J. J. Campbell was born in Belfast and was educated at St Malachy's College, Belfast, and Queen's University. He taught for a year at Methodist College, Belfast, and in 1931 was appointed classics master in St Malachy's College. He was strongly nationalist in his youth, and published Orange Terror, though he subsequently modified his views. He became lecturer in education at St Mary's Training College in 1950, and later head of the Education Department at St Joseph's College of Education. In 1969 he was Director of the Institute of Education at Queen's University, Chairman of Convocation at Queen's and a member of the Senate. He was editor of the Irish Bookman and published widely in journals and newspapers. He was a member of the BBC Advisory Council, and a noted broadcaster. He served on many committees, notably the Cameron Commission on the disturbances in Northern Ireland in 1969. He died in Belfast and bequeathed his collection of books to the Linen Hall Library.