Description
Harbart Theodore Tatum, known as H. Theo. Tatum, was born January 18, 1894 in Columbus, Texas. At the age of 15, he graduated as valedictorian of his class at Charlton-Pollard High School in Beaumont, Texas.[1] He continued his education at Wiley College, then Columbia University where he graduated with a Master of Arts in Educational Administration, with post-graduate study at the University of Chicago.[2] Tatum was first a teacher and later vice-principal of McDonough High School in New Orleans, Louisiana.
In 1925, he moved to Gary, Indiana and served as principal of Virginia Street School and East Pulaski High School. In his book, Children of the Mill: Schooling and Society in Gary Indiana, 1906-1960, Ronald D. Cohen says that, “Virginia school principal H. Theo Tatum epitomized the mixture of racial pride and integrationist principles.”[3] In 1931, the East Pulaski school had an enrollment of 998 pupils and 27 teachers, and “H. Theodore Tatum, the principal has been here nearly ten years…[4] It is generally conceded by both races that Mr. Tatum has very few equals and no superiors among the administrators of the Gary school system.”[5] Tatum was an administrator in the Gary Public School System for 36 years.[6] Tatum was said to have “represented pride within the black community.”[7]
In 1933, H. Theo. Tatum became principal of Roosevelt High School, an all-black school, and he world serve that role for over 20 years. Tatum was “a firm advocate of integration as promoted by the NAACP.”[8] Theodore Roosevelt High School (also popularly known as Gary Roosevelt) was the first and only exclusively African American high school in Gary. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2012, both for its architecture and design, and for the role it played with the development of the city’s African American community.[9]
In 1961, Tatum retired as principal of Gary Roosevelt High School. He served as the local chairman of the National Negro College Fund,”[10] and he had a life membership in the NAACP. He was also the President of United Council of Negro Organizations in Gary.[12]
Tatum died at the age of 89 on June 16, 1983. After his death, his son-in-law, Randall Morgan Sr. and former teachers under Tatum, remembered him and his contributions to his community. Morgan stated, “Many local people did not know it, but Mr. Tatum had quite a national reputation. For about 12 years, he taught a graduate course at Hampton Institute during the summer. Black schoolteachers and administrators from all over the country came there to hear him. His classes were filled to capacity, giving lessons on administration. He was one of only a few blacks with that kind of expertise in education.”[13]
Mrs. Ida B. King, a teacher under Tatum, said, “he wanted to expose the community to artists of color, to give incentive to graduating seniors and those growing up- since Roosevelt was kindergarten through 12th grade at the time.”[14] She goes on to say that, “young blacks were inspired during those years - in the 1940s and 1950s- to see their own people progress in spite of obstacles that racism tossed in their path.”
Source
[1] “The Service of Worship In Memory of H. Theo. Tatum. June 1983.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Cohen, Ronald D. Children of the Mill: Schooling and Society in Gary, Indiana, 1906-1960, 98.
[4] Bethea, Dennis A."The Colored Group in the Gary School System."
[5] Ibid.
[6] Woodson-Wray, Carmen M. "Retired Educator H. Theo Tatum to Be Honored."
[7] Cohen, Ronald D. Children of the Mill: Schooling and Society in Gary, Indiana, 1906-1960.
[8] Abell, Gregg. National Register of Historic Places Nomination Roosevelt High School.
[9] Ibid.
[10] “H. Theo Tatum Biographical Sketch.”
[11] “The Service of Worship In Memory of H. Theo. Tatum. June 1983.
[12] “H. Theo. Tatum Personal Information.”
[13] Williams, Vernon A. “Tatum a Roosevelt Tradition.” [14] Ibid.
Contributor
Student Authors: Molly Hollcroft and Robin Johnson
Faculty/Staff Editors: Dr. Ronald V. Morris, Dr. Kevin C. Nolan, and Christine Thompson
Graduate Assistant Researchers: Carrie Vachon and JB Bilbrey
Rights
PHOTO & VIDEO:
Theodore Roosevelt High School, Gary Indiana, attributed to T. Tolbert, Public domain, via Wikimedia commons
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Theodore_Roosevelt_High_School,_Gary_Indiana.jpg