409 Edgecombe Avenue Tenant Association
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 804
6.34 linear feet (16 boxes, 1 oversize folder)
409 Edgecombe Avenue, also known as Colonial Parkway Apartments, is a residential apartment building in the Sugar Hill section of Harlem that was home to many of the city's Black elite during the 1920s–1950s. The 409 Edgecombe collection consists...
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409 Edgecombe Avenue, also known as Colonial Parkway Apartments, is a residential apartment building in the Sugar Hill section of Harlem that was home to many of the city's Black elite during the 1920s–1950s. The 409 Edgecombe collection consists of the personal effects of building residents, typically including correspondence, bills, receipts, and other ephemera. The collection is made up of the contents of trunks found in a storage room of the building by the 409 Edgecombe Avenue Tenant Association.
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555th Parachute Infantry Association
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 687
0.21 linear feet (1 box)
The 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion (PIB), formed in 1944, was the first African American parachute unit to actually use parachutes in the military; the first to become smoke jumpers who fought forest fires; and the first African American...
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The 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion (PIB), formed in 1944, was the first African American parachute unit to actually use parachutes in the military; the first to become smoke jumpers who fought forest fires; and the first African American battalion to integrate the armed forces just months before President Truman officially directed the integration of the United States military.This collection is comprised of newspaper articles, letters, photocopies of pictures, and lists of members.
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Abdul, Raoul
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 833
1.04 linear feet (3 boxes)
This collection mostly contains material related to Raoul Abdul's career as a singer and author. There is a limited amount of personal information, including some clippings from his early life. A large part of the collection consists of concert...
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This collection mostly contains material related to Raoul Abdul's career as a singer and author. There is a limited amount of personal information, including some clippings from his early life. A large part of the collection consists of concert programs and tour information. Additionally, there is material on lectures and seminars, and reviews and correspondence regarding his writing, including
3000 Years of Black Poetry,
The Magic of Black Poetry, and
Famous Black Entertainers of Today.
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Adams, Wilhelmina F. (Wilhelmina Ferris), -1987
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 37
5.8 linear feet
Civic leader of New York City and a major figure in local Democratic Party activities. Official correspondence, minute books, press releases, photographs, invitations, annual convention and activity programs, printed material, and news clippings,...
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Civic leader of New York City and a major figure in local Democratic Party activities. Official correspondence, minute books, press releases, photographs, invitations, annual convention and activity programs, printed material, and news clippings, chiefly relating to Adams' participation in various social, political, and civic organizations in New York, including the Aeolian Ladies of Charity, Democratic Club, Friends of the Northside Center, a child guidance center for the prevention of delinquency and maladjustment, Harlem Cooperating Committee on Relief and Unemployment, Harlem Hospital Chaplaincy Committee, Nannie H. Burroughs Philanthropic Club, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women's Clubs, National Committee for the American Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Liberia, National Council of Negro Women, New York State Committee on Discrimination in Housing, New York Urban League, New York World's Fair Committee of Negro Women, and the Utopia Neighborhood Club, a nursery center for small children, as well as several local New York City organizations. Also included are personal papers and memorabilia.
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Adams, Wilhelmina F. (Wilhelmina Ferris), 1900-
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 485
4.08 linear feet (6 boxes)
The Wilhelmina F. Adams Papers (Additions) consist principally of her files chronicling her work as a civic leader primarily with New York Democratic club activities, the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women's Clubs...
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The Wilhelmina F. Adams Papers (Additions) consist principally of her files chronicling her work as a civic leader primarily with New York Democratic club activities, the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women's Clubs (NANBPWC) and the National Council of Negro Women. These files contain correspondence, newsletters, programs, brochures, minutes of meetings, official memoranda, reports, invitations, and news clippings. Files of the NANBPWC also include membership records, directories of officers, handouts, annual conference programs, and the constitution. Scrapbooks of the NANBPWC document annual events such as contests, parties and conferences from 1968-1972, and contain programs, invitations, certificates, handmade illustrations, newsletters, correspondence, and news clippings.
