Guide to the Thomas C. Fleming Papers
Sean Heyliger
African American Museum & Library at Oakland
659 14th Street
Oakland, California 94612
Phone: (510) 637-0198
Fax: (510) 637-0204
Email: aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org
URL: http://www.oaklandlibrary.org/locations/african-american-museum-library-oakland
© 2013
African American Museum & Library at Oakland. All rights reserved.
Guide to the Thomas C. Fleming Papers
Collection number: MS 131
African American Museum & Library at Oakland
Oakland, California
- Processed by:
- Sean Heyliger
- Date Completed:
- 02/06/2014
- Encoded by:
- Sean Heyliger
© 2013 African American Museum & Library at Oakland. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Thomas C. Fleming papers
Dates: circa 1929-2004
Bulk Dates: 1978-2004
Collection number: MS 131
Creator:
Fleming, Thomas C., 1907-2006.
Collection Size:
1.25 linear feet
(2 boxes + 1 oversized box)
Repository:
African American Museum & Library at Oakland (Oakland, Calif.)
Abstract: The Thomas C. Fleming papers include photographs, certificates, programs, manuscripts, and newspaper clippings documenting
his life and career as a journalist.
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Access
No access restrictions. Collection is open to the public.
Access Restrictions
Materials are for use in-library only, non-circulating.
Publication Rights
Permission to publish from the Thomas C. Fleming Papers must be obtained from the African American Museum & Library at Oakland.
Preferred Citation
Thomas C. Fleming papers, MS 131, African American Museum & Library at Oakland, Oakland Public Library. Oakland, California.
Processing Information
Processed by Sean Heyliger, 02/06/2014.
Biography / Administrative History
Journalist Thomas C. Fleming (1907-2006) was born on November 29, 1907 in Jacksonville, Florida. He was raised by his grandmother
in Jacksonville until 1916, when he moved to New York City to live with his father, a Pullman porter, before moving to Chico,
California to live with his mother in 1919. After graduating from Chico High School in 1926, he worked as a cook and bellhop
for the Southern Pacific Railroad. During the 1930s, he began working for the San Francisco black newspaper,
The Spokesman, while taking journalism classes at Chico State College.
Fleming was hired as the founding editor of the African American newspaper
The Reporter in 1944, which quickly merged with Carlton B. Goodlett’s newspaper
The Sun, to become
The Sun-Reporter. He worked as managing editor and lead reporter for the
Sun-Reporter for over 33 years until his retirement in 1997 at the age of 89. In retirement, he worked on his memoir which was collected
in his 1997 publication
Reflections on black history.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Thomas C. Fleming papers include photographs, certificates, programs, manuscripts, and newspaper clippings documenting
his life and career as a journalist. The papers are organized into three series: biographical material, writings, and artifacts.
Biographical material consists of two portraits of Fleming, a certificate and plaque, and three programs from events honoring
Fleming. His writings include a 150 page unpublished manuscript about his life growing up in California and career as a journalist,
three copies of his self-published monograph,
Reflections on black history, and assorted newspaper clipping written by or about Fleming. Artifacts include Fleming’s hat and two smoking pipes.
Arrangement
Series I. Biographical
Series II. Writings
Series III. Artifacts
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Fleming, Thomas C., 1907-2006.
African Americans--California.
African American journalists--Biography.
Biographical
Physical Description: 3 folders + 1 oversized box
Series Scope and Content Summary
Includes two photographs, certificates, and programs.
Arrangement
Arranged by format.
Box 1:1
Portrait of Thomas C. Fleming
circa 1920s
Box 1:1
Thomas C. Fleming sitting at his desk
1987
Box 1:2
"86th birthday celebration for Thomas Fleming"
1993
Box 1:2
Thomas C. Fleming retirement celebration
1997
Box 1:2
Northern California Center for African American Museum & Life and the African American Museum and Library at Oakland honors
Thomas C. Fleming nation's oldest black journalist
1999
Box 1:3
Congratulations Uncle Tom from: the Jeffrey family
undated
Box OM13
The Sun Reporter plaque
1978
Writings
Physical Description: 4 folders
Series Scope and Content Summary
Includes an untitled autobiography, three copies of Fleming's
Reflections on black history, a draft of his newspaper column, "Weekly report," and assorted newspaper clippings by and about Thomas C. Fleming.
Arrangement
Arranged by format.
Box 1:4
Untitled autobiography [150 pp.]
undated
Box 1:5
Reflections on black history [3 copies]
1997
Box 1:7
Newspaper clippings
1983-2004
Artifacts
Physical Description: 1 box
Series Scope and Content Summary
Includes Fleming's hat and two smoking pipes.
Arrangement
Arranged by format.
Box ART2
Smoking pipes [2]
undated
