Colored Notes by Jeffrey T. Wilson

During the period August, 1924 through March 1929, Jeffrey T. Wilson wrote a column for the Portsmouth Star about social events in the African-American community in Portsmouth , Virginia . The first columns appeared as “Colored Notes” by J. T. Wilson. The articles could be found in the section of the newspaper near the “Want Ads” and only had one column of information. Later, the columns were increased to sometimes three to four columns. The location of the columns was generally at the bottom of the page along with other classified ads.

“Colored Notes” reported on a variety of events (births, deaths, marriages, and anniversaries), social items (visitors to Portsmouth and travelers from Portsmouth to other places), cultural events (plays, lectures, concerts, church programs which would include a special program from quartets or other musical groups) and organizational news (schools, churches, lodges, social and savings clubs). The column appeared daily and Jeffrey Wilson would tell the citizens where to leave “notes” which would be included in the articles for publication. These articles were published daily until Jeffrey T. Wilson died in June, 1929.

Jeffrey T. Wilson started wrote the articles from the late age of eighty until his death at age eighty-six. He sometimes referred to himself by the pseudonym of “ye scribe.” Once , when challenged about his qualifications for writing the notes , he countered… “Some people want to know who “ye scribe” is, where did he come from, etc.; he was born here a slave, on South Street; has lived here practically all his fourscore years and knows personally of all he write about… He is an active member of Emanuel AME Church and is superintendent of the Sunday school. He is employed with the U.S. Court in Norfolk . He was once active in political parties. ( Colored Notes , Dec. 10, 1924). The Wilson Chronicles , as they have been sometimes referred to , were the wisdom of an old man who wrote first about his church ( his beloved Emanuel AME ) , his family, and the people of Portsmouth . He was a religious man, a family man, and an honest man. He states in his notes that he was married four times and outlived all four wives! Old Jeff has a living daughter, Blanche Wilson Bridge of Ettrick, Virginia who can tell you about her father. Blanche, said once that, “if he had not been so old, they would have lynched him.”

Jeffrey T. Wilson would encourage his reading public to go to the polls to vote. He would often make comments on events and how they affected blacks. He was outspoken and often would make “cracks” or take “verbal shots” at the white power structure. Once he referred to the “white power structure as “white lilies.” He did not feel he had to worry about how people would interpret his message. He had deep feelings about many things and he expressed these ideas through the medium of the daily newspaper.

Jeffrey T. Wilson was well-respected in the community of Lincolnsville in Portsmouth . Blanche Wilson Bridge remembers that her father went to church every day except Saturday. He was known for walking about the city to get to his destination. He was a commanding figure wherever he went---tall, straight as an arrow, goateed, lively of step; he was a cultured gentleman of the old school… beloved and esteemed by white and colored alike. (July 16, 1950 written by Lee F. Rodgers).

The notes include names, activities, information about people in Portsmouth , organization or events when details were published. Obituaries of some people are given in depth… for example, the obit. of Ida Barbour, written on July 18, 1925 who is buried in Mt. Calvary Cemetery is given in the notes. The name of many other people who died during this time is given and the cemetery that they were buried in is mentioned in many cases.

Colored Notes in the Portsmouth Star written by Jeffrey T. Wilson, 1924-1929 are located in the newspaper on microfilm at the Portsmouth Public Library. They may be viewed in the library and photocopies of these columns are available.

Written by Mae Breckenridge-Haywood, President
African American Historical Society of Portsmouth

Jeffrey T. Wilson