100 Black Men of Charleston Records, 1995 - 2008 [AMN 1085]

100 Black Men of Charleston, Inc., established in 1996, is a local chapter of 100 Black Men of America, a national organization that dedicates time and financial assistance to programs and facilities that assist youth in communities of particular need. Many programs implemented by the organization involve mentoring and education.

The collection consists of materials relating to the establishment, operation, and development of 100 Black Men of Charleston, Inc. Administrative records include correspondence, meeting minutes, membership rosters and photographs, and materials relating to the acquisition and upkeep of facilities. Financial documents such as budgets, income and expense reports, and receipts comprise a significant portion of the collection. Also included are materials documenting the planning and implementation of various programs and fundraisers. Materials related to the national 100 Black Men organization consist of programs, conferences, events, and publications.

African American Firemen in Charleston [AMN 9010v]

African American firemen have served in the Charleston Fire Department since 1882.

The collection includes photocopied photographs of uniformed firemen and clippings from News and Courier about black fire fighters in the Charleston Fire Department. In a 1956 article, the News and Courier reported that black firemen received "the same privileges in pay, sick leave, and other benefits" as did white firemen; however, fire stations remained segregated.

Winfred Kent Alston Collection, circa 1930-1987

Winfred Kent Alston served as principal of Robert Smalls High School in Beaufort, SC from 1937 to 1962. Through his work with the school and community he founded the first African American Boy Scout Troop and high school band in Beaufort County. Contains programs from activities at South Carolina State and in Beaufort, articles, photographs, and a 1962 copy of the Robert Smalls High School newspaper, The General. Also contains a book about his life written by his wife, Mayme Eady Alston.

Avery Normal Institute Records, 1862 - 1978 [AMN 1012]

The Avery Normal Institute was established by the American Missionary Association (AMA) in Charleston, South Carolina in 1865. The Institute originally served as a school for former slaves and free persons of color, providing normal (or, teacher) training to students pursuing careers in education. The school eventually became known just as Avery Institute, operating as a high school with financial support from the AMA until 1947, when it became part of Charleston's segregated public school system. The school closed in 1954.

The Avery Normal Institute Papers, 1862-1954 and 1978, consist of photocopied materials regarding Avery Normal Institute generated by the American Missionary Association office and housed by the Amistad Research Center. The materials are separated into six small series: Annual Reports, 1862-1945; Administrative Correspondence, 1931-1954; Financial Records, 1943-1946; Employee Files, 1926-1945; Writings and Publications, 1882-1952; and Miscellaneous Files, 1878-1978. 1.) Annual Reports consist of sections of AMA Annual Report publications highlighting Avery. 2.) Administrative Correspondence consists of miscellaneous correspondence exchanged between the AMA and Avery officials. 3.) Financial Records consist of reports regarding the financial status of the school compiled by Avery officials and submitted to the AMA. 4.) Employee Files consist of employment information on members of the Avery faculty. 5.) The Writings and Publications series contains issues of the school newspaper, the Avery Tiger; reports on Avery's history and other materials; and a master's thesis by Avery staff member Alphonso H. Hoursey on Avery graduates. 6.) Miscellaneous Files include various programs, flyers, and newspaper clippings. Throughout the collection, the following individuals are frequently mentioned: AMA officials Ruth Morton and Fred Brownlee and Avery principals Frank DeCosta, Samuel Washington, and John Potts.

Portions of this collection are available digitally on the College of Charleston’s Lowcountry Digital Library website.

Auld Audio Collection, 1986-1993

Ms. Bobbie Nuite Auld grew up in Georgia and attended Furman University. Her interest in preserving the tradition of African American spirituals and gospel music led her to develop this collection. Ms. Auld, retired from the Medical University of South Carolina, resides in Hendersonville, NC. Contains programs from concerts and church services along with fifty-one audiotapes of musical performances, oral history interviews, conversations spoken in or about the Gullah language, and programs held at the Rural Mission on Johns Island, SC.

Avery Institute of Afro-American History & Culture Papers, circa 1978-2000

The Avery Institute of Afro-American History and Culture was founded in 1978 by a group of Avery alumnae and other interested persons in the Charleston area. Its mission was to rescue the old Avery School buildings and to develop an archives and museum for preserving African- American history and culture of the Lowcountry. Working with the College of Charleston, the property on Bull Street was acquired and, in 1985, the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture was established as a part of the College. The restored Avery building was opened in 1990 as an archives and museum. The Avery Institute continues its commitment to the community through programming, publishing The Bulletin, and providing support for the Avery Research Center.

Contains program and membership documents along with minutes, correspondence, and other Institute records.

Avery School Memorabilia Collection, circa 1865-1955

The Avery School Memorabilia Collection contains documents that pertain to the activities at the Avery Normal Institute. These items include programs from musical and dramatic performances given by the students, commencements, invitations, dance cards, and other memorabilia from extra-curricula activities. Also includes some copies of the Avery yearbook and student newspaper.

Portions of this collection are available digitally on the College of Charleston’s Lowcountry Digital Library website.

Avery Photograph Collection, circa 1890s - 2008 [AMN 1112]

The collection includes photographs, negatives, contact sheets, photocopies, and other materials related to African American history from slavery to the Civil Rights Movement to the present, with an emphasis on Charleston and the Lowcountry region of South Carolina. Charleston's prominent African American families are represented, especially alumni of the Avery Normal Institute, as well as lifeways in rural areas and the Sea Islands. Images show the area's physical structures, associated people, and activities of African American churches, businesses, schools, civic and social organizations, burial societies, and professional associations. The work of Charleston-area photographers and photography studios is represented. Major events featured include W. E. B. Du Bois' visit to Charleston in 1917, the Hospital Workers' Strike of 1969, and public programs and educational events sponsored by the Avery Research Center.

Jack Bass and Walter De Vries [AMN 1061]

The collection consists of transcripts of eight interviews conducted by Jack Bass and Walter De Vries in 1974 with prominent South Carolina public figures. These interviews, among others, were used for their book, The Transformation of Southern Politics: Social Change and Political Consequence since 1945. The entire collection of interviews is housed at the University of North Carolina in the Southern Historical Collection Oral History Program.

The overarching theme of the interviews is race relations and the effect of race on South Carolina politics. Those interviewed include Thomas R. Waring, Jr. (mentioning his uncle Julius Waites Waring, and his wife Elizabeth Waring); Terrell Glenn; Maurice Bessinger; Gedney Howe, Sr. (also mentioning Judge and Mrs. Waring, Strom Thurmond and James F. Byrnes): James Redfern (mentioning the Orangeburg Massacre); John West (mentioning the Ku Klux Klan); I.S. Leevy Johnson; and Julius S. Baggett.

Dr. Elizabeth M. Bear Collection, 1922 - 2006 [AMN 1134]

Elizabeth M. Bear is a Professor Emeritus and former director of the Nurse-Midwifery program at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) School of Nursing. Bear's collection is a reflection of her avid interest in the nurse-midwifery profession, notably focusing on the education of African-Americans midwives (lay and nurse-midwives).

The majority of the collection contains photocopied journal, magazine, newspaper articles, reports, correspondence, photographs, along with original booklets, brochures, and programs, focusing on the tradition of nurse-midwives in the South Carolina Lowcountry and other Southern states. Bear’s collection also includes information on noted nurse midwife, Maude Callen; the Penn Center on St. Helena Island and the Tuskegee School of Midwifery for Colored Nurses (Tuskegee Institute, Alabama) for the education of nurse midwives.

Bell Family Papers, circa 1926-1972 [AMN 1001]

The African American Bell family of Charleston, South Carolina were descended from Sally (Sarah) Johnson, the matriarch of a free family of color who purchased 2 Green Street, in circa 1844. In 1912, the property was willed to Hiram L. Bell (died 1952), a son of Jesse Miles DeReef and Holten L. Bell.

These papers document properties owned by the family, especially the historic home at 2 Green Street, Charleston, sold to the College of Charleston in 1971. With materials on the history of the Bell, DeReef, and Purvis families; health of Hiram Bell, Sr. and references to Friendly Union Cemetery. Printed materials and certificates from Morris Brown A.M.E. church, Avery Normal Institute, Shaw School and Hampton College; with various printed materials documenting the Bricklayers, Masons and Plasterer's Union, of Charleston and elsewhere. The collection also contains awards and certificates of Hiram Bell, Jr. and James Bell. It also includes a program for the 50th anniversary of Charleston Bricklayers, Masons, and Plasterers, Local Chapter.

