Lincoln University, a historically Black college in Pennsylvania, is on a crusade to claim Melvin B. Tolson as one of its own.
In recent weeks, Tolson, a graduate of Lincoln, has become a household name due to the success of the Oprah Winfrey-produced movie, “The Great Debaters.” In the movie, Tolson, who is played by Denzel Washington, is an English professor who leads a small debating team from historically Black Wiley College to victory against Harvard University. Lincoln officials say, however, that the movie omits the fact that Tolson’s passion for debating was a result of the education he received at the 154-year-old institution.
“I wasn’t disappointed, but it would have been nice to show the fact that Tolson was a graduate of Lincoln University and that he was a very active student who honed his debating skills during his years at Lincoln,” said Lincoln’s president, Dr. Ivory V. Nelson.
In an effort to seize on the popularity of “The Great Debaters,” Nelson added that Lincoln is launching a campaign to focus on Tolson’s legacy and experience at the university.
According to documents provided by Lincoln officials, Tolson studied theology and poetry, graduating with honors in 1923, and was editor-in-chief of the student newspaper and an active member of Lincoln’s debate team. Nelson said Lincoln faculty members are currently formulating strategies to re-establish enthusiasm for Lincoln’s existing debate team.
“We are going to try and see if we can develop much more competition among our fellow HBCUs in relation to debate. This gives us the opportunity to try to bring back this skill that was practiced so heavily during the 1920s and 1930s,” said Nelson, adding that he personally will lead the effort to form a formal debating society among neighboring institutions.
Tracey Hunter Hayes, associate professor and director of Lincoln’s library, said the university is also working to increase student participation in the Melvin B. Tolson Literary Society, which was founded in 1966 – the year Tolson died.
