Steward, Gustavus Adolphus, 1881-1966

Gustavus Adolphus Steward was an educator, writer and businessman. He was one of eight sons born to African Methodist Episcopal minister Theophilus Gould Steward and Elizabeth (Gadsden) Steward. Gustavus Steward attended the University of Montana, Missoula (1895-1898) and graduated from Wilberforce University (1901). His career as an educator included teaching at a government school in Agno, Zambales in the Philippines (1901), the St. Paul Normal and Industrial School in Lawrenceville, Virginia, the Cheyney (Pennsylvania) Training School for Teachers, and the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute. In 1919, he began working as a cashier for the Supreme Life and Casualty Company (later called Fireside Mutual Insurance) in Columbus, Ohio from which he would retire in 1947 as an officer and board member. During the 1920s to 1940s, Steward was also a contributing writer to various publications, including "The Crisis Magazine," "The Dearborn Independent" and "Opportunity." He wrote essays and articles on race relations, social issues and religion, book reviews, and short stories, sometimes under the alias Peter Gadsden.