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Adamz-Bogus, SDiane, 1946-
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 729
14.08 linear feet (35 boxes)
SDiane Adamz-Bogus (b.1946) is a writer, educator, and new age healer; she is also known as Shariananda Adamz and "The Oracle Soul-Joiner". The SDiane Adamz-Bogus papers date from 1946 to 2002, and document her work and life through...
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SDiane Adamz-Bogus (b.1946) is a writer, educator, and new age healer; she is also known as Shariananda Adamz and "The Oracle Soul-Joiner". The SDiane Adamz-Bogus papers date from 1946 to 2002, and document her work and life through correspondence, journals, photographs, scrapbooks, teaching files, files for the Woman in Moon publishing company, and writing files.
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African Academy of Arts and Research
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 195
0.01 linear feet (1 folder)
The African Academy of Arts and Research was a cultural organization established in the 1940s to facilitate cultural exchange between Africa and the United States. The collection includes a contract between dancer and musicisan Asadata Dafora...
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The African Academy of Arts and Research was a cultural organization established in the 1940s to facilitate cultural exchange between Africa and the United States. The collection includes a contract between dancer and musicisan Asadata Dafora (also known as Austin Dafora Horton) and the Academy and others to organize a production of
Africa: A Tribal Operetta, financial report for the Academy, miscellaneous correspondence, and a certificate of appreciation to Ruth Foster.
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Afro-American Investment and Building Company
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 704
0.01 linear feet (1 folder)
The Afro-American Investment and Building Company was founded in 1893 by Frederick R. Moore, who also served as president. The company's offices were in Brooklyn, New York, and it managed property in New Jersey. The Afro-American Investment and...
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The Afro-American Investment and Building Company was founded in 1893 by Frederick R. Moore, who also served as president. The company's offices were in Brooklyn, New York, and it managed property in New Jersey. The Afro-American Investment and Building Company collection consists of correspondence and an agreement regarding the mortgage of David C. Pinckney of Asbury Park, New Jersey. All the letters were written by Frederick R. Moore to John S. Applegate, attorney for the investment company.
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Allen, Cleveland G., 1887-1953
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 69
0.01 linear feet (1 folder)
Cleveland G. Allen was a newspaper journalist, music historian, and music lecturer for the Board of Education. Born in South Carolina, Allen moved to New York around 1902. He wrote for such publications as
The New York Herald...
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Cleveland G. Allen was a newspaper journalist, music historian, and music lecturer for the Board of Education. Born in South Carolina, Allen moved to New York around 1902. He wrote for such publications as
The New York Herald Tribune,
Musical America, and
Christian Science Monitor. He also worked for Booker T. Washington as one of his publicity staff members. Allen also was a civil rights activist; he organized an annual pilgrimage to see the bust of Harriet Beecher Stowe in the Hall of Fame at New York University. He advocated for a bust of Booker T. Washington to be added as well, and he lived to see its dedication. This collection consists of letters regarding two annual events organized by Allen, the celebration of the anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation and a pilgrimage to the New York University Hall of Fame to honor Harriet Beecher Stowe and Booker T. Washington. Also included is a statement issued by New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey concerning elimination of discrimination in the state.
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Allen, James E. (James Egert), 1896-1980
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 775
0.42 linear feet (1 box)
An African-American educator and writer, James Egert Allen was the first president of the New York chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and an active member of the Association for the Study of Negro Life and...
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An African-American educator and writer, James Egert Allen was the first president of the New York chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and an active member of the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, and the Johnson C. Smith Alumni Association. He was the author of
The Negro in New York (1964),
Black History: Past and Present (1971) and
The Legend of Arthur A. Schomburg (1975). Allen died in 1980. This collection consists of correspondence and writings ranging from 1938-1975, documenting James Egert Allen's activities as a columnist, Kappa Alpha Psi member, chairman of the Johnson C. Smith University Centennial Committee, and founder of International Associates of Cultural Affairs, a group travel venture.
