Joel Elias Spingarn
Full Name
Joel Elias Spingarn
Date of Birth
May 17, 1875
Place of Birth
Date of Death
July 26, 1939
Place of Death
Education
- Columbia College (B.A., 1895; Ph.D., 1899)
Spouses Names
Children Names
Two sons (including Stephen Spingarn), two daughters
Parents Names
Not available
Known Affiliates Names
W.E.B. Du Bois, Arthur B. Spingarn (brother)
Affiliated Organizations’ Names
- National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
- Co-founder of Harcourt, Brace and Company (Publishing firm)
- Professor of comparative literature at Columbia University (1899–1911) ](https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/12563/spingarn-brothers)
Joel Elias Spingarn was an American educator, literary critic, civil rights activist, military intelligence officer, and horticulturalist. He played a significant role in the early civil rights movement as a leader in the NAACP, serving as chairman of the Board of Directors, treasurer, and president. Spingarn established the Spingarn Medal in 1913, awarded annually for outstanding achievement by an African American. He was also a professor of comparative literature at Columbia University and a founder of the publishing firm Harcourt, Brace and Company. Spingarn’s contributions to literature and civil rights have left a lasting impact, and he is remembered for his advocacy and support of African American culture, particularly during the Harlem Renaissance