Isaiah Bennett Papers, 1932 - 2002 [AMN 1056]

Isaiah Bennett (1926-2002) served as a union representative for tobacco workers at the American Tobacco Company's "Cigar Factory" and as a leader and negotiator of the Charleston Hospital Workers' Strike of 1969. Bennett also founded and was president of the Charleston chapter of the A. Phillip Randolph Institute, an umbrella organization for black trade unions.

This collection contains five small series that pertain to the life and career of Isaiah Bennett. 1.) The biographical series includes a album relating to Bennett's campaign for Charleston County Council in 1980; an obituary and funeral program; and the finding aid for the collection he donated to the Georgia State University archives pertaining to his involvement with the local 1199 Union. 2.) The second series consists of primary and secondary source material on the Charleston Hospital Workers' Strike of 1969 and includes correspondence between Bennett and other leaders of the strike, memorabilia, photographs, and news clippings. 3.) The third series contains original items donated to the Avery Research Center for inclusion in the Isaiah Bennett Papers from Georgia State University archives collection on the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO). These include strike bulletins, correspondence, and news releases regarding the national 1945 Tobacco Workers' Strike. 4.) Materials regarding the local South Carolina chapter and national A. Philip Randolph Institute constitute the fourth series. Included is correspondence, minutes, and bylaws. 5.) The miscellaneous series includes resolutions from the AFL-CIO on civil rights and from the South Carolina Democratic Party regarding state minimum wage, voter registration, and election reform as well as other material.

Portions of this collection are available digitally on the College of Charleston’s Lowcountry Digital Library website.

Walter N. Boags Photographs, circa 1945-1960 [AMN 1053]

From 1949 to the late 1970s, Walter N. Boags (1917-1997) owned and operated Boags Modern Arts Photography Studio, one of the few African American photography studios in Charleston, South Carolina. During the 1980s, Boags continued to operate as a freelance photographer.

The collection consists mostly of black-and-white and color negatives, with some prints and proofs, taken by Walter Boags from 1945 through the 1980s. Boags' work focused on African Americans, African American groups, and architecture related to African American education, worship, and business in the Charleston area. Studio portraits include portraits of individuals, school photographs, graduation cap-and-gown portraits. On-site and studio work features commercial and business sites, schools and churches, sororities and fraternities, civic organizations, music and dance groups, women's groups and social organizations. Event photography includes weddings as well as mourning and memorial images of the deceased. Copy work done by Boags includes negatives and prints produced of 19th and 20th century images, including one image by African American photographer Charles Macbeth. Business-related material includes legal work consisting of photographs from traffic accidents and injuries. Personal material includes data on the Hamilton family, school certificates, Boags' notes from mortuary science classes, and other materials.

J. R. Bonds Papers, 1925 - 1986 [AMN 1082]

J. R. Bonds (1904-1992) was an African-American educator from South Carolina. In 1946, Bonds was selected as the Schools' Supervisor for Cooper River School District Four. In 1950, the Six Mile High School was officially renamed Bonds-Wilson High in honor of J. R. Bonds and John T. Wilson. J. R.'s wife, Lacy Campbell Bonds (1910-1973), was a registered nurse and secretary at Bonds-Wilson High School.

The collection contains programs, photographs, correspondence, newspapers and other materials related to educator J. R. Bonds. The coverage of the material is from 1925-1986. Please note that the collection contains newspapers chiefly from schools in North Charleston, South Carolina. Also includes household photographs as well as scenes of Lacy Bonds at Dixie Hospital in Hampton, Virginia, where she trained to become a nurse.

Book Lover's Club Records, 1927-1965[AMN 1044]

The Book Lover's Club of Charleston was founded in 1927 by African-American Women as a literary club with a purpose of establishing a high literary culture among its members as well as social improvement for Charleston African Americans. It helped battle racism and sexism through community-wide projects as well as neighborhood and youth activities throughout the city of Charleston.

Contains organizational documents, including constitution, correspondence, minutes, and account books. Also includes some program material and newsletter.

Brown Fellowship Society Records, 1794 - 1990 [AMN 1005]

The Brown Fellowship Society was a benevolent society of free African-American and racially mixed men, affiliated with the St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina.

The collection consists of organizational materials of the Brown Fellowship Society, including a corrected copy of Charles H. Holloway's Rules and Regulations of the Brown Fellowship Society as founded in 1794, but not published until 1844. Minute books detail the activities of monthly meetings from 1869 to 1911. Also included are minutes of meetings between 1913 and 1916. Topics include maintenance of the graveyard, attendance, elections, and discussions of aid to members and descendants, with many mentions of Holloway, DeReef, Sasportas, and Bonneau families. Many memorial pages dedicated to deceased members are part of the records. Loose correspondence relates to cemetery and building maintenance, some financial affairs, and membership details. Also includes a 1904 pictorial broadside and a 1990 program regarding the group's 200th anniversary.

Ethyl R. Brown Papers, circa 1930s - 1991 [AMN 1006]

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.

J. Arthur Brown Papers, circa 1948-1959 [AMN 1074]

A graduate of the Avery Normal Institute and South Carolina College, J. Arthur Brown assumed the presidency of the Charleston Branch of the NAACP in 1953. As president, he focused his efforts on public accommodations and public education. Under his leadership, branch membership increased from 300 to 3,000. His efforts toward desegregation included his participation in the desegregation of the Charleston Municipal Golf Course, Edisto Beach State Park, and the suit that integrated Charleston Schools. Contains correspondence, financial records, legal documents, newspaper clippings, printed materials, and a family photo album. Includes documents of the NAACP, Humane Friendly Society, and Avery's Class Reunion.

Millicent E. Brown Papers, 1949 - 2003 [AMN 1003]

Millicent Ellison Brown (b. 1948) is an educator and civil rights activist. Born in Charleston to MaeDe and J. Arthur Brown, local and state president of NAACP (1955-1965), Brown, in 1963, replaced her older sister Minerva as the primary plaintiff in a NAACP-sponsored lawsuit (Millicent Brown vs. Charleston County School District #20).

The collection consists of personal and professional documents, correspondence, and newspaper clippings relating to Millicent Brown's experience integrating Rivers High School; studying at Howard University and Florida State University; and teaching at Bennett College, Guilford College, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, and the Governor's School of the College of Charleston. Other documents pertain to Brown's involvement with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the Avery Research Center, the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations, and other political and civic activities. Brown's writings focus on the Civil Rights Movement in Charleston, South Carolina and include papers given at conferences and her essay "The Dippity Doo Revolution: Or Grown Folks Don't Have a Clue."

Miriam M. Brown Papers, 1922 - 2002 [AMN 1098]

Miriam M. Brown (1901-2002) worked as an educator for fifty-two years at multiple schools in Charleston and Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. She received numerous recognitions for her work to the community, including a proclamation from the town of Mount Pleasant declaring October 12th of each year as Miriam Brown Memorial Day. Miriam married Arthur Felder Brown in 1928 and had two children, Arthur Felder Brown, Jr. and Jeanne Albertha Brown Morris.

The collection includes personal and professional material from Miriam Brown's life as well as personal material from her children, Arthur Brown, Jr. and Jeanne B. Morris. Miriam Brown personal items include a diploma from South Carolina State College, a scrapbook with feature articles, and proclamations honoring Miriam Brown's work in Mount Pleasant and Charleston. Professional material includes correspondence to and from Brown while principal of Laing School, retirement forms, and teaching certificates. The Arthur F. Brown, Jr. material includes a diploma from Avery Institute and a school certificate from Laing School. The Jeanne B. Morris materials include a diploma from Avery Institute and an excerpt from In and Out of the Shadows: The Life and Contributions of Miriam Shivery Moore Brown written by Jeanne B. Morris.

