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Kevin Geisert, SMC Research Librarian, July 2025
Educating African Americans in Norfolk, Virginia was a lifelong calling for Dr. Lyman Beecher Brooks. His thirty-seven-year tenure as president of Norfolk State University, an HBCU (historically black college or university), attests to the influence he wielded over this community. While still in his twenties, Brooks obtained a doctoral degree in philosophy from the University of Michigan. He took control of the fledgling Norfolk school in 1938, only three years after its founding, and remained at the helm until finally retiring in 1975. Dr. Brooks had better offers on the table but chose Norfolk because he welcomed the challenges this opportunity presented. The starting salary was just $150 a month. Originally called Junior College of Virginia Union University, its name changed more than once. By 1969, an independent Norfolk State College became a reality. Then a decade later during retirement, the State of Virginia officially conferred university status on his beloved institution.[1]
Born on May 27, 1910, in Blakes, Mathews County, Virginia, Lyman Beecher Brooks grew up during the Jim Crow era in Virginia. His parents, Robert John Brooks and Mary Anna Burrell, strived to provide better opportunities for their son. Just two generations removed from slavery, Lyman proved to be a diligent student and maintained a stellar academic record. His father supported the family by farming, teaching private music lessons, and working as a boatman. Like many women of the time, Mrs. Brooks was a schoolteacher. She had earned her degree from Virginia Union University (then known as Hartshorn Memorial College) in Richmond, Virginia. Lyman along with brother, John Murray Brooks, later followed in their mother’s footsteps and went to the same school. After earning a bachelor’s degree in math, Lyman embarked on his career in education, which greatly influenced African Americans of Virginia.[2]
Source: The Virginian-Pilot Collection (MSS 2021-001)
For nearly four decades, Dr. Brooks oversaw the massive growth of Norfolk State College, which reached its culmination when the school became a full-fledged university. In 1938, Norfolk State employed just four faculty members who taught 125 students at the former YMCA building on East Brambleton Avenue. After assuming his position as president, he improved the school’s financial situation and appealed to the best available professors to join Norfolk State faculty. Dr. Brooks spent years fighting to establish a campus at Norfolk State. Those efforts finally paid off in 1955 when the city granted fifty-five acres on the site of Memorial Park Golf Course. During his tenure, student enrollment continued to increase and eventually surpassed six thousand students by the 1970s. Dr. Brooks also held numerous leadership positions in local organizations, such as the Virginia Teachers Association and Tidewater Urban League. The school later enhanced its national profile when Norfolk State football and basketball teams achieved great success competing as a member of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (CIAA), which included several championships.[3]
Dr. Brooks lived at a few different addresses while residing in Norfolk. They included 1415 Calvert and 907 Marathon Avenue.[4] He married Evelyn Veronica Fields on December 29, 1954 in Norfolk. The couple had two daughters: Norma Ann Brooks and Marechal-Neil Brooks. They attended Bank Street Memorial Baptist Church, which is where Dr. Brooks led the Ballard-Epperson Sunday School Class.[5] In the year before his death in 1983, he authored a book on Norfolk State University (NSU) and its history, entitled Upward: A History of Norfolk State University. The first chapter is entirely autobiographical, as Dr. Brooks describes his upbringing, educational background, and how he came to accept the position at Norfolk State.[6] Even in retirement, his support for the university he built continued into the 1980s. On Friday, April 20, 1984, Dr. Lyman Beecher Brooks died in the Norfolk Community Hospital. He was seventy-three years old. Bute Street First Baptist Church held a funeral service five days later with burial taking place at Calvary Cemetery in Norfolk.[7] The city benefited from his enduring commitment to equal opportunities in education. The legacy of Dr. Brooks is still felt at NSU where the library, named in his honor, continues to serve students and faculty.[8]
Source: The Virginian-Pilot Collection (MSS 2021-001)
Sources:
1. Steve Stone, “Lyman Brooks, Ex-President of NSC, Dies,” The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Virginia), April 21, 1984, p. B1;
“Rites Wednesday for Ex-NSU Head, Dr. L.B. Brooks,” The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Virginia), April 23, 1984, p. D4;
“About Norfolk State University: History and Mission,” Norfolk State University, accessed May 12, 2025,
History & Mission | Norfolk State University - Norfolk State University;
Lyman Beecher Brooks, Upward: A History of Norfolk State University (Washington, D.C.: Howard University Press, 1983), p. 27-28.
