Stewart, Ollie Anderson, 1906-1977

African American journalist, of Baltimore, Md., and Paris, France.

Ollie Anderson Stewart (1906-1977), journalist, was the first African American war correspondent to go abroad during World War II. A prolific writer, he worked for the Afro-American Newspapers, Baltimore, Maryland. Beginning in 1941 he sent regular columns covering the African, French, Italian, and German sectors of the war. His coverage included that of the all-Black 99th Pursuit Squadron.

After the war ended, Stewart returned to the United States. He remained only until 1949 when, because of his intense dislike of discrimination as well as his disillusionment with the state of race relations at home, he returned to Europe and lived in Paris for over 25 years. Stewart continued to contribute to the Afro-American, but also became a freelance writer. His columns of this period provide a unique, thought-provoking, sometimes frustrating, and often humorous glimpse of his life and times. Katherine Young of New York acted as his agent and representative from 1973 until 1976 and succeeded in getting some of his articles in print. His last major project was a biography on the life and career of his friend Josephine Baker, who died at the age of 68 in 1975.

Beginning in 1964 Stewart waged a heated written trans-Atlantic battle with the Social Security Administration office in Baltimore to gain what he believed to be his rightful benefits. It was not until 1969 that the matter was resolved in his favor with a back payment along with regular monthly checks. These same letters also provide a glimpse on continuing health problems, dwindled income ($425.00 in 1968), and the threat of eviction.

He continued to write and submitted his last column to the Afro-American about a month before his death in 1977.