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American Bridge Association
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 274
2.42 linear feet (3 boxes)
The formation of the American Bridge Association (ABA) in 1932 was due to racial prejudice; a group of African American players in the New York area conceived the idea of a national organization, leading to the ABA's formation at Buckroe Beach,...
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The formation of the American Bridge Association (ABA) in 1932 was due to racial prejudice; a group of African American players in the New York area conceived the idea of a national organization, leading to the ABA's formation at Buckroe Beach, Virginia. The American Bridge Association records (1933-2004) consist principally of printed matter, correspondence of the editor of the "Bulletin," and histories of the organization.
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American Negro Ballet Company
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 519
0.01 linear feet (1 folder)
The American Negro Ballet Company scrapbook consists of news clippings and programs about the company founded by Eugene van Grona. Included are reviews of its performances in New York City and Brighton, England, in 1937 and 1938; and programs for...
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The American Negro Ballet Company scrapbook consists of news clippings and programs about the company founded by Eugene van Grona. Included are reviews of its performances in New York City and Brighton, England, in 1937 and 1938; and programs for the ANB and Lew Leslie's "Blackbirds" of 1939, which featured dances choreographed by van Grona. A program and a news clipping refer to performances honoring the company, 1981 and 1983.
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American Negro Theatre
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 70
The records contain ANT's constitution and by-laws; correspondence by Frederick O'Neal, Abram Hill, Maxwell Glanville, Hilda Sims, Alice Childress, and Harry Wagstaff Gribble; assorted programs; minutes of the board of directors; financial...
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The records contain ANT's constitution and by-laws; correspondence by Frederick O'Neal, Abram Hill, Maxwell Glanville, Hilda Sims, Alice Childress, and Harry Wagstaff Gribble; assorted programs; minutes of the board of directors; financial records; articles; ANT's School of Drama; Planning, Administrative, Reorganization, Playreading and Audience Building Committees minutes and notes; and Theatre Renovations information.
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American Negro Theatre
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 363
1 vol
The American Theatre Scrapbook was donated and possibly compiled by Maxwell Glanville, however there is no mention of him in the programs or articles.
American Society of African Culture
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 61
0.83 linear feet (2 boxes)
The American Society of African Culture was an organization of African-American writers, artists, and scholars. It educated Americans on African culture through publications, lectures, and conferences. These records consist largely of printed...
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The American Society of African Culture was an organization of African-American writers, artists, and scholars. It educated Americans on African culture through publications, lectures, and conferences. These records consist largely of printed material, a book and play, reviews, speeches, and conference programs concerning many aspects of African culture in transition; minutes of an annual meeting, 1961; correspondence with John A. Davis and Brooke Aronson, 1962-1966; and budgets.
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American West Indian Ladies Aid Society
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 498
0.67 linear feet (2 boxes)
The American West Indian Ladies Aid Society (AWILAS) records are fragmentary in content, making it difficult to determine the actual transition of officers and other organizational activities, the exception being sick and death claim requests and...
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The American West Indian Ladies Aid Society (AWILAS) records are fragmentary in content, making it difficult to determine the actual transition of officers and other organizational activities, the exception being sick and death claim requests and payments. There are some financial and medical records and related correspondence; minutes; a few membership applications; correspondence with other benevolent organizations; and a folder of printed material, consisting of tickets, raffles, flyers, programs, invitations to events hosted by different organizations, Communist Party literature, bulletins, commercial solicitations, and political literature. There is correspondence between Ashley L. Totten, A. Philip Randolph (National President of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters) and Casper Holstein discussing issues of concern to all Virgin Islanders.
