Surrounded by family, Claudia Alexander Whitworth, editor and publisher of The Roanoke Tribune died peacefully Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026 of natural causes after a brief illness at the age of 98.
“Our mother was an incredible individual that forged a dynamic path for our family to follow,” said son Stan Hale. Hale along with his sister Eva Shaw Gill have both maintained the paper’s weekly operation for several years since Whitworth stepped back from the major responsibilities of publishing the newspaper now in its 87th year.
She was born Claudia Sedonia Alexander in Fayetteville, WV, on November 8, 1927, the daughter of Rev. F.E. Alexander and Sedonia (Rotan) Alexander. Claudia spent her early years in Lynchburg, VA.
In 1935, the family moved to Christiansburg, where their father took over as pastor of Schaeffer Memorial Baptist Church – then First Memorial Baptist Church.
Whitworth graduated from Christiansburg Institute at age 16, because there were only 11 grades in Quaker schools–7 elementary and 4 high schools.
“We had the best teachers in the world,” said Whitworth in a 2019 interview. “Most of them came from the Roanoke area Ruth Clayton, Ruth DuPree, and Connie Johnson (Hamlar) to name a few.” After a brief stint at Bluefield State, she headed for Dayton OH.
Her stay there was very limited before relocating to New York where she took her first newspaper job working as a linotype operator for the New York Age, the African-American newspaper, co-founded by Timothy Thomas Fortune, a former slave. W.E.B. DuBois and Ida Wells both worked for the New York Age.
Whitworth also worked on the Cleveland Herald and Ohio State Sentinel in Columbus, OH at brief intervals, returning home to the Tribune between each to help her father with the newspaper.
Although the Tribune was founded in 1939, it was not until 1941 that the first regular publications began. Whitworth joined her father in the summer of 1945.
Her prior experience honed her skills and in 1971, following her father’s car accident in Roanoke and his subsequent retirement, Whitworth purchased the Roanoke Tribune. Thus began her long tenure at the paper’s helm launching her career as a trailblazing publisher.
The power of the press and her opportunity to use editorials as a means of uniting a divided community through the unifying messages of her newly found Bahai faith kept Whitworth focused and grounded while at the paper’s helm.
It was a speech by Rev. Ralph Abernathy who came to Roanoke to speak after a racial incident during the early days of school desegregation that taught her the power of the press.
Through Roanoke’s revitalization efforts in the historic Gainsboro area in the mid seventies she lost nearly everything when the office was firebombed destroying all records and the antiquated printing equipment used during the early years of the paper. Nevertheless, The Tribune never missed an issue.
Her most notable honors include: Being among 20 selected from throughout the State (1973) to accompany (then) Gov. Linwood Holton to SAC Air Force Headquarters at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.; and Listed in Who’s Who Among Black Americans (1985) among such greats as Harriett Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Mary McLeod Bethune among others.
In 1991, together with her son, Stanley Hale, her assistant through it all, she remodeled and opened a community center on Melrose Ave. adjacent to The Tribune office.
In 2009 she was recognized as an African American Trailblazers honoree by the Library of Virginia.
In 1992 she was one of seven (and the only one from Southwest Virginia inducted into the Virginia Women’s Hall of Fame; One of three NCCJ Brotherhood/Sisterhood Award recipients (1993); One of five honorees at “A Tribute to Women of Colour” by local US Postal Workers (1997); and named City of Roanoke Citizen of the Year 2004 among various others.
Her service on numerous Boards and agencies throughout the City and State include:
President’s Roundtable and Board of Visitors, Norfolk State University (1989-95); Chaired State Employee Relations Committee, Welfare Reform Commission (Wilder Administration)
(Local)–Bradley Free Clinic, Salvation Army and its Battered Women’s Shelter, SCORE; Fine Arts Museum; Roanoke Neighborhood Development Corp. (chairman); Conflict Resolution Center; American Red Cross; Habitat for Humanity; Local Spiritual Assembly, Roanoke City Baha’i Community; Built and operated a (24 unit complex) Community Housing Corp. (president); Community Action Center (since 2007-), – a Neighborhood Center for the development of youth of all ages.
Her sense of service to her community and to others pervaded all aspects of Whitworth’s life.
She was always uncomfortable with the many honors she received – noting, “Nothing I’ve ever done has been a plan of mine. I’m just an instrument. You don’t honor instruments.”
NOTE: For 87 years The Tribune continues to publish the good news the community looks forward to each week. Four generations later The Roanoke Tribune continues as a real “family affair,” as her family and various volunteers work together in support of the community – upholding the legacy of Claudia Alexander Whitworth.
Her Celebration of Life service will be held Friday, Oct. 16 at Pilgrim Baptist Church 1415 8th St. NW.
