me. He is one of the most memorable professors I ever had, at any level and I attended three colleges." - Dr. William Harvey, president of Hampton University

References

External links

* [http://www.asalh.org/edgartoppin.html ASALH, Edgar Toppin]
* [http://www.history.org/Foundation/Annualrpt00/intro.cfm The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation 2000 Annual Report]
* [http://www.oah.org/pubs/chairsnl/v3n3.htm Organization of American Historians] , Recruiting Minorities to the History Profession: An Informal Interview with Dr. Edgar A. Toppin
* [http://www.dom.com/about/education/strong/selection.jsp Strong Men & Women - Excellence in Leadership] , Selection Criteria
*Edgar Allan Toppin, Ph.D.(IN MEMORIAM)(Obituary)Journal of African American History, The, January, 2005 by Franklin, V.P.
*