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Anderson, Martha Pryor
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 510
2.08 linear feet (7 boxes)
Martha Pryor Anderson was an African American woman poet and dramatic performer. This collection consists of correspondence, notebooks, programs, printed matter, and scrapbooks documenting Anderson's activities as a poet and diseuse.
Andrews, Regina
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 275
8.58 linear feet (21 boxes)
The papers document Andrews' personal life and professional career and activities. Correspondence, reports, printed material, and writings are included. The papers include manuscripts of Andrews' plays
Climbing Jacob's...
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The papers document Andrews' personal life and professional career and activities. Correspondence, reports, printed material, and writings are included. The papers include manuscripts of Andrews' plays
Climbing Jacob's Ladder,
The Man Who Passed, and
Matilda; the posthumously published
The Black New Yorkers and an unpublished manuscript "Women ...With Banners and Human Rights: Laws, Statutes and Amendments in the Constitution of the United States." Andrews' professional activities at the Washington Heights Branch of the New York Public Library are, in part, very well documented by a series of scrapbooks containing photographs, broadsides and other printed material of the "Family Night at the Library" programs. Also included among the papers are some family correspondence, clippings, and a scrapbook relating to Andrews' husband, attorney and assemblyman William T. Andrews.
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Angelou, Maya
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 830
200.83 linear feet (408 boxes)
Maya Angelou (1928-2014) was one of the most renowned and celebrated voices in American literature. The Maya Angelou papers consist of original manuscripts, computer generated typescripts, galleys, and proofs of published work as well as...
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Maya Angelou (1928-2014) was one of the most renowned and celebrated voices in American literature. The Maya Angelou papers consist of original manuscripts, computer generated typescripts, galleys, and proofs of published work as well as manuscripts for unpublished work and dozens of poems. Additionally, there is personal and professional correspondence, teaching files, printed matter, and materials from public and academic appearances and engagements.
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Antigua and Barbuda Progressive Society (New York, N.Y.)
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 856
4.84 linear feet (13 boxes, 1 oversize folder)
The Antigua and Barbuda Progressive Society was established to provide charitable assistance to Antiguans, Barbudans and the neighboring community, as well as lend assistance to institutions on the home island. The Antigua and Barbuda Progressive...
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The Antigua and Barbuda Progressive Society was established to provide charitable assistance to Antiguans, Barbudans and the neighboring community, as well as lend assistance to institutions on the home island. The Antigua and Barbuda Progressive Society Records, 1934-1984, contain correspondence, membership application forms, meeting minutes and financial documents.
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Archambeau family
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 722
0.02 linear feet (2 folders)
The Archambeau family, consisting of John Nicholas Archambeau and his two children, Lester and Sybil, immigrated to the United States from Jamaica in 1908 and 1919, respectively. John Nicholas attended Howard University, became a dentist, and...
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The Archambeau family, consisting of John Nicholas Archambeau and his two children, Lester and Sybil, immigrated to the United States from Jamaica in 1908 and 1919, respectively. John Nicholas attended Howard University, became a dentist, and married Julia Hood of Virginia. His daughter, Sybil, graduated from Teachers Training School in New Jersey in 1927, and in 1938, married Clyde Ewart St. Hill, Jr., originally from Barbados. Lester Archambeau married Thelma Woodward and had two children, Jason and Rita Louise Archambeau. The Archambeaus owned and operated the Old Ladies Home in Hackensack, New Jersey. The Archambeau and St. Hill family collection consists of papers pertaining to family members before and after they immigrated to the United States from Jamaica and Barbados. Documents for the Archambeau family include copies of the marriage certificates for John and Elizabeth Jane Archambeau, John Nicholas Archambeau's parents, who were married in Jamaica in 1869; and Emile Archambeau, a member of the family who owned members of John Archambeau's family during slavery. Other documents for the Archambeau family include several copies of nineteenth-century baptismal certificates; Elizabeth Jane Archambeau's passport and immigration documents for her grandchildren, Lester and Sybil; and deeds and other legal documents regarding the foreclosure of the family house in Hackensack, New Jersey (1932-1933).
