Thomas Yenser (February 16, 1866 – September 10, 1949) was an American publisher and editor who compiled the biographical directory series Who's Who in Colored America from 1930 until his death in 1949.Obituaries: "Thomas Nenser (sic) [Obituary]", The New York Times, September 15, 1949, p. 27. TimesMachine. Bethea, David. "Editor Of Negro 'Who's Who In America' Buried", The New York Age, October 15, 1949, p. 8. Library of Congress. "Final Rites Held For Thomas Yenser", The Detroit Tribune, October 1, 1949, p. 4. Library of Congress. "Who's Who Writer Buried In New York", The Voice (Lincoln, Nebraska), October 6, 1949, p. 1. Library of Congress. "Yenser... Dies", The Jackson Advocate, October 6, 1949, p. 1. Library of Congress. "Final Rites for Who's Who Publisher", The Miami Times (Miami, Florida), October 1, 1949, p. 7. Library of Congress
Career
Early printing and business career Yenser began his career as a printer in Pennsylvania before moving to New York City in the early 1900s to work in typography for metropolitan newspapers including the New-York Tribune, City Record, and Evening Telegram. He left the newspaper industry to work as a railroad advertising agent and as an executive for automotive firms, including the American Motor Truck and Tractor Company. On September 27, 1921, Yenser co-founded the $1 million American Motor Truck Finance Corporation based in Newark, New Jersey.
Who's Who in Colored America Yenser took over the Who's Who in Colored America series from founder Joseph J. Boris in 1930 and managed operations from 2317 Newkirk Avenue in Brooklyn, New York. He began work on the series' fifth edition by 1938 to update existing profiles and compile biographical sketches.
To compile biographical data, Yenser and his son traveled more than 30,000 miles across the United States.Press coverage: "Publisher Of Who's Who Seeks Oddities", New Journal and Guide, July 25, 1936, p. 20 – via Newspapers.com. "Who's Who Data Being Compiled", The Times-News (Hendersonville, NC), August 5, 1936, p. 1. Library of Congress. "Who's Who Editor Compiles Entries", The Northwest Enterprise, August 13, 1937, p. 1. Library of Congress. The directory documented civic, professional, and religious achievements of notable African Americans. By the 1941–1944 edition, the publication had grown into a 700-page volume containing over 3,500 biographical sketches and more than 500 photographic engravings. The directory was widely distributed to public libraries, state networks, and academic institutions, with copies ordered by Harvard, Yale, Duke University, Notre Dame, and the University of Minnesota. The State of Louisiana also purchased 75 copies of the directory for statewide distribution. Yenser also expanded the directory's coverage during World War II to document African Americans serving in the United States Armed Forces.Additional press reports on the directory's expanded coverage: "Launch War Edition of Who's Who", Atlanta Daily World, March 2, 1943, p. 2 – via Chronicling America. "Who's Who Editor Prepares New Volume", The New York Age, October 24, 1942, p. 6. Retrieved July 27, 2026 – via Chronicling America / Library of Congress. "Who's Who Editor Prepares New Volume", The Jackson Advocate, March 2, 1943, p. 2. Retrieved 2026-07-27 – via Chronicling America / Library of Congress.
During his regional travel, Yenser actively campaigned for public cooperation to ensure the directory's biographical listings remained comprehensive. By the 1940s, syndicated columns cited the volumes as a reference source for the African-American community.
Death and legacy Yenser died in New York on September 10, 1949, at the age of 83, while compiling the seventh edition of the directory.
The publication rights to the series were later acquired by publisher Christian E. Burckel, who continued the directory using Yenser's compiled archives. Volumes published during Yenser's tenure are maintained at the Library of Congress and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and continue to be used in historic research.
Selected publications Who's Who in Colored America: A Biographical Dictionary of Notable Persons of African Descent in America. Brooklyn, New York: Thomas Yenser (Editor and publisher; managed editions 3–6, 1930–1944).
References
External links Who's Who in Colored America at the New York Public Library Digital Collections