2. “About Lyman Beecher Brooks Library,” Norfolk State University, accessed May 13, 2025,
3. Stone, p. B1; “Rites Wednesday for Ex-NSU Head, Dr. L.B. Brooks,” p. D4;
Leonard E. Colvin, “Old and New Images Show Rapid NSU Growth in Newly Released Book,” Norfolk Journal & Guide (Norfolk, Virginia),
May 12, 2011, p. 1-2;
Tommy L. Bogger, Dictionary of Virginia Biography, Library of Virginia (1998-), “Lyman Beecher Brooks (1910-1984)”
accessed February 24, 2025. https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/dvb/bio.asp?b=Brooks_Lyman_Beecher.
4. 1946 Norfolk City Directory (Norfolk, Virginia), p. 124;
1951 Norfolk City Directory (Norfolk, Virginia), p. 92;
1961 Norfolk City Directory (Norfolk, Virginia), p. 125;
1971 Norfolk City Directory (Norfolk, Virginia), p. 70.
5. Stone, p. B1; “Rites Wednesday for Ex-NSU Head, Dr. L.B. Brooks,” p. D4;
Virginia Department of Health, Richmond, Virginia, Virginia Marriages, 1936-2014. Roll: 101169665, Marriage Year: 1954.
6. Brooks, p. 27-28.
7. Stone, B1; “Rites Wednesday for Ex-NSU Head, Dr. L.B. Brooks,” p. D4;
Virginia Department of Health, Richmond, Virginia, Virginia Deaths, 1912-2014, Death Year: 1984.
“Dr. Lyman Beecher Brooks,” Find a Grave, accessed April 21, 2025.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11301313/lyman-beecher-brooks.
8. “About Lyman Beecher Brooks Library,” Norfolk State University, accessed May 13, 2025,
Full Name: Lyman Beecher Brooks
Also Known as: Dr. Lyman Beecher Brooks
Birth Date: May 27, 1910
Birthplace: Blakes, Mathews County, Virginia
Parents: John Robert Brooks and Mary Anna Burrell
Ethnicity: American
Race: Black
Spouse: Evelyn Veronica Fields
Children: Norma Ann Brooks and Marechal-Neil Brooks
Marriage Date: December 29, 1954
Marriage Place: Norfolk, Virginia
Death Date: April 20, 1984
Death Place: Norfolk Community Hospital, Norfolk, Virginia
Burial Date: April 25, 1984
Burial Place: Calvary Cemetery, Norfolk, Virginia
Major Keywords/Search Terms: Norfolk, Virginia| Norfolk State University (NSU)| Norfolk State College|
Historically Black College or University (HBCU)| Brooks, Dr. Lyman Beecher| Virginia Union University| Hartshorn Memorial College|
Junior College of Virginia Union University| University of Michigan|
Brooks, Robert John| Burrell, Mary Anna| Blakes, Mathews County, Virginia| Brooks, John Murray| Richmond, Virginia| YMCA Building|
East Brambleton Avenue| Memorial Park Golf Course| Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (CIAA)| Virginia Teachers Association|
Tidewater Urban League| Norfolk State Faculty| Norfolk State Football and Basketball| Calvert| Marathon Avenue| Fields, Evelyn Veronica|
Brooks, Norma Ann| Brooks, Marechal-Neil| Bank Street Memorial Baptist Church| Ballard-Epperson Sunday School Class|
Upward: A History of Norfolk State University| Norfolk Community Hospital| Calvary Cemetery| Bute Street First Baptist Church|
Lyman Beecher Brooks Library|
Sources:
1) Primary Sources:
1. Books and Pamphlets:
▪ Brooks, Lyman Beecher. Upward: A History of Norfolk State University.