W. Melvin Brown, Jr., Papers, 1951-1994[AMN 1119]

William Melvin Brown, Jr. was born on February 19, 1934 in Charleston, South Carolina to William and Eva Taylor Brown. He graduated from Immaculate Conception High School and received a BS in Science from South Carolina State College. Brown later acquired a Master of Science from Atlanta University, a MBA from Webster College, and an Advanced Studies degree from Boston University. Brown married Juanita Washington, also a Charleston native and high school science teacher,on June 4, 1960. They had two children, Tamara Theresa Brown and William Melvin Brown, III. He taught science in Atlanta and Charleston and was Metropolitan Life Insurance Company's first black insurance consultant in Charleston-- before forming the American Development Corporation (ADCOR) in 1972. ADCOR, a defense manufacturing firm in North Charleston, is one of the largest African-American owned firms of its kind. Brown served on the boards of a number of Charleston and South Carolina institutions. In 1993, he became the first African-American to be inducted into the South Carolina Business Hall of Fame and on June 4, 1994 he was inducted into the South Carolina Black Hall of Fame. Brown died on June 7, 1994 at age 60.

The collection contains personal documents, correspondence, photographs, and printed materials relating to Brown and his family-- as well as his many professiional and civic endeavors. Materials in the collection date from the early 1950s until the year 2005, with bulk dates spanning the years 1975-1994.

James E. Campbell Papers, 1930 - 2009 [AMN 1113]

James E. Campbell (born 1925), an African American educator and civil rights activist, worked as a teacher in Baltimore, Maryland; New York, New York; and Tanzania. He later became an administrator with the New York City public school system. Campbell also served as contributing editor for the journal Freedomways. Relocating after retirement, he became a community activist in Charleston, South Carolina and continued his involvement with educational initiatives. Throughout his life, Campbell has worked with organizations focused on socialism, Pan-Africanism, freedom struggles, and equity in education.

This collection includes correspondence, writings, photographs, and other material documenting the personal, professional, and ideological interests of James E. Campbell.

Carr Family Papers [AMN 1073]

The Carr Family were central members of the African-American community known as Maryville, South Carolina. Thomas Tobias Carr, Sr. (b. 1863) was the last Mayor to serve the town. His wife, Mary Green Carr (d. 1963) was a dressmaker and licenced midwife.

The Carr Family Papers includes correspondence, photographs, school related materials including diplomas, a family scrapbook, and other materials collected and/or generated by family members: Rosemary and Thomas Tobias Carr, III, and Mildred and John Wesley Carr, Sr. among others.

Centenary Methodist Episcopal Church Records, circa 1857-1994 [AMN 1015]

Centenary Methodist Episcopal Church, an African-American church, formed after the Civil War with the withdrawal of African-American members from Trinity United Methodist Church. In 1866, the congregation purchased its current building at 60 Wentworth Street, Charleston, South Carolina.

The records in this collection cover the beginning of Centenary Methodist Episcopal Church (1866-1978). The collection is divided into two series: Member Records and Financial Records. Member records (1857-1978, with gaps) contain vital statistics from baptismal, marriage and donation records of church members. Financial Records (1899-1969, with gaps) include information regarding church expenditures and member donations.

Brown Fellowship Society Records, 1794 - 1990 [AMN 1005]

The Brown Fellowship Society was a benevolent society of free African-American and racially mixed men, affiliated with the St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina.

The collection consists of organizational materials of the Brown Fellowship Society, including a corrected copy of Charles H. Holloway's Rules and Regulations of the Brown Fellowship Society as founded in 1794, but not published until 1844. Minute books detail the activities of monthly meetings from 1869 to 1911. Also included are minutes of meetings between 1913 and 1916. Topics include maintenance of the graveyard, attendance, elections, and discussions of aid to members and descendants, with many mentions of Holloway, DeReef, Sasportas, and Bonneau families. Many memorial pages dedicated to deceased members are part of the records. Loose correspondence relates to cemetery and building maintenance, some financial affairs, and membership details. Also includes a 1904 pictorial broadside and a 1990 program regarding the group's 200th anniversary.

Central Baptist Church Records, circa 1891-1916

The Central Baptist Church, established in 1891, and is located in downtown Charleston on Radcliffe Street. Contains copies of pages from the Church Record Books: Book 1, 1891-1899, and Book 2, 1891-1916.

Charleston County Black School Directory Papers, circa 1882-1990

The Charleston County Black School Directory is an extension of the 1989 Research Conference, "The History of African American Education in Charleston, South Carolina." The purpose of this Avery Research Center project is to begin documenting the long struggle of African-Americans in the Lowcountry to educate their children-despite the laws and customs that hindered them.

Contains information on individual historically African-American schools in the area, along with survey information on these institutions. Also contains guidelines for organizing school histories and historical documentation of Charleston's African-American Schools.

Charleston Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Papers, 1920-1995 (bulk 1973-1994), and undated [AMN 1117]

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was started on February 12, 1909, partly in response to the prevalence of lynching of African-Americans in America and the 1908 race riot that occurred in Springfield, Illinois. The Charleston Branch of the NAACP was founded in February 1917 by Edwin Harleston. The branch was established to advocate for the rights of African Americans in South Carolina and Charleston.

The Charleston Branch of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) collection contains branch and committee correspondence, financial records, materials relating to events and programs sponsored by the Association, subject files, photographs, and miscellaneous material.

Charleston County Department of Social Services Records, circa 1919-1989

The Department of Social Services Collection is a compilation of non-confidential administrative reports and various public welfare studies donated by the Charleston County Department of Social Services. The majority of the material pertains to Charleston County, but some has statewide significance.

Approximately 40% of the collection pertains to the African -American experience in the region. Contains letters, memoranda, reports, statistics, and other documents regarding the system of social services. Includes histories of the system in South Carolina, state and national surveys, and several theses.

Charleston Five Collection, 1921-2008 [AMN 1124]

The Charleston Five, Elijah Ford Jr., Ricky Simmons, Peter Washington, Jason Edgerton and Kenneth Jefferson were brought up on felony riot charges following a confrontation on the Charleston docks with law enforcement. The collection contains correspondence, legal documents, financial documents, literary productions, printed materials and video material all pertaining to the published work of Suzan Erem and Paul Durrenberger, On the Global Waterfront : the Fight to Free the Charleston 5, 2008.

Charleston, South Carolina Chapter of LINKS, Inc., Records, circa 1951-2005 [AMN 1016]

The Charleston South Carolina chapter is part of the Links, Incorporated, a historically African American national women's service organization committed to educational, cultural, and civic activities. The organization was founded in Philadelphia, PA in 1946; the Charleston chapter was organized in 1951. There are three major series: one on the local Charleston Chapter; another on the regional Southern Area; and the third relating to National Headquarters, in Washington, D.C.; with the bulk of the collection focusing on the Charleston Chapter. Each series contains organizational papers; minutes; financial reports; memorandums; and correspondence along with brochures, programs, and newspaper clippings.

Margaretta P. Childs African American Church Records Project (ca. 1940-1985; bulk 1984-1985) [AMN 1013]

Margaretta P. Childs (1912-2000) worked as an archivist at the College of Charleston, the head archivist for the City of Charleston and a field archivist for the South Carolina Historical Society. The materials in this collection are derived from working files of Childs' initiative to document Charleston's Black churches at the South Carolina Historical Society. The majority of the collection contains photocopied correspondence from Childs to various ministers regarding church records and brief histories of several of the churches. Included are photocopies of many Works Project Administration [WPA] church surveys (1936) for the Charleston area, indicating address, building description, listings of any known records and erection dates for each church, as well as programs of yearly meetings and services. Of note is a photocopied letter (1908) from photographer Arthur L. MacBeth and a musical program (1940) from the Centenary (Church) Players.

Septima Poinsette Clark Papers, circa 1919-1990 [AMN 1000]

Septima Poinsette Clark (1898-1987) was born on May 3, 1898 in Charleston, SC. Her father had been born enslaved and her mother was a native of Haiti. Mrs. Clark was a graduate of the Avery Normal Insititute in Charleston, and began her long teaching career on rural John's Island, SC in 1916. She earned a bachelor's degree at Benedict College and a masters degree from Hampton Institute in Virginia. Mrs. Clark took an activist position early on in her career, and was ultimately fired from the Charleston City Schools for being an active member of the NAACP. This ended her career in public education, but not her career as an advocate and activist for civil and human rights. Mrs. Clark became a lecturer under the sponsorship of the Highlander School and a teacher training supervisor for the SCLC. In 1962 she published her autobiography, "Echo In My Soul." In 1964, she accompanied Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to Norway when he was presented the Nobel Peace Prize. President Jimmy Carter presented Mrs. Clark with a Living Legacy Award in 1979.

