Thompson remembered for scholarship, humor

By Jedd Rosche

Published Oct. 30, 2007

If he weren't the black studies program director, MU history professor Robert Weems said he thinks his colleague Julius Thompson would have had a career as a stand-up comedian.

"Julius was one of the most upbeat persons I have ever worked with," Weems said. "Although he experienced quite a bit of stress and strain associated with his position at MU, he regularly found humor in any situation."

Professor emeritus Arvarh Strickland also saw Dr. Thompson's upbeat attitude when he was hired as the new black studies program

director.

"He had a good sense of humor, which I always like folks with a sense of humor," Strickland said. "That often helps to get across a rough spot if you can actually have good laugh."

Dr. Julius E. Thompson, 61, died on Friday, Oct. 26, 2007, at University Hospital of undisclosed causes.

Dr. Thompson was born in Vicksburg, Miss., and graduated from Alcorn State University. He completed his master's and doctorate degrees at Princeton University. After teaching at colleges in Illinois, New York and Florida, Dr. Thompson succeeded Strickland as black studies program director on campus in 1996.

Strickland said he found much in common with him because they were both native "Mississipeans" and fraternity brothers in the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. Strickland said Dr. Thompson's talent as a historian and a creative writer, along with his extensive experience, made him a good candidate for the job.

"That was one of the elements he brought to the black studies program," Strickland said. "He often had other African American authors who would come in."

Dr. Thompson shared his sense of humor with his students.

"With his humor, he would entertain and reprimand at the same time," MU senior Kevin Anderson said. "That's what made it humorous and memorable."

During the semester, Anderson said he enjoyed his class more every week.

"I began to look forward to going his class," Anderson said. "I learned a lot and it made learning fun again.

During his time as the black studies program director, Dr. Thompson developed his work as a literary author, creating scholarly journals, non-fiction works and two books of poetry.

History department chairman Jonathan Sperber said Dr. Thompson's academic accolades complimented his literary ability.

"He wasn't just a scholar but an artist as well, with a broad range of intellectual interests," Sperber said.

In his writing, Dr. Thompson covered black history and southern history, including his book "Lynchings in Mississippi: A History, 1865-1965," which was released in 2006.

Dr. Thompson had also finished a manuscript on Hoyt W. Fuller, "A Life in Black Literature and Journalism," which is under review for publication at Wayne State University Press, in Detroit.

One of the projects Dr. Thompson was most involved with was making black studies a major. It is only offered as a minor at MU.

Women's and gender studies department director Jackie Litt met with Dr. Thompson just weeks after starting her job in 2004. They talked about possible programs they could work on together.

"We both had very similar objectives about helping students understand how our culture is organized by race, gender and class," Litt said.

She said she admired his commitment to teaching.

"His ambition for his discipline was something I admired," Litt said. "I respect the work he did, in trying to promote the scholarship and research in black

studies."

Family members were not available for comment on funeral arrangements. A memorial service is being planned by the family but no dates have been set.

Dr. Thompson is survived by three sisters and their children.