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Asbury United Methodist Church (Washington, D.C.)
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division
The records of Asbury United Methodist Church (Washington, D.C.) are divided into four series: Vital, Administrative, Miscellaneous and ChurchPublications Records.
Attles, Joseph
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 458
.67 linear feet (2 boxes)
Joseph Attles (1903-1991) was a singer and dancer whose career spanned six decades. The bulk of his collection consists of playscripts for shows that Attles appeared in, including
Bubbling Brown Sugar by Loften Mitchell,...
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Joseph Attles (1903-1991) was a singer and dancer whose career spanned six decades. The bulk of his collection consists of playscripts for shows that Attles appeared in, including
Bubbling Brown Sugar by Loften Mitchell,
C & W,
John Henry,
Jericho-Jim Crow,
Prodigal Son,
Troupers, and
Do Lord Remember Me by James de Jongh. The collection also includes: correspondence, both professional and personal; contracts and financial documents; programs of productions Attles appeared in; lyrics; and clippings related to both himself and other show business personalities.
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Austin, Hibernia
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 712
0.46 linear feet (2 boxes)
Hibernia "Bernia" Austin and her husband, William Harry Austin, were members of Harlem society, most notably during the 1920s and 1930s. Bernia Austin was a member of the Campaign Committee of Harlem and the Cooperating Committee on Relief and...
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Hibernia "Bernia" Austin and her husband, William Harry Austin, were members of Harlem society, most notably during the 1920s and 1930s. Bernia Austin was a member of the Campaign Committee of Harlem and the Cooperating Committee on Relief and Unemployment (1931), along with Bessie Bearden, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., Hubert Delaney, Wilhelmina Adams, and William L. Imes. She also engaged in political work and civic activities. Her husband, Harry Austin, was elected a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1936. The Hibernia "Bernia" Austin Scrapbook focuses on the social life of the Black middle and upper class, primarily of Harlem, New York, during the 1920s-1940s. The scrapbook contains a variety of material: clippings; photographs; invitations; birth, marriage and death announcements; letters; and greeting cards. Also included is information about entertainers and civic and social leaders.
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Ayer, Gertrude E. (Gertrude Elise), 1884-1971
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 277
0.27 linear feet (1 box, 1 reel)
Gertrude Elise (née Johnson) McDougal Ayer, was born in New York City, and attended City College, Hunter College, and Columbia University. She began teaching in New York City public elementary schools in 1905, and she was the first vocational...
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Gertrude Elise (née Johnson) McDougal Ayer, was born in New York City, and attended City College, Hunter College, and Columbia University. She began teaching in New York City public elementary schools in 1905, and she was the first vocational guidance instructor in an elementary school. In 1924 and 1936, Ayer was appointed assistant principal and principal, respectively. For twenty-five years, she was the only Black person to hold the position of principal within the New York City public school system. The collection consists of biographical information; a family history written by Mrs. Ayer, possibly for her daughter, Elizabeth; and a few items related to her professional activities before and after retirement in 1954. Additionally, there are scrapbooks, 1931-1966, which focus on Ayer's appointment and career as an assistant principal and principal, and include columns from the
New York Amsterdam News.
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Bailey, Charity
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 71
0.83 linear feet (2 boxes)
Charity Alberta Bailey (1904-1978) was a pioneer in the field of children's music. Her papers consist of biographical material and working files for the development of a curriculum to teach educators and children.
Bailey, Pearl
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 824
0.01 linear feet (1 folder)
Pearl Bailey (1918-1990) was an African American actress and singer. In films, she was known chiefly for two roles: Maria in
Porgy and Bess(1959) and Frankie in
Carmen Jones (1954). She was...