Contains personal papers, records, correspondence, photographs interviews and discussions, numerous writings for speeches and/or publication, various honorary degrees and awards, and materials reflecting Clark's activities as an educator and civil rights activist.

Septima Poinsette Clark Scrapbook, circa 1924-1980 [AMN 1000.A]

The collection consists of a commemorative disbound scrapbook complied for Septima Clark by an unknown person highlighting aspects of her life and career as a teacher and civil rights activist. It contains original memorabilia including photographs of her, her family, and people affiliated with her life and career (including a photograph of Clark with Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King and several with Ralph Abernathy and Martin Luther King, Jr.). It also includes correspondence and letters of congratulation regarding the Living Legacy Award she received from U.S. President Jimmy Carter in 1978, various awards she received and news clips pertaining to her, a few items regarding her campaign for membership at the Charleston County School Board of Education, and the honorary doctorate she received from the College of Charleston.

This scrapbook is available digitally on the College of Charleston’s Lowcountry Digital Library website.

Coards Studio Photographs and Records, circa 1930s - 1990s [AMN 1086]

The Coards Studio was a photography studio owned and operated by Joseph and Rachel Coards in Charleston, South Carolina. Coards photographed African American families and individuals in the studio and various events and groups outside of the studio, such as graduations, weddings, and other ceremonies. The studio, located at 78 Line Street, closed in the late 20th century.

The collection contains business records, photographs, and personal material, including customer contacts, correspondence, individual, family, group, and event portraits and snapshots, and Coards family photograph albums. The bulk of the collection is composed of photographs of African Americans, which include family, group, and individual portraits; events; architecture; snapshots; reprints; and negatives. Aside from general individual and group portraits, there are photographs depicting various occupations, fraternal organizations, and school functions. Events include dances, weddings, funerals, school events, and other community events. Represented in organizations are local church and religious groups, fraternal orders, and musical performers. A small portion of the photographs are scenes of various architecture and roadways in Charleston. The reprints and negatives span the range of subjects contained in the photographs.

Ruby P. Cornwell Papers, 1944-2003 [AMN 1039]

Ruby P. Cornwell, a native of Forestaw, SC, earned a B.A. from Talladega in 1925 and taught English for many years. In Charleston she was active in Plymouth Congregational Church and served on the boards of several organizations, including the Charleston Branch of the NAACP. Through her work with the NAACP she developed close ties to U.S. District Judge Julius Waites Waring and his wife, Elizabeth. Judge Waring presided over several noted civil rights cases-ruling for integration and equal status. Mrs. Waring was known as an outspoken advocate for integration.

Contains personal correspondence, including that from Mrs. Waring, as well as a variety of programs, articles, and newspaper clippings. Also contains court documents, speeches, and a great deal of information that pertains to the Warings.

Craft and Crum Families [AMN 1102]

William Craft (1824-1900) and Ellen Smith Craft (1826-1891) was an enslaved married couple on a plantation in Macon, Georgia. Unwilling to raise children in slavery, in December 1848 they devised a plan to escape to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Ellen dressed as an invalid male, her arm in a sling to avoid writing (neither William nor Ellen could read or write) and covered her face in bandages to obscure her feminine voice and lack of facial hair. William accompanied her as a servant. They arrived in Philadelphia on Christmas day, where they were befriended by well-known abolitionist, William Lloyd Garrison who recognized the pair’s usefulness to the abolitionist cause. The Crafts relocated to Boston and began a lecture circuit as antislavery activists which ended in 1850 with the passing of the Fugitive Slave Act. Pursued by bounty hunters, the Crafts fled to England, where they settled and had five children. In 1868, the Crafts returned to the United States and in 1870, they purchased Woodville Plantation in Bryan County, Georgia, where they opened the Woodville Co-Operative Farm School to educate newly-freed slaves. Within a decade the school closed for the funding, and in 1890 the Crafts moved to Charleston, South Carolina to live with daughter Ellen Craft Crum until their deaths. William Craft’s autobiography, Running a Thousand Miles to Freedom, (1860) documents their saga and has endured as an informative narrative.

Daughter, Ellen Craft Crum married William Demos Crum (1859-1912), who, in addition to practicing medicine, served as Collector of Customs from 1902-1910 and minister to Liberia from 1910-1912.

The collection includes photographs, scrapbooks an autograph and tribute book, correspondence, legal documents, artifacts and other material relating to William and Ellen Craft and their descendants; minutes and other material relating to the Brown Fellowship Society and Daughters of the Century Society; and newspaper clippings covering a range of topics including family history, famous African Americans, art and culture, and others.

Photographs and correspondence are heavily represented and document the lives of William and Ellen Craft and their children, Charles Estlin Phillips, William II, Brougham and Ellen and their families. Additional material relating to William and Ellen Craft document their escape from slavery (including a 1960 publication of Running a Thousand Miles to Freedom), illustrates associations with well-known abolitionists and prominent African Americans, and the purchase of Woodville Plantation in Georgia. Materials relating to William and Ellen Craft Crum include scrapbooks, photographs, visiting cards, correspondence and other materials documenting William Crum’s employment as minister to Liberia (1910-1912) and other events in the couple’s life. The Kinloch family of Emeline Aubin Kinloch Craft, wife of Charles P. Craft is also represented with material such as cased photographs, a temperance card, embroidery sampler and other material dating to the 18th century. Additional materials relating to Julia Ellen and Herbert A. DeCosta document schooling at Howard University, the H.A. DeCosta Company, and participation in Charleston-area social and benevolent clubs. Materials relating to their children, Bernice DeCosta Davis and H.A. DeCosta, Jr. include Avery Normal Institute programs and announcements, photographs and other materials. Also represented in photographs and correspondence are the descendants of Brougham and Mary Claggett Craft.

Portions of this collection are available digitally on the College of Charleston’s Lowcountry Digital Library website.

Frederica Daly Papers, 1923 - 2004 [AMN 1111]

Frederica ("Freddy") Daly (born 1925) was a licensed psychologist and educator with over 30 years of teaching, training, counseling, clinical, and administrative experience. Daly specialized in adolescents, veterans, substance abusers, and families in treatment facilities, hospitals, and universities.

The collection contains correspondence, writings, and other items documenting the personal and professional interests of Frederica Daly. Personal materials include correspondence, genealogical research, photographs, and educational records such as Daly's transcripts, master's thesis, and dissertation. Professional materials chiefly relate to Frederica Daly's career as a mental health professional, including presentations given by Daly at various workshops, conferences, and seminars. Daly's presentations and professional writings focus on substance abuse as well as race, gender, and culture, particularly on issues related to Native American women. Professional correspondence, agendas, institutional documents, and certificates reflect Daly's clinical practice and academic appointments at institutions such as George Junior Republic Association, Inc., Empire State College, the University of New Mexico, and the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The collection also contains diaries, sketchbooks, and creative writing by Daly. Dating from 1961 to 2004, Daly's journal entries contain reflections, pasted-in clippings and correspondence, and drawings that reflect her life experiences, daily meditations, and world travels, especially in the American Southwest, Central America, and South America. Themes include spirituality, sexuality, gender and cultural issues, personal growth and self-development.

Dart Family Papers (1844-1945) [AMN 1069]

The Dart Family of Charleston, South Carolina was descended from former slave William Dart and Susan Fenwick, a free person of Color. Fenwick purchased the slave William in 1849 and ten years later he was listed as free. Son , John Lewis Dart, an ordained Baptist minister served as pastor at Morris Street Baptist Church for 16 years before leaving to pastor Shiloh Baptist Church. Dart founded the (Colored) Charleston Normal and Industrial Institute on Kracke Street. By 1905, he was editor and printer of the newspaper The Southern Reporter. Dart married Julia Pierre in 1887 and passed away in 1915.

