Inventory of the Ethyl R. Brown Papers, circa 1930s - 1991

Descriptive Summary

Abstract:	Ethyl R. Brown (1902-1997) was an African American beautician, cosmotology instructor, and beauty shop owner in Charleston, South Carolina.
	The collection includes certificates, awards, photographs, and other documents related to Ethyl Brown's professional and social activities as well as her family. Certificates include a 1945 teaching certificate by South Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners. There are also several photographs by Walter Boags, an African American photographer from Charleston, South Carolina.
Title:	Ethyl R. Brown Papers, circa 1930s - 1991
Creator:	Brown, Ethyl R.
Repository:	Avery Research Center at the College of Charleston
Call Number:	AMN 1006
Language of Material:	Material in Engllish
Extent:	0.25 linear feet (1 archival box)

Biographical Note

Ethyl R. Brown, daughter of John and Lula Richards, was born in 1902 in Charleston, South Carolina. She attended the Avery Institute in Charleston, and graduated from Poro College of Beauty and Culture of Chicago.

Brown operated a beauty shop in New York for several years and then founded the Palmetto Beauty Culture School in Charleston. She also taught cosmetology at Burke High School, and was a state president and lifelong member of the National Beauty Culturalists' League. She was also active in local women's organizations and the Morris Brown AME Church.

Ethyl Brown was the wife of B. W. Brown. She died in 1997 and is buried in the Morris Brown AME Cemetery.

Collection Overview

The collection includes certificates, awards, photographs, and other documents related to Ethyl Brown's professional and social activities as well as her family. Certificates include a 1945 teaching certificate by South Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners. There are also several photographs by Walter Boags, an African American photographer from Charleston, South Carolina.

Collection Arrangement

1. Cosmetology, 1946-1959

2. National Beauty Culturalists' League, 1974-1984

3. Church Membership, 1973-1991

4. Community Service, 1970-1986

5. Women's Organizational Papers , undated

6. Obituary and Photographs, 1930s-1990s

Subject Headings

• African American beauty operators.
• African American businesspeople -- South Carolina -- Charleston.
• African American women -- South Carolina -- Societies and clubs.
• African American women teachers -- South Carolina -- Charleston.
• Beauty operators -- Study and teaching -- United States.
• Brown, Ethyl R., 1902-1997.
• Cosmetology teachers -- Training of -- United States.

Detailed Description of the Collection

Box 1   Folder 1
Box 1   Folder 2
Box 1   Folder 3
Box 1   Folder 4
Box 1   Folder 5
Box 1   Folder 6

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

No restrictions.

Copyright Notice

The nature of the Avery Research Center's archival holdings means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The Avery Research Center claims only physical ownership of most archival materials.

The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Ethyl R. Brown Papers, Avery Research Center, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC, USA.

Processing Information

Processed by Felice Knight, February 2006

Encoded by Melissa Bronheim, July 2010

Edited by Melissa Bronheim, July 2010, and Amanda Ross, February 2011

Funding from the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation supported the processing of this collection.

Funding from the Council on Library and Information Resources supported the encoding of this finding aid.