Washington, D.C.: Howard University Press, 1983, p. 4-30.
City Directories:
▪ 1946 Norfolk City Directory (Norfolk, Virginia), p. 124.
▪ 1951 Norfolk City Directory (Norfolk, Virginia), p. 92.
▪ 1961 Norfolk City Directory (Norfolk, Virginia), p. 125.
▪ 1971 Norfolk City Directory (Norfolk, Virginia), p. 70.
2. Documents/Collections:
Census Records
▪ United States Census Bureau. 1940 US Federal Census-Norfolk City, Virginia. Roll: m-t0627-04311. Page: 3B. Enumeration District: 114-14.
▪ United States Census Bureau. 1950 US Federal Census-Norfolk City, Virginia. Roll: 718. Page: 3. Enumeration District: 115-215.
Vital Records
▪ Virginia Department of Health. Richmond, Virginia. Virginia Deaths, 1912-2014. Death Year: 1984.
▪ Virginia Department of Health. Richmond, Virginia. Virginia Marriages, 1936-2014. Roll: 101169665. Marriage Year: 1954.
3. Newspapers/Magazines/Journals:
1955
▪ Swann, Evelyn M. “Norfolk Social Whirl.” Norfolk Journal & Guide (Norfolk, Virginia), January 29, 1955, p. B6.
1956
▪ “Norfolk Division, Virginia State.” Norfolk, September 1956, vol. 18, p. 17-18.
1958
▪ “Four Physicians Honored for Outstanding Service.” Norfolk Journal & Guide (Norfolk, Virginia), November 15, 1958, p. 13.
1967
▪ Bayer, Richard C. “Independence Expected for Norfolk State College.” Norfolk Ledger-Star (Norfolk, Virginia), August 23, 1967, p. 1 and 4.
1969
▪ Bayer, Richard C. “Brooks Expected to Head College.” Norfolk Ledger-Star (Norfolk, Virginia), January 16, 1969, p. 21.
▪ Bolinaga, Shirley. “Brooks Heads Independent Norfolk State.” The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Virginia), February 2, 1969, p. B1 and B4.
1970
▪ “Banquet in Norfolk for Two College Presidents.” Norfolk Journal & Guide (Norfolk, Virginia), March 7, 1970, p. B3.
▪ “Drs. Holland and Brooks Honored at Dinner.” New Norfolk, April 1970, vol. 8, p. 20.
1974
▪ “To Receive Degree.” Norfolk Ledger-Star (Norfolk, Virginia), May 2, 1974, p. A3.
▪ “Dr. Brooks, NSC Head, To Retire.” The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Virginia), September 26, 1974, p. B1.
▪ “The Brooks Years.” The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Virginia), September 27, 1974, p. A14.
▪ Malone, Jann. “Retiring VSC President to Leave Master Plan.” Richmond Times-Dispatch (Richmond, Virgini), October 27, 1974.
1975
▪ Germann, Martha. “Norfolk State College Bldg. to Bear Name of Brooks.” Norfolk Journal & Guide (Norfolk, Virginia), March 1, 1975, p. B12.
▪ Bayer, Richard C. “His Legacy: the Power of ‘Ordinary People.’” Norfolk Ledger-Star (Norfolk, Virginia), May 28, 1975, p. B1 and B12.
▪ “’Dr. Brooks Hard Act to Follow.’” Norfolk Journal & Guide (Norfolk, Virginia), May 31, 1975, p. 1-2.
▪ Lake, Marvin. “Norfolk State Chief’s Goodby.” The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Virginia), July 1, 1975, p. B13.
1976
▪ Lake, Marvin Leon. “Brooks Up for Norfolk State Emeritus Title.” The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Virginia), June 4, 1976, p. B1.
▪ “NSC to Dedicate 2 Buildings Sun.” Norfolk Journal & Guide (Norfolk, Virginia), September 18, 1976, p. 13.