The papers include documents (1844-49) regarding the selling the mulatto slave William (Dart’s father) with one allowing him to look for a new owner; and a bill of sale (1865) of William Dart’s purchase of the Confederate steamer "Mab." John Lewis Dart printed materials include a photocopy of a surviving issue of The Southern Reporter, and a pamphlet possibly printed by Dart titled The Famous Trial of the Eight Men Indicted for the Lynching of Frazier B. Baker and His Baby, Late U.S. Postmaster of Lake City in the U.S. Circuit Court, at Charleston, SC April 10-22, 1899, reprinting newspaper coverage and appending a printed memorial to President William McKinley from Reverend Dart, Dr. William D. Crum, Dr. A.C. McClennan and others. Other materials include documents created by family members, son William A. Dart and daughters Susan Dart Butler and Anna Pierre Dart Bronseaux. Of significance is a printed 1919 petition to South Carolina state legislators to permit African American teachers to teach African American students in Charleston County; with a version of the same petition included in a SC House of Representative Journal offprint, both autographed by Dr. William A. Johnson, Thomas E. Miller, Edwin A. Harleston and others who submitted the petition.

Frank Augustus DeCosta Papers, 1847 - 2000 [AMN 1106]

Frank Augustus DeCosta (1910-1972) was an African-American educator, administrator and scholar born in Charleston, South Carolina. In a career that spanned four decades, DeCosta served as a teacher and principal of two high schools, supervisor and chairman of an education department, director of instruction and of student teaching, foreign service statistical officer, and organizing dean of two graduate schools.

The collection includes correspondence, research notes, essays, reports, speeches, financial documents, photographs, family histories, academic and travel related ephemera related to the professional and personal life of Frank Augustus DeCosta, his wife, Beautine, and numerous family members. The bulk of the collection's materials illustrates DeCosta's educational foundation and expansive career as an academic. The remainder of this collection includes correspondence to his wife, family members and colleagues; materials from DeCosta's tour with the United States Agency for International Development in Kaduna, Nigeria; and extensive photographs featuring several generations of the DeCosta Family.

H. A. DeCosta, Jr. Papers, 1854 - 2009 [AMN 1084]

Herbert A. DeCosta, Jr. (1923-2008) was a renowned African American architect and contractor based in Charleston, South Carolina. While he served as president of the H. A. DeCosta Company, the company worked on the construction and renovations of numerous churches, apartment complexes, schools, and residences, including some of the most architecturally significant houses in Charleston. The DeCosta Company also did much of the renovation and preservation work for Historic Charleston Foundation in the Ansonborough neighborhood of Charleston and elsewhere, did similar work for the Preservation Society of Charleston, and carried out much of the renovation and preservation projects on a number of College of Charleston properties, as the campus expanded. DeCosta designed, built, and renovated homes for elite and middle-class white and black Charlestonians, and his work has been featured in many national publications. DeCosta was also invloved in various other businesses including HADCO Realty Company, a real estate and housing rental company; Midway, a grocery store; and a general insurance company.

The collection includes materials related to the professional and personal life of Herbert DeCosta, Jr., his wife Emily, and numerous family members. 1. Business Records series covers multiple corporate entities, chiefly H. A. DeCosta Company General Contractors, the HADCO Realty Company, and the Midway Company, Inc. Within these business records are financial information, operational and administrative documents, work files, and legal suit documentation. The property files of the H. A. DeCosta Company General Contractors contain invoices, estimates, blueprints, drawings, and photographs related to residences, stores, churches, and other properties principally in South Carolina (particularly Charleston). 2. Herbert A. DeCosta, Jr. series contains correspondence, photographs, artwork, travel journals, awards and other memorabilia related to Herbert A. DeCosta's education, travels, and personal and professional history. Also includes materials concerning to his civic involvement, which includes numerous community and cultural organizations, fraternal organizations, and professional affiliations. 3. Emily DeCosta series includes materials related to Emily Spencer DeCosta's education, early life, civic involvement and correspondence. Materials also relate to the Spencer family. 4. St. Mark's Episcopal Church series includes committee notes, church bulletins, and other material that reflect Herbert and Emily DeCosta's involvement with St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Charleston. 5. Includes materials related to Herbert A. DeCosta's paternal family history, including correspondence, photographs, publications, and other memorabilia. Herbert A. DeCosta, Sr. and other family members descended from Benjamin and Anna DeCosta are represented. Also includes members of the Sartor family, the Caffey family, the Higgins family, and others. 6. Craft and Kinloch Families series includes material from the relatives of Herbert A. DeCosta's mother, Julia Craft DeCosta. Items include genealogical charts, last will and testaments, photographs, and correspondence from the Craft, Crum, and Kinloch families. Publications focus on the escape of William and Ellen Craft from slavery.

DeReef Court and Park Collection, 1854 - 2012 [AMN 1128]

DeReef Court is a former African-American residential housing community in the City of Charleston, South Carolina established in 1854. The residential park known as DeReef Park represents the last green space in the Cannonborough/Elliotborough neighborhood. The collection holds printed materials, correspondence, genealogical, interview transcripts, and meeting minutes documenting DeReef Court and Park neighborhood institutions and residents.

Armand Derfner Legal Papers [AMN 1049]

Armand Derfner (1938- ) is a Charleston based noted civil rights attorney, well-known for his work outlawing at-large elections in local governments. Derfner's papers document his professional work since establishing his legal practice in South Carolina in 1974. The papers are organized according to legal cases.

The bulk of the material concerns civil rights issues argued by Derfner at various South Carolina courts. Over 70 court cases are documented, with issues discussed relating mainly to racial discrimination, school desegregation, voting rights, employment rights, free speech and property rights in South Carolina. Cases challenging the local and federal governments to enforce the Voting Rights Act of 1964 in order to address the dilution of African American voting power and issues of racial discrimination and inequality in election procedures are well documented. Also included are videotapes of the Charleston 5, the alleged riot of Charleston Longshoreman Union members which resulted in an out-of-court settlement.

Gracie B. Dobbins Papers, 1924 and circa 1965-1986 [AMN 1075]

Gracie B. Dobbins (1905-2001) was an African American school teacher. She was born Gracie Lee Burns in 1905 and graduated Avery Institute in 1924 with a teaching certificate. She later married a Mr. Dobbins and taught at Minnie Hughes Elementary School on Yonges Island and possibly elsewhere. She served as Chairman of Annual Appeal of Dimes for the City Federation of Colored Women's Clubs in the 1960s. Dobbins died in Charleston in 2001.

The collection contains materials related to Grace B. Dobbins' education, teaching career, and affiliations. Includes lesson plans, 1965-1967 and undated, other school related materials; materials from the City Federation of Colored Women's Club; an Avery Institute diploma and associated graduation program, 1924; an Avery 50th reunion invitation and memorial matchbook, 1974; and other materials.

Rosslee Tenetha Green Douglas Papers, 1934-2005 [AMN 1132]

Rosslee Tenetha Green Douglas, (1928-2011) was an African-American nurse, health administrator, and two-time presidential appointee during the Ronald Reagan Presidential Administration. Green Douglas attended Avery Institute, Class of 1947; Lincoln School for Nurses (1952) and was the first African-American graduate from the College of Nursing, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston (M.U.S.C) in 1972. She served as an administrator for the Franklin Fetter Family Health Center, and served on the South Carolina Industrial Commission, also becoming the first African-American to serve in that capacity. Green Douglas was selected as the Director of the Office of Minority Economic Impact, United States Department of Energy, (1981), becoming the first African-American female appointee under the Reagan Administration.

Papers include brief documents and photographs relating her position as Director of the Office of Minority Economic Impact, U.S. Department of Energy (1981-1986). The collection also holds documents and photographs of the Avery Institute Class of 1947 Reunion (2002).

Walton Earl Douglas Papers, 1963-1979 [AMN 1127]

Walter Earl Douglas wrote for a number of newspapers as a journalist and essayist. He moved to Mt. Pleasant from New York City in 1968 and wrote a column for the The Chronicle, an African-American newspaper based in Charleston. In his Column,"The Earl of Charleston," Mr. Douglas addressed, among other things, issues concerning the African -American community both at home and around the world. He was known for his conservative views and corresponded with other noted conservatives, including Jesse Helms, Gordon Hanna, and William Loeb. He also was active in community service, serving on a variety of boards and committees around the state.

Contains correspondence and an extensive collection of Mr. Douglas' writings, including columns, articles, speeches, poems, and other creative writings. Also, contains some newspaper clippings as well as research notes and materials.

Edmund Lee Drago Papers (ca. 1975-ca. 2005) [AMN 1051]

Scholar, author and history professor Edmund Lee Drago began his teaching career at the College of Charleston in 1975. He is the author of Initiative, Paternalism and Race Relations: Charleston's Avery Normal Institute (1990), among other books. His research focus is 19th century U.S. History, African American and Charleston history, and the American Civil War and Reconstruction.

