1. Edgar Toppin spent the majority of his 40+ year teaching career at Virginia State University, and wrote ten books on the subjects of American and African-American history.
12 Facts About Edgar Toppin
1. 2.
Edgar Toppin 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.
3.
Edgar Toppin was born in Harlem, New York to immigrants Maude Catherine Joel and Vivien Leopold Toppin.
4.
Edgar Toppin was the second of six children; Lucille, George, Mary, Sammy, Eleanor.
5.
Edgar Toppin's family was poor, and growing up during the Great Depression was especially hard.
6.
Edgar Toppin's 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.
7.
Edgar Toppin went on to study at Northwestern University earning his Ph.
8.
In 1964, Edgar Toppin began his teaching career at Virginia State University.
9.
In 1966, Edgar 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.
10.
Edgar Toppin played an integral role in turning Black History Week into Black History Month in 1976 while serving as President of the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History.
11.
On December 8,2004, Edgar Toppin died of heart failure at the age of 76.
12.
Edgar Toppin is buried at Blandford Cemetery in Petersburg, Virginia, beside his son, Edgar Toppin, Jr.