Uncovering the Legacy of William Miller Barbour
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Asia Tabb
Aired; May 21st, 2025.
Listen to the podcast to hear the full conversation.
When people talk about the history of civil rights in America, they usually mention famous names like Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. But there are other important people, like William Miller Barbour from Middletown, Pennsylvania, who don’t get as much attention even though they did a lot for the movement. Recently, researchers at Elizabethtown College have been working to bring more attention to Barbour and everything he did.
“He’s probably one of the most significant people in the civil rights movement in the United States,” said Professor Jean-Paul Benowitz of Elizabethtown College. Barbour’s early advocacy in the 1930s and 1940s centered on ending segregation in housing and employment—issues that would later become central to the civil rights movement.
Barbour’s journey began at Elizabethtown College, where he was deeply involved in campus life. He participated in football, theater, and was a prominent member of the debating team.
As Eric Schubert highlighted, “He was thrown a big party, a big celebration for being the first African American student to graduate from college from Middletown.” This milestone underscored his role as a pioneer in education and civil rights.
His academic pursuits continued at the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a degree in social work. This education equipped him with the tools to address systemic inequalities, leading him to a pivotal role in the National Urban League. There, he emphasized the importance of implementing integration policies, stating, “Segregation is policy. Integration is the work of making it happen.”
Barbour commitment to civil rights took him from Pennsylvania to Colorado and eventually Los Angeles. In Denver, he was instrumental in addressing post-World War II segregation, setting a national example for racial integration and fair employment policies. In Los Angeles, he organized events that brought together celebrities and activists to advocate for equality in housing and employment. As Schubert described, “He threw a lot of parties, personally and professionally, to get his message out.”
Despite his relentless efforts, Barbour’s name faded from mainstream narratives, partly due to his untimely death at the age of 50 in 1957. Professor Benowitz explained, “By the time people are aware of the civil rights movement, Barbour is eclipsed by people like the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” Additionally, the lack of a prominent family or institutional legacy contributed to his obscurity.
The recent research initiative at Elizabethtown College, spearheaded by Professor Benowitz and Eric Schubert, aims to bring Barber’s contributions to light.