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Pearl Bailey (1918-1990) was an African American actress and singer. In films, she was known chiefly for two roles: Maria in
Porgy and Bess(1959) and Frankie in
Carmen Jones (1954). She was also known for her starring role on Broadway in an all-Black cast version of
Hello Dolly. During World War II, Bailey toured with the USO, performing for American troops. Beginning in 1946, she was a top attraction in nightclubs, variety houses, and television programs in the United States and Britain. At age 67, in 1985, she graduated from Georgetown University with a bachelor's degree in theology. Between 1968 and 1989, she published six books on her life, cooking, and educational experiences. Bailey served as a special ambassador to the United Nations in 1975 and 1989, and in 1988, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The Pearl Bailey letters (1943-1989) consist of correspondence between Bailey and her friend, Lillian Morrison, a published author, compiler, and editor of children's and young adult books as well as a librarian at the New York Public Library, 110th Street Branch. Most of the letters were written by Bailey, and refer to her various endeavors, including her USO work at Fort Huachucha in Arizona; recordings of the song "Tired", which was one of her hit songs; Disney's
The Fox and the Hound, for which she provided one of the voices; and her service with the United Nations. As both women were published authors, several of the letters make reference to this fact and to their long friendship and shared birthday, March 29, 1918. The letters do not provide a great amount of detail about Bailey's show business career.
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Baker, Earl L., 1929-
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 700
2.0 linear feet (2 boxes)
Earl L. Baker was a composer, musician, singer, writer, and orchestral librarian. The Earl L. Baker papers consists of 2 screenplays,
Artabanus and
Totivo, original manuscript musical scores...
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Earl L. Baker was a composer, musician, singer, writer, and orchestral librarian. The Earl L. Baker papers consists of 2 screenplays,
Artabanus and
Totivo, original manuscript musical scores composed by Baker and others; and research material on the West, focusing on Buffalo Soldiers and Black Indians.
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Baker, Ella, 1903-1986
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 630
5.58 linear feet (14 boxes)
The Ella Baker papers provide a snapshot of Baker's life as an activist and visionary for a variety of progressive organizations in the United States, from the 1930s through the 1980s. Documented here are the organizations and individuals that...
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The Ella Baker papers provide a snapshot of Baker's life as an activist and visionary for a variety of progressive organizations in the United States, from the 1930s through the 1980s. Documented here are the organizations and individuals that were central to Baker's network such as George Schulyer, The Young Women's Christian Association, In Friendship, A. Phillip Randolph, and Bayard Rustin. The collection, however, does not document her personal life nor does it fully capture her philosophy or political ideas.
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Baker, Josephine, 1906-1975
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division | Sc MG 778
0.21 linear feet (1 box)
Born in 1906 in St. Louis, Missouri, Josephine Baker, a dancer and singer, achieved fame in Paris in the 1920s. In the 1950s, she sought to promote racial equality by adopting twelve children of various races and nationalities to create what she...
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Born in 1906 in St. Louis, Missouri, Josephine Baker, a dancer and singer, achieved fame in Paris in the 1920s. In the 1950s, she sought to promote racial equality by adopting twelve children of various races and nationalities to create what she called a "rainbow family". Miki Sawada was the founder and director of the Elizabeth Sanders Home in Tokyo for ostracized mixed-race children fathered by U.S. servicemen with Japanese women. She and Baker had become friends in the 1930s in Paris, where her husband, Renzo Sawada, was stationed as a diplomat. The collection consists of 25 letters and postcards written by the renown dancer and cabaret singer Josephine Baker to her Japanese friend Miki Sawada and other parties; a scrapbook of press clippings assembled by Sawada; and material from Baker's 1952 South American tour. The latter part of Baker's correspondence with Sawada was concerned with the adoption of a Japanese boy in 1954. Other materials in the collection include three speeches from her 1952 lecture tour in Argentina and Brazil to promote "the spiritual freedom of mankind" and an end to racial discrimination, and printed matter from her 1954 tour of Japan.
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