The Edmund Lee Drago Papers are organized in three series. The first consists of materials related to his book, Initiative, Paternalism and Race Relations, documenting the Avery Normal Institute. The files are mostly arranged by topic and consist of photocopies and abstracts from primary sources including correspondence of the American Missionary Association and Avery Normal Institute staff.

The second series pertains to Drago's work as a founding member of the Avery Institute of Afro-American History and Culture. Materials includes board meeting minutes, speeches, correspondence, news clippings, invitations, brochures and other printed material by or about the Avery Institute or the Avery Research Center.

The third series contains Drago's other scholarly work including research material and drafts of various writings.

Dewey M. Duckett Papers, circa 1952-1964 [AMN 1040]

Dr. Duckett of Rock Hill, SC was a Civil Rights activist and physician. He worked with the South Carolina Advisory Committee to the National Commission on Civil Rights and was an advocate for Licensed Practical Nursing in South Carolina.

Contains correspondence, memos, speeches, and clippings as well as minutes and official statements and records of the South Carolina Advisory Committee to the National Commission on Civil Rights.

Dr. W. Marvin Dulaney Papers, circa 1993-Present

Dr. W. Marvin Dulaney, was the Executive Director of the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture and Chair of the College of Charleston History Department. He became director of the Avery Research Center in 1994 and chair of the History Department in 1998. He served in both positions from 1998-2000. In addition to leading the Avery Research Center and the History Department, he has also served on numerous local, state, and national boards, including the Cannon Street YMCA, 100 Black Men of Charleston, the Palmetto Project, and the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History.

Contains correspondence, program notes, and articles that relate to the development, operation, and the 2nd phase of the renovation of the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture. Includes documents regarding The African American National Heritage Museum and The Association for the Study of Afro-American Life & History (ASALH). Also includes some materials pertaining to Dr. Dulaney's classes and other activities at the College.

Ebenezer AME Church Papers, 1994-1996

Ebenezer AME Church was established in 1903, having previously been associated with the Presbyterian Board of City Missions. The congregation constructed its current church at 44 Nassau Street in 1949.

Contains information on church officers, class members and leaders, as well as minutes of board meetings.

Lucille Roper Edwards Papers, circa 1942-1994 [AMN 1143]

Lucille Roper Edwards (1924-) worked as an African-American elementary schoolteacher teaching second graders in the Miami, Florida area for forty-seven years. Originally from Cordesville, South Carolina, Roper Edwards attended the Berkeley Training School (Moncks Corner, 1938), and the Avery Normal Institute (1940-1942).

The majority of the collection holds Roper Edwards' lesson plans written when she was a second grade teacher at Poinciana Park Elementary School, Dade County, Miami, Florida. Documents included long range and daily plans; methods, objectives, and projects from the years 1965-1989. A smaller section contains brief and various documents and manuscripts created and collected by Roper Edwards relating to her life and family. Also included is her Master of Education Thesis, " A Proposed Plan for Teaching Science in the Primary Grades of Buist Public School, Charleston, South Carolina," (1947).

Jerodene Ellis Papers [AMN 9007v]

Jerodene Ellis was a 1945 graduate of Laing High School in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.

The collection contains a Palmer Method handwriting book used by Jerodene Ellis in the sixth grade and Ellis' graduation diploma from Laing High School in 1945.

Emanuel A.M.E Church Records [AMN 1035]

Entre Nous Bridge Club Records, 1924-1994 [AMN 1025]

The Entre Nous Bridge Club ("between us" in French) was formed May 27, 1924 by a group of sixteen African-American women who had a passion for bridge and enjoyed the company of close friends. More than seventy years later, the original members' descendants and their friends have kept the tradition alive. Contains the constitution of the Entre Nous Bridge Club and record books of the meeting minutes with the club roll.

Reverend John T. Enwright Papers, 1884 - 1975 [AMN 1087]

Reverend John Thomas Enwright (1904-1975), an African American minister, served the congregation at Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ in Charleston, South Carolina from 1949 to 1974. A public figure as well as a religious leader, Enwright was also heavily involved in Charleston-area community organizations.

The collection documents Reverend Enwright's personal life, ministerial work, and civic involvement from the 1930s to 1975. Personal papers document Enwright's non-professional activities and family life. includes sermons and speeches, correspondence, programming, and administration relating to Enwright's position as pastor of Beecher Memorial United Church of Christ and Plymouth Congregational Church (later Plymouth Congregation United Church of Christ), and includes sermons and speeches delivered throughout his career. Major topics related to Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ include the relocation of the church, Sunday services, and special programming. A significant portion of this series reflects Enwright's involvement in the Congregational Christian Churches and United Church of Christ, as well as the Convention of the South, Southeast Conference, and Georgia-South Carolina Association -- regional bodies within those organizations. These materials relate to the unification of the Congregational Christian Churches and the Evangelical and Reformed Church; meetings, conferences, and conventions; domestic and international missionary work; and social and racial justice, especially through the Board of Homeland Ministries. Correspondence, organizational records, and other materials relate to Enwright's work with racial and social justice organizations and youth programs, such as the Concerned Clergy Committee (especially in response to the 1969 Hospital Workers' Strike); Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance; Political Action Committee; National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP); Economic Opportunity Commission; and Community Organization Federal Credit Union, of which he was co-founder. Materials also document Enwright's involvement in statewide initiatives, such as the South Carolina Council on Human Relations and South Carolina Commission for Farm Workers, Inc. A small portion of the collection contains church-related audio recordings, religious sheet music, publications, and newspaper clippings.

Steve Estes Papers [AMN 1055]

The papers of Steve Estes, a professor at Sonoma State University, focuses on information obtained during the writing of his thesis on the Hospital Workers Strike of 1969 in Charleston SC.

Interviews recorded by Estes and Leon Fink include their transcripts on the Charleston hospital workers' strike and the Memphis sanitation workers’ strike. Pertaining to the Charleston strike, individuals interviewed address the Union 1199B, Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), local activists' involvement, the response of the community to the strike, violence associated with the strike, and the effect it had on the city and the strikers. Those interviewed include Rev. Hosea Williams (referring to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rev. Ralph D. Abernathy, and gender issues in the Civil Rights movement); Rev. R.B. Cottonreader (regarding the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King; Black Muslims and the SCLC and the Poor People's Campaign); Williams Saunders; Andrew Young; Mary Moultrie (noting the roles of William Saunders and Isaiah Bennett); Jessie Jefferson (noting conditions and segregation at the Medical College of SC, and the impact of Coretta Scott King); Isaiah Bennett; Naomi White (on the experience of picketing and the economic boycott of Charleston).

Farr Family Papers (1828-1990s) [AMN 1066]

Joseph M. Farr, his wife Mary Behn Farr and their four children were a white, slave and land owning family in Beaufort County. Two of their slaves were Elizabeth and Robert [Bob] Farr. The latter, as a freed man, served as a private in Company H of the 104th U.S. Colored Troops. William W. Farr, the oldest son of Joseph and Mary Farr, was a Civil War veteran and later a banker in Beaufort, who had a long standing relationship with Maria Green, an African American female farmer. Together, this interracial family had three daughters, Henrietta, Minerva and Grettye Farr.

The Farr Family Papers contain land transactions, slave transactions, legal, financial, and miscellaneous materials and ephemera.

Herbert U. Fielding Papers, 1960 - 2007 [AMN 1108]

Herbert U. Fielding (born 1923), an African American, was a South Carolina Congressman and Senator. Fielding has also led the family business, the Fielding Home for Funerals in Charleston, South Carolina.

The collection documents Herbert U. Fielding's professional activities and political career from 1960 to 1992, with some material extending to 2006. Materials include professional and constituent correspondence, speeches, campaign materials, bills and resolutions, newspaper clippings, and other materials. Major topics include the founding of the Political Action Committee of Charleston County, South Carolina; federal revenue sharing; South Carolina race relations and politics, including the representation of African Americans in politics and professional organizations; and the racial reapportionment of South Carolina District 6, including Fielding's exploratory committee and primary campaign materials.

