MS_0033 - Thelma Gorham Collection

AC.2.A.3.6.4 - AC.2.A.3.6.5; AC.2.B.1.1.1 - AC.2.B.1.3.2

Thelma Thurston Gorham (1913–1992) was a pioneering journalist, educator, and academic leader who made a lasting impact on journalism education at Florida A&M University. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Minnesota and later completed her Ph.D. at Florida State University.

Gorham began her career as a journalist, writing and editing for several Black newspapers, including the Kansas City Call, Apache Sentinel, and The Black Dispatch. During the 1930s, she broke barriers as one of the first Black female reporters in the United States.

She went on to a distinguished career in higher education, teaching at multiple historically Black colleges and universities before joining Florida A&M University. There, she founded the School of Journalism and helped shape generations of students, contributing significantly to the development of journalism programs at HBCUs.

Gorham spent many years at FAMU before retiring and remained a respected figure in both journalism and education until her passing in Tallahassee, Florida, in 1992. Her legacy continues through the Thelma Thurston Gorham Distinguished Alumni Award, which recognizes excellence in journalism and communication.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thelma_Thurston_Gorham

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