1979
▪ “Norfolk State Honors.” The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Virginia), February 18, 1979, p. B10.
1983
▪ Stone, Steve. “Ex-University Leader Writes School’s History.” The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Virginia), November 7, 1983, p. D5.
1984
▪ Stone, Steve. “Lyman Brooks, Ex-President of NSC, Dies.” The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Virginia), April 21, 1984, p. B1.
▪ “Rites Wednesday for Ex-NSU Head, Dr. L.B. Brooks.” The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Virginia), April 23, 1984, p. D4.
▪ “Dr. Brooks, Pioneer in Education.” Norfolk Ledger-Star (Norfolk, Virginia), April 24, 1984, p. A6.
▪ Johnson, Harvey, Jr. “Champion of Education Opportunities Passes." Norfolk Journal & Guide (Norfolk, Virginia), April 25, 1984, p. 1.
2011
▪ Colvin, Leonard E. “Old and New Images Show Rapid NSU Growth in Newly Released Book.” Norfolk Journal & Guide (Norfolk, Virginia), May 12, 2011, p. 1-2.
4. Photographs/Images:
▪ Stone, Steve. “Lyman Brooks, Ex-President of NSC, Dies.” The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Virginia), April 21, 1984, p. B1.
▪ Norfolk State University. “Lyman B. Brooks: President.” Accessed April 23, 2025.
https://webapps.nsu.edu/emeritifaculty/president_L_Brooks.html.
▪ The Virginian-Pilot Photograph Collection, MSS 2021-001. Folders: Brooks, Lyman B. (Dr.). Sargeant Memorial Collection, Norfolk Public Library, Norfolk, Virginia.
2) Secondary Sources:
1. Documents/Collections:
▪ Folder (BRO): “Norfolk-Biographies-Brooks, Lyman Beecher, Dr.”
Sargeant Memorial Collection Norfolk Clippings Files, MSS 0000-NCF,
Sargeant Memorial Collection, Norfolk Public Library, Norfolk, Virginia.
▪ Sargeant Memorial Collection Card Catalog. Legacy Biographical:
“Brooks, Lyman Beecher.”
▪ The Virginian-Pilot Index Cards, MSS 2020-005. Biographical: 1947-1984:
“Lyman Beecher Brooks.”
2. Newspapers/Magazines/Journals:
2000
▪ Colvin, Leonard E. “Students Were Active in Challenging Area’s Segregation Practices” (Part 5-NSU’s 65th Anniversary). Norfolk Journal & Guide (Norfolk, Virginia), October 18, 2000, p. 1.
▪ Colvin, Leonard E. “The Wilson Years: Second President Confronted Threat of an NSU Merger with ODU in 70s” (Conclusion—NSU’s 65th Anniversary).
Norfolk Journal & Guide (Norfolk, Virginia), November 1, 2000, p. 1.
3. Websites:
▪ Alexander, Otis. Blackpast. “Lyman Beecher Brooks (1910-1984).” Accessed February 26, 2025.
▪ Bogger, Tommy L. Dictionary of Virginia Biography, Library of Virginia (1998-). “Lyman Beecher Brooks (1910-1984).”
Accessed February 24, 2025. https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/dvb/bio.asp?b=Brooks_Lyman_Beecher.
▪ Find a Grave. “Dr Lyman Beecher Brooks.” Accessed April 21, 2025.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11301313/lyman-beecher-brooks.
▪ Norfolk State University. “A Historical Overview of Norfolk State University.” Accessed February 24, 2025.
Administrative Offices and Services | Norfolk State University - Norfolk State University.
▪ Norfolk State University. “About Lyman Beecher Brooks Library.”
Accessed May 13, 2025.
▪ Norfolk State University. “About Norfolk State University: History and Mission.” Accessed May 12, 2025.
History & Mission | Norfolk State University - Norfolk State University.
▪ Wikipedia. “Lyman Brooks.” Accessed February 24, 2025.
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