Mamie E. Garvin Fields Papers, 1894-1987 [AMN 1023]

Mamie Garvin Fields began her teaching career after graduating from Claflin University. In 1908, she and her sister, Hattie, founded the first African -American school in Pinewood, S.C. The next year she returned to teach at Humber Wood Elementary on Johns Island, and then as principal at Miller Hill. In 1926 she relocated to Society Corner School on James Island. Mrs. Fields was the founder of the Modern Priscilla Club, an African -American Women's literary club, whose motto was "Lifting as We Climb." Active in many community efforts, she received numerous awards for her accomplishments. Mrs. Fields authored the book, Lemon Swamps and Other Places.

Contains various materials that pertain to her club and organizational activities, particularly church related and Federated Clubs. Also contains some correspondence and a number of unidentified photographs.

First African Baptist Church of Savannah, Georgia, Records, 1871-1990 [AMN 1022]

The First African Baptist Church of Savannah, Georgia was established c. 1774 by George Leile, an enslaved minister who preached along the Savannah River. Although still without a permanent church structure, the congregation organized with a constitution in 1788. In 1832, Rev. Andrew Marshall, led the congregation to purchase property on Franklin Square where a church would be built. In the 1850s, parishioners, both free and enslaved African Americans, constructed the building that houses today's congregation at that site. The First African Baptist Church is the oldest surviving black church in North America.

Contains mainly photocopied materials detailing the history of the church, including organizational documents.

Henry Harleston Fleming Papers, 1877-2007 [AMN 1133]

Henry Harleston Fleming (1916-2007), born to Katherine Harleston and Maithlun N. Fleming, in St. Augustine, Florida, was a African-American composer, arranger, professor and director of the choirs at Burke High School, Charleston and South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, South Carolina. A prolific pianist, "Harl Fleming," was an accompanist and director for several regional music ensembles. Fleming and his wife, Marie Martin Fleming lived in the Charleston, South Carolina area periodically, and established the Harleston Assisted Living residential facility in Hollywood, SC in 2001 during the couple's retirement.

The majority of this collection is comprised of sheet music; compositions and arrangements written by Harleston Fleming, commercially published scores in the form of books and sheets, (with the bulk of music in classical, sacred choral, 20th century spirituals, musicals, motion picture music and 20th century popular scores) collected and used in his professional and personal career as a chorus director and pianist. The remainder of the collection holds numerous documents, photographs and audio-visual materials pertaining to legal and financial matters, career, and the Harleston Family, including documents relating to Fleming's grandfather, Edwin Gailliard "Captain" Harleston and uncle and noted artist, Edwin Augustus Harleston.

Sandra N. Fowler Papers, circa 1965-1995 [AMN 1007]

Contains articles, correspondence, and other information about The Old Slave Mart Museum, Black Heritage Research Center, Political Elections, The Hospital Workers Strike (Union Local 1199), and the Community Relations Committee (1992-3), among others.

Donald Fraser Papers, circa 1940-1950

In the 1940s, Donald Fraser attended the Avery Normal Institute, as had his brother, James, as well as his father, aunts, and uncles. Before that, Mr. Fraser attended Immaculate Conception School. Contains items related to the Avery Normal Institute and Immaculate Conception School, including report cards and tuition receipts.

Herb Frazier Papers, 1972 - 2006 [AMN 1088]

Herb Frazier, an African American journalist based in the Lowcountry, has reported and edited for various newspapers in South Carolina and elsewhere since 1972. Frazier has been active in professional journalism associations and in education initiatives for minority journalism.

The collection includes materials related to the personal and professional life of Herb Frazier. A small portion of the collection contains biographical, educational, and other personal information. The bylines series contains published work spanning Frazier's career from 1972-2006, including bylines, proofs, and photographs. Bylines include stories written by Herb Frazier at the The State, The Post and Courier, The Charlotte Observer, and The York Observer. The subject files, which compose the largest portion of the collection, contain articles, interview notes, correspondence, source notes, and other written material chiefly gathered by Herb Frazier in the course of his story research. Major topics include higher education in South Carolina, with a focus on the Citadel, Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), and University of South Carolina; education reform in the middle grades; and race relations. Also included are various regional topics, including court cases, law enforcement issues, and the annexation of James Island. The professional activities series includes organizational materials, documents, event invitations, and correspondence related to various journalism associations, conferences, educational outreach, and travel. The minority journalism series includes correspondence, conference material, organizational planning documents, programs, and other material related to the National Association of Black Journalists and its regional affiliate, South Carolina Association of Black Journalists. Also includes materials related to the college and high school on minority journalism as well as articles and printed material regarding the topic of minority journalism.

Lissa D'Aquisto Felzer's Charleston "Freedman's Cottage" Project Collection, 2006 [AMN 1140]

Lissa D'Aquisto Felzer is a former Senior Preservation Planner for the City of Charleston and adjunct professor with the College of Charleston. This collection contains final reports from Professor Felzer's course, "Researching Historic Properties" (ARTH-290) taught at the College of Charleston in 2006. Students were assigned to write detailed property histories of houses identified as "Freedman's cottages." The property histories are derived from a variety of documents: deeds and indices; Charleston County and City ward books (tax records) and probate records; City Directories (Charleston, South Carolina); the Freedman's Bank Records; historical maps, plats, census records and photographs.

The collection is organized by the geographical sections of Charleston, South Carolina: the Lower Peninsula. the West Side, the East Side, and the Upper Peninsula.

Friendly Moralist Society Records (1841-1856)
[AMN 1009]

The Friendly Moralist Society was a benevolent society for free "brown" (mulatto or mixed race) men established in 1838, Charleston, SC. The group served the community by providing burial aid, purchasing plots and assisting during funerals for those in need. The organization also worked to provide charitable assistance to needy widows and orphans of deceased members. Each member was entitled to certain rights of membership, namely financial assistance in times of illness or financial strain. Among the group's most prominent members were men from the Holloway (Edward, Richard, Charles and Samuel), Sasportas and Wilkinson families.

The records of the Friendly Moralist Society contain one laminated rebound volume of minutes highlighting the Society's mostly monthly meetings from 1841 to 1856. The volume is divided into two sections: "Absentees Book" (1842-1849) and "Proceedings Book" (1841-1856).

This collection is available digitally on the College of Charleston’s Lowcountry Digital Library website.

Friendly Union Society Records, 1889-1981

The Friendly Union Society was formed in Charleston in 1813 for the relief of orphans and widows and to provide for the general welfare of the community. This Charleston African American Burial Society and Social Organization endured until 1981.

The collection consists of organizational and administrative records of the Friendly Union Society including the Society's constitution and by-laws, meeting minutes, treasurer reports and plot maps. Also, present within the collection are financial records/materials such as an arrears book and a ledger documenting lot holder accounts.

Gadsden Funeral Home Records, 1892 - 2010
[AMN 1137]

The Gadsden Funeral Home was founded in 1902 as the Eugene Gadsden Company serving as one of the first funeral homes for African Americans in Charleston. The founder, Eugene Gadsden (1866-1928), was born in 1866 to July and Maud Gadsden and later married Angeline Gadsden. he Gadsden Funeral Home was operated and passed down through the family for over a century until it closed in 2005.

The Gadsden Funeral Home Records consist of three series documenting the history of the Gadsden/Duncan family, the Gadsden Funeral Home, and numerous affiliations. The bulk of the collection consists of records associated with the Gadsden Funeral Home, which detail the deceased, customers, funeral expenses, licenses and certificates. The collection is also comprised of detailed family history, organizational pamphlets and brochures, and a host of photographic material.

Tobias Gadson, Sr., Papers, circa 1980-1986
[AMN 1050]

Tobias Gadson was born in Walterboro, South Carolina and grew up in Charleston as the youngest of thirteen children. In 1947, he graduated from Immaculate Conception School and married Zelia Washington. They had two sons, Tobias, Jr. and Arnold. A veteran, Mr. Gadson studied industrial arts at Voorhees College. Later, he studied at the Buchanan Barber College in Chicago, and then opened his own barber shop on Spring Street in 1957. In 1980, he successfully ran for state representative and worked diligently for his district-particularly appreciated were his efforts for appropriations for much needed drainage work in the Union Heights area.

Contains correspondence, event programs, newspaper clippings and campaign memorabilia from Mr. Gadson's career.

