Robert Lee Vann, J.D. 1909

Robert Lee Vann made history as the first Black graduate of the law school of the University of Pittsburgh in 1909. He was born to a single mother, Lucy Peoples, on August 27, 1879 in Ahoskie, Hertford County, North Carolina. Vann saved enough money to attend Waters Training School in Winton, where he graduated as valedictorian in 1901, the Wayland Academy in Richmond, and Virginia Union University. Peoples married a farmer during Vann's adolescence, and not wanting to follow in his step-father's footsteps, he went north in search of better opportunities, where he landed at the University of Pittsburgh (formerly, Western University of Pennsylvania) in 1903. There, he earned a scholarship, both his undergraduate and law degrees, and served as the first Black editor of the student newspaper, The Courant. Throughout his time in law school, Vann worked in a railroad dining car from Pittsburgh to Connellsville to finance his education, serving dinner in the evening and breakfast on the return trip the next morning. When he passed the bar exam in 1909, he was one of only five Black attorneys in Pittsburgh, opening his own law practice the following year.

Unfortunately, neither white nor Black clients were willing to hire him. Black clients were concerned that Vann’s race might exacerbate any existing biases within a white jury, making their case more difficult. To supplement his income, Vann turned to one of the few businesses willing to hire him as legal counsel. That business was none other than the original founder Edwin Nathaniel Harleston's newspaper, The Pittsburgh Courier. Within months—and following the departure of Harleston for financial and creative reasons—he rose to become the paper's editor, treasurer, and publisher, transforming it into one of the era's leading Black newspapers. By 1914, when managing both the newspaper and his law firm became too demanding, Vann hired Ira Lewis as the managing editor of The Courier to oversee the business operations, allowing Vann to concentrate on content to center Black voices and struggles. In just two decades, the Pittsburgh Courier grew from a local paper to the most influential Black newspaper in the country for African diasporic communities, with a circulation of 250,000 in the 1930s and nearly 400,000 by 1947. Under Vann's leadership and connections, the paper was distinguished by its coverage of the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany, the Scottboro Boys’ trial, Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia, and Joe Louis’s boxing career, as well as columns by prominent Black leaders such as W. E. B. DuBois and Marcus Garvey. Vann's ambition and willingness to take risks was the driving force behind some of The Courier’s most controversial and popular campaigns. By 1936, the Courier circulated in forty-eight states—including several Jim Crow states where Black Pullman porters smuggled the paper in—as well as Canada, the Caribbean, and the Philippines. Vann's efforts also brought legitimacy to the Courier, establishing eighteen regular contributors, attracting national advertisements, establishing a dedicated printing plant, and ensuring wide circulation. Among the professional staff were Wendell Smith and Cumberland Posey to cover Black sports, Joel Rogers and his column titled "Your History" to educate readers about African cultures and reconnect Black Americans with their heritage, and George Schuyler, an investigative reporter known for his in-depth coverage of the injustices faced by African Americans in the South.

Using the editorial pages to advocate for various social and political reforms, the Pittsburgh Courier made Vann a political force throughout the nation. Vann served as the fourth assistant city solicitor in Pittsburgh from 1917 to 1921, which was the highest position held by an African American in the city government at that time. In 1921 and again in 1927, he ran unsuccessfully for the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. Initially a Republican, Vann served as an alternate delegate to the national convention in 1920 and as an alternate delegate-at-large in 1924. However, he became disappointed with the Republican administration in the 1920s by his treatment, disheartened by the disarray of the party, and became troubled by the economic challenges faced under President Hoover. Since the Civil War, African Americans during this period had predominantly supported the Republican Party, as it was the party of the “Great Emancipator” Abraham Lincoln, who's role was no doubt significant in ending formal chattel slavery in the United States. In the 1932 election, about 70 percent of Black voters supported Republican Herbert Hoover’s reelection bid. However, between election years, a dramatic shift occurred, with many moving rapidly to the Democratic side, and largely due to Vann and his staff's influence at the Courier. Using the paper, Vann would publish transcripts of his speeches, essays, and political cartoons condemning alleged corruption within the Republican Party, specifically within Hoover’s administration and against his lacking economic record. So by 1936, a similar proportion of Black voters had now backed Democratic candiate Franklin D. Roosevelt, with Black Pittsburghers among the first to abandon the GOP and align themselves with the Democratic party. The Courier's campaign for Franklin D. Roosevelt offers a crucial insight into middle-class Black activism during the interwar period. It highlights both a broad vision of citizenship and a practical, yet strategic approach shared by Vann and a wider network of Black reformers. In Pittsburgh, activists from the Urban League, the local NAACP branch, and the Courier envisioned citizenship as encompassing not just political rights but also economic, physical, and civil rights. They believed that full citizenship required access to meaningful employment, quality healthcare, and adequate housing; it meant expecting essential government services, fair legal treatment, and equal access to public accommodations. It also demanded political empowerment—the ability to influence the governance of their lives. Through this newfound influence and the Courier's support of FDR, Vann was appointed as a special assistant to the U.S. attorney-general Homer Cummings from 1933 to 1935. However, Vann left this position due to mistreatment from staff, who often refused to take dictation from him because he was Black. Additionally, in 1935, he actively campaigned for the enactment of an equal rights law in Pennsylvania, giving African Americans access to places of public accommodation.

By the time of his retirement in 1936, Vann had built a successful legal practice with a legacy that extends far beyond his accomplishments in law and journalism. His dedication to social justice, advocacy for civil rights, and commitment to uplifting African American voices have left an indelible mark on American history. Robert Lee Vann's life is a testament to the power of leveraging education and influence for change. His pioneering spirit and unwavering determination continue to inspire generations to strive for Black empowerment, excellence, and equity.

Interested in learning more about Robert Lee Vann? Check out his biography by Andrew Buni, "Robert L. Vann of the Pittsburgh Courier: Politics and Black Journalism", hosted on ULS Digital Collections, and additional materials on his life and contributions available on PittCat here.