Sheeler, John Reuben, 1911-

John Reuben Sheeler was born in Riceville, Tennessee on March 23, 1911. His early education was completed in the region schools in Riceville and Cleveland, Tennessee. His undergraduate work was completed at Knoxville College also in Tennessee. He then majored in History and Political Science at Fisk University in 1941 where he where he earned his Master’s degree. In 1954 Dr. Sheeler was the first African American to earn a Doctorate degree at the University of West Virginia.

Following his studies and throughout his life Dr. Sheeler was first and foremost an educator. This he practiced in many different capacities. He taught in schools and universities throughout the United States, eventually settling in Houston to teach at Texas Southern University and University of Houston. In the community he served as pastor at the Houston Metropolitan CME Church and the St. Paul CME Church. As a foreign ambassador, he served the City of Houston by acting as the Honorable Consul between Texas and the Haitian government from 1959 to 1979. He also served as a delegate to other countries as well through his appointment as Cultural Specialist for the U.S. State Department. During his service there, his travels took him to 14 nations including Scandinavia and the Near East sharing information about U.S. history in general and about the circumstances of African Americans in the United States throughout history.

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