Virginia M. Geraty Papers, 1915-2007 [AMN 1123]

Virginia Mixson Geraty (1915-2004) was born in Summerville, South Carolina to Edward Miles Mixson and his wife Ethel Sarah Ray Mixson. Geraty lived for over fifty years in the Yonges Island and Edisto area near Charleston, where she studied the language and culture of the Gullah people who lived there. She was dedicated to the preservation of the Gullah language, which is the only English-based creole used in the continental United States.

The collection contains personal and professional documents, manuscripts and literary productions, correspondence, clippings, and other materials relating to Geraty’s lifelong work preserving and teaching the Gullah language. Materials in the collection date from 1915–2007, with bulk dates spanning the years 1978–2004.

Gethsemane Baptist Association Records, 1867-1878

The Gethsemane Baptist Association, a regional organization established in 1867, was the first black Baptist Association in South Carolina. In 1877, it was renamed as the Ashley Baptist Association. Contains minutes of conference meetings held throughout the region as well as statistical data and governing documents for the association.

Julia Alston Gourdine Papers, 1880-2002 [AMN 1130]

Julia Waites Alston Gourdine (1923-2009), an African-American elementary school educator who worked in the Charleston County School District for thirty-five years. Alston Gourdine was also an integral Senior Trustee Board member of Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church in Charleston, South Carolina. She married Robert H. Gourdine, Jr. in 1944, and they had one son, Robert H. Gourdine, III.

The collection contains documents and photographs relating to Gourdine's education, professional, civic and social affiliations, along with materials and photographs belonging to several of her family members including her mother, Addie Middleton Alston. The majority of the collection contains materials pertaining to "Mother" Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church and is reflective of Gourdine's position of secretary on the Senior Trustee Board.

Reverend Cannon Henry L. Grant Papers, 1962-1990 [AMN 1011]

The Reverend Cannon Henry Lacy Grant, born in North Augusta and educated at the University of Iowa and Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary. In his early years in the priesthood, he served at the Church of the Atonement in Walterboro, Epiphany in Summerville, and as the Chaplain of Voorhees College in Denmark, S.C. Rev. Grant married Owilender Kennedy of Walterboro and they had one son, Henry, Jr. In 1962, Rev. Grant came to Charleston as the rector of St. Stephen's Episcopal church, where he worked with some of the city's poorer residents on Charleston's East Side. It was there that he established St. John's Mission Center in an old church building at 18 Hanover St. that provided organized youth activities promoting educational and leadership skills. Rev. Grant also founded Operation Compenso at Camp Baskerville on Pawley's Island, which offered summer camp opportunities for junior high school students needing academic assistance. He was also involved in numerous community organizations.

Contains correspondence, articles, photographs, and other documents that pertain to Rev. Grant's career and civic activities , including program and financial information of the St. John's Episcopal Mission Center as well as operational material and articles about Operation Compenso. Collection also contains correspondence and construction information for the renovation of St. Stephen's Church, plus items and articles about Rev. Grant's participation in national and community organizations.

Graves Family Papers, 1884 - 2004 [AMN 1081]

The Graves family of Charleston, South Carolina, was an African American family consisting largely of educators and Avery Institute graduates. James R. B. Graves, Jr. (1883-1969), a Pullman porter and union member of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, married Rose Laura Winds (1890-1978) in 1915. Together, they raised five children: J. Michael, Pauline, Annette, Robert, and Eugene. J. Michael Graves (1915-1996), a Class of 1932 graduate of the Avery Institute, was an educator and musician in the Charleston area. Pauline R. Graves (1917-2002) conducted educational research and taught at Courtenay Middle School. Annette Graves Chambers (died 1983) worked as an educator at Ben Tillman Elementary School. Robert Blackburne Graves graduated from Avery in 1944 and Johnson C. Smith in 1949. The youngest, Eugene Graves, was an educator and sports coach at Bonds-Wilson High School in North Charleston, coaching several athletes that achieved successful sports careers, including Art Shell and Jim Jackson.

The collection includes materials related to the Graves family of Charleston, South Carolina, chiefly James R. B. Graves, his wife Rose L. Graves, and their children J. Michael, Pauline, Annette, Robert, and Eugene. The James R. B. Graves series includes correspondence, photographs, and artifacts chiefly related to his career as a porter with the Pullman Company as well as his association with the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters labor union. The Rose L. Graves series documents her work for the USO and the Charleston Area Civilian Defense Council. The J. Michael Graves series is the largest in the collection. This series includes correspondence, memory books, event programs, and other materials related to his education, teaching career at Avery Normal Institute and Burke High School, and Charleston area organizations and events. The Annette Graves Chambers' series includes materials related to Annette's education and professional activities. The Robert Blackburne Graves series includes materials related to his education, chiefly at Avery Normal Institute. The Eugene Graves series includes largely photographs and sports memorabilia related to his coaching career at Bonds-Wilson High School. Photographs and slides include Graves family members, Avery Institute, Burke High School, Bonds-Wilson High School, and other images. Also included are materials related to the Avery Institute of Afro-American History and Culture (AIAAHC), clippings related to the Avery Institute and African American heritage, and materials relating to other family members.

Reuben Greenberg Papers, 1990 - 1997 [AMN 1079]

Reuben Greenberg (born 1943) was appointed Chief of Police of the Charleston Police Department in 1982, becoming the the first African American and first Jewish Chief of Police in Charleston, South Carolina. During his tenure (1982-2005), Reuben became known nationally and internationally for his innovative and controversial approach to fighting crime through prevention rather than reaction.

This collection consists of correspondence, articles, program and other miscellaneous materials from the career of Charleston's African American Jewish Police Chief Reuben Greenberg, 1990-1997. Arranged by material, this collection includes numerous articles and publications that detail Greenberg's professional philosophy, crime fighting methods, and surrounding controversies as well as autobiographical details. Also included are awards and programs for events honoring Greenberg and letters, chiefly of thanks, regarding speeches and workshops delivered by Greenberg.

Isabelle Smalls Griffin Papers, circa 1945-1985

Contains transcripts of speeches, programs, and other memorabilia from Avery Institute (1940s) and Baptist Hill High School (1960-1985).

Lonnie Hamilton, III Papers, 1950 - 2001 [AMN 1096]

Lonnie Hamilton, III was a musician, educator, and community leader. Notably, Hamilton was the first African American to serve on the Charleston County Council.

The collection includes material related to Hamilton's personal life and professional career as an educator, musician, and Charleston County Councilman. The material in the personal series includes feature articles on his life, his involvement with community organizations including Spoleto Festival, U.S.A., and political groups such as the Charleston County Democratic Party. The professional material includes programs and newspaper articles about Hamilton's career as the Band Director for Bonds-Wilson High School and his position as the Director of Adult Education. Programs, newspaper articles, and correspondence reflect his career as a Charleston County Councilman. His musical career is documented with invitations and programs from various performances by Lonnie Hamilton and the Diplomats, Lonnie Hamilton and the Ambassadors, and the Lonnie Hamilton Quintet. Materials also relate to other professional ventures, such as Lonnie's, a nightclub in Charleston, South Carolina.

Harleston Funeral Home Records, circa 1900-1960 [AMN 1014]

The Harleston Funeral Home, now the Harleston-Boags Funeral Home, was owned and operated by descendants of the Mickey family who had established Charleston's Mickey Funeral Home in the nineteenth century. Edwin Harleston, an Avery graduate who was actively involved in establishing the Charleston chapter of the NAACP, was an undertaker as well as respected painter.

Contains ledgers and receipt books, including information on individual funerals, insurance records, inventories, and receipts.

See also the Mickey Funeral Home Collection.

Evangeline Banks Harrison Papers, circa 1850-1985 (bulk circa 1940-1959) [AMN 1032]

Born in Hampton, Virginia, in 1898, Helen (often called Evangeline, or "Vangi") Banks, the daughter of Issiah and Anna DeCosta Banks. The collection consists of personal materials and those documenting Harrison's mother, Anna DeCosta Banks, the Hospital and Training School for Nurses and McClennan-Banks hospital. Personal papers of Evangeline Banks Harrison and her family include her Avery Institute graduation program (1917), a school essay, biographical data, inspirational clippings, photographs, including an unidentified daguerreotype (ca. 1850s) and a sporadically kept diary (ca. 1937-40s).

Dr. Louis Hassell Papers

Contains information from Cuspids, Inc., a book of newspaper clippings and photographs of 1896 Black History Month at the Naval Weapons Station.