Born in Harlem and raised in Brooklyn, Glenn Thompson [September 24, 1940 – September 7, 2001] left the U. S. as a young
man and traveled extensively throughout India, Europe and Israel before
settling in England. There, he identified immediately with the struggles of
poor and working-class people to overcome poverty and illiteracy. He became a
leading activist for socioeconomic and political causes, founding Centerprise, a
nonprofit British organization that remains devoted to community improvement and
social uplift. He also began a publishing career, starting out at Penguin
Education, then at the cutting edge of radical educational publishing. He later
established, with others, the Writers and Readers Publishing Cooperative (WRPC)
he was joined in this idealistic publish venture by leading writers of the day.
Under Thompson’s leadership, WRPC published a number of international
bestsellers including the For Beginners cartoon documentary series. This series
began with Castro for Beginners, illustrated by the noted Mexican artist Ruiz.
Thompson later expanded the series to include over one hundred Beginners titles
on topics ranging from Karl Marx, DNA, and JFK to Black women and Malcolm X.
Internal strains led to the
break up of the WRPC, but Thompson retained control of its publishing program
and moved back to New York in the early 80’s to establish Writers and Readers,
Inc. as a U.S. company. He also reorganized WRPC into a for-profit company in
England: Writers and Readers Ltd. Adding new titles and republishing the
successful Beginners books in the U.S., Thompson built an impressive list of
titles. Influenced by the Black book publishing movement then at its height, he
further expanded his list by publishing now-popular authors
Iyanla Vanzant and
Kevin Powell for the first
time. He also published noted authors
Eloise Greenfield,
Mari Evans,
and author/illustrator Tom Feelings. Additionally, he established two imprints
that focus specifically on Black-interest titles in diverse genres: Harlem
River Press and Black Butterfly children’s books. Along with
Haki Madhubuti of Third World
Press, the oldest Black publishing house in the U.S., Thompson helped to
organize the National Association of Book Publishers to promote literacy and
Black book publishing. Through his efforts, he became close friends with other
Black publishers including
Wade Hudson at Just Us Books,
Kassahun Checole of
African World Press and
Paul
Coates of Black Classic Press.
Glenn Thompson was an exemplary
Black publisher. He viewed books as weapons of liberation and saw his task as
that of a soldier, arming the people to free themselves. He chose to publish
great books about people of African descent that helped to define the reality of
the Black experience. He also chose to publish outstanding books that redefined
the White experience from the perspectives of those who were oppressed and
dispossessed by it—and he did so in subtle, subversive, but often comical ways.
His last years were difficult ones. Numerous court battles and financial challenges associated with his trailblazing publishing ventures drained his resources and his health. Thompson’s earthly transition on September 7, 2001, in the peaceful stillness of a quiet hospice, was made possible by the support of his three children, Shoshannah, Ben, and Elisha; his brother Dennis; other family members; and friends, all of whom lost a brilliant and caring comrade and confidante. His memory endures through the many significant works he brought to fruition.
W. Paul Coates with the assistance of Kamili Anderson 9/19/2001