Scope and arrangement
The William Pickens Papers is a collection of personal and professional correspondence, manuscripts, editorials, and financial and medical records of William Pickens, Field Secretary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, 1920-1942. The papers are divided into four series that correspond to William Pickens' own arrangement of his papers.
The William Pickens papers are arranged in four series:
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The first series, CORRESPONDENCE is subdivided chronologically and topically into five parts. The first subseries, General Correspondence, 1911-1954, are further subdivided into six chronological units, alphabetically arranged. The second subseries Lecture Correspondence, 1918-1923, contains letters relating to a series of lectures Pickens delivered in various cities across the country while serving as Dean of Morgan College, Baltimore, Maryland. These letters are arranged alphabetically by location. The third series, Selective Service Correspondents. 1937-1941, contains materials relevant to his activities as a member of the Appeals Board of Draft Board #5 in New York City. The fourth subseries, U. S. Treasury Correspondence. 1942-1951, contains material relevant to his activities as Director of the Interracial Section of the Savings Bond Division of the Treasury Department. The final subseries, Personal Family Correspondence 1946-1951, includes correspondence between William Pickens and his family.
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Includes essays, editorials, manuscripts, news releases, clippings, and some letters relating to editorials. The series is subdivided chronologically with Pickens' writings on his 1952 Mediterranean trip filed at the end. Within each unit the material is arranged alphabetically according to person or subject.
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Includes four subseries. The first two, General Receipts. 1905-1949 and General Receipts. 1920-1933, comprise such records as insurance policies, banking and property taxes, water and rent receipts. The bulk of the material covers the period up to the 1930s. Later material includes New York City tax receipts, and water bills, 1928-1949. The latter two subseries, Income Tax Matters, 1946-1953 and Tax and Financial Records. 1950-1954, contain material relating to income and real estate taxes, leases, property upkeep finances, and social security records. The last group includes a number of photocopies of unasserted financial records which were filed as received.
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Comprised of letters, programs and leaflets, pertaining to a fund raising drive while Pickens served as Dean of Morgan College.