Roi Ottley Collection  

St. Bonaventure University


The Roi Ottley Timeline

Born in New York City on August 2, 1906

Attended Public School #5 in NYC

1926: Graduated from Textile High School

1926-1927: Attended St. Bonaventure on a track scholarship

1928: Transferred to University of Michigan to pursue a career in journalism

1929: Left Michigan and briefly attended St. John's Law School in Brooklyn

1932:  Began working part-time as a columnist for The Amsterdam News

1937: Became editor of the sports and theatrical sections of The Amsterdam News

1943: New World A-Coming was published

1944: Won the Ainsworth Award  for New World A-Coming 

1944: Departed for Europe where he was a war correspondent for the newspaper PM, Liberty Magazine and the Pittsburgh Courier

1945: Met privately with Pope Pius XII

1945: Won The Peabody Award for New World A-Coming 

1946: Returned home to NYC after traveling over 60,000 miles in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.  

1948: Black Odyssey was published

1952 No Green Pastures was Published

1953: Began writing columns and editorials for the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Defender and Ebony Magazine   

1955: The Lonely Warrior was published

Died of a heart attack on October 1, 1960    

1965: White Marble Lady was published by his widow, Alice

1967: The Negro In New York was published

Last updated: 05 December 2011

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