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Charlene Hodges Byrd collection

Creator:
Byrd, Charlene Hodges, 1929-2009  Search this
Names:
Morgan State College  Search this
Bearden, Romare, 1911-1988  Search this
Cummings, Ida R. (Ida Rebecca), 1868-1958  Search this
Douglass, Frederick, 1817?-1895  Search this
Grimké, Francis J. (Francis James), 1850-1937  Search this
Hodges, Joyce Ethel Cummings, 1903-1971  Search this
Shimm, Erminie F. (Erminie Florence), 1867-1936  Search this
Shimm, Sarah A., 1843-1885  Search this
Thomas, Elizabeth N. (Elizabeth Nelson), d. 1932  Search this
Washington, Booker T., 1856-1915  Search this
Extent:
43 Linear feet (35 document boxes and 39 oversize boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Place:
Washington (D.C.)
Date:
circa 1750-2009
bulk 1880-1960
Summary:
The Charlene Hodges Byrd collection measures 43 linear feet, and dates from circa 1750-2009, with the bulk of the material dating from 1880-1960. The collection documents the personal life and professional career of Charlene Hodges Byrd, an African American teacher from Washington, D.C., along with material for several related families from Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. Family members prominently represented include Sarah A. Shimm, teacher and essayist under the name Faith Lichen; her daughters Erminie F. Shimm and Grace E. Shimm Cummings, both teachers; and Byrd's mother, Joyce Ethel Cummings Hodges, also a teacher. Correspondence and writings chiefly discuss family life, religion, race, education, and the relationship with Frederick Douglass and his family. The collection is arranged in 10 series: Biographical Material, Correspondence, Writings, Subject Files, Financial and Legal Records, Printed Material, Volumes, Memorabilia, Textiles, and Photographs.
Scope and Contents:
Series 1. Papers related to biographical and family histories of the Byrd, Cummings, Davage, Dews, Hodges, Shimm, Spruill, and Thomas families. Material includes family trees; school diplomas and certificates; programs; awards; marriage and divorce papers; funeral documents; and obituaries.

Series 2: Chiefly letters from family and friends regarding family news, financial matters, school, work, neighborhood affairs, church events, travel and the weather. The majority of the letters are addressed to Charlene Hodges Byrd, Grace E. Shimm Cummings, Ida R. Cummings, Elizabeth Dews Hodges, Joyce Ethel Cummings Hodges, Erminie F. Shimm, Sarah A. Shimm, and Elizabeth N. Thomas. Other correspondence includes letters from Booker T. Washington, Bessye Beardon, Charlotte Davage, Amelia Douglass, and Harrell S. Spruill. There are also a number of greeting cards, postcards, and empty envelopes.

Series 3. Writings include essays, speeches, papers written for school, teacher's notebooks, and a diary of Erminie F. Shimm, 1903. Topics include education, Frederick Douglass, religion, race, Africa, and the temperance movement.

Series 4. Subject files on Charlene Hodges Byrd's involvement with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority; Book Lovers of Charleston, West Virginia, a women's book club organized in 1923; Church Women United radio program; and The Links, Inc., a volunteer service organization. The papers on Liberia relate to missionary work, and were probably gathered by Erminie F. Shimm; and the Shimm-Thomas Collection are papers related to the deposit and later return of family items housed as a collection at Morgan State College.

Series 5. The financial and legal records include invoices and receipts, bank books, real estate tax assessments, deeds, and wills. There is also material related to the estate of Erminie F. Shimm.

Series 6. Printed materials includes books, pamphlets, newspapers, newsletters, clippings, invitations and programs. The books and pamphlets are chiefly school yearbooks and newspapers and other texts related to religion, politics, music, and poetry. Also included is a copy of Frederick Douglass's autobiography and a printed copy of his speech "The Race Problem." The clippings include obituaries, articles about Charlene Hodges Byrd and her husband Charles R. Byrd, essays by Sarah A. Shimm under the name Faith Lichen, and articles on the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. The invitations and programs are primarily for school graduations, weddings, social events, and funerals. Other printed material includes newsletters; business cards; calling cards; postage stamps, chiefly from Liberia; and blank postcards. The binder on Frederick Douglass was prepared by Byrd and her goddaughter for the West Virginia School Studies Fair, and includes copies of Byrd family artifacts.

Series 7. Autograph books, guest books, and scrapbooks. The autograph book of Grace E. Shimm Cummings includes autographs from Amelia Douglass, Lewis B. Douglass, Charles R. Douglass, W. H. Clair, and Francis J. Grimke. The scrapbook of Grace E. Shimm Cummings and Erminie F. Shimm consists primarily of clippings, and was assembled from an old teacher's book with a student registration and punishment pages still intact at the back.

Series 8. Miscellaneous items in the collection including artwork, a coin purse, a piece of handwoven cloth belonging to Catherine Nelson's great grandmother, and leather hair curlers.

Series 9: The textiles are chiefly christening gowns, children's garments, and an apron. Several garments belonged to Joyce Ethel Cummings Hodges, Charlene Hodges Byrd, and Elizabeth N. Thomas. There is also a doll that belonged to Amelia Douglass's niece, Kitty Cromwell.

Series 10. Photographs include pictures of Charlene Hodges Byrd, Joyce Ethel Hodges Cummings, Frederick Douglass, Elizabeth Dews Hodges, Charles Gilmor Cummings, Grace E. Shimm Cummings, Erminie F. Shimm, and other friends and relatives of the Byrd, Hodges, Cummings, Douglass, and Shimm families. Subjects are primarily portraits and candids, along with some wedding, baby, and school pictures. While some of the photographs are annotated, many of the individuals are unidentified. Included are vintage photographs, cabinet cards, cartes-de-visites, tintypes, daguerreotypes, and negatives.
Biographical / Historical:
The Shimm, Thomas, Cummings, Hodges, Davage, and related African American families chiefly lived in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. Numerous family members worked as teachers, barbers, or in the service industry. They were active in local churches and service organizations, and had established friendships with local church leaders as well as with Frederick Douglass and his family.

The Shimm and Thomas families were located in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. The Thomas family can be traced back to Philip Nelson, who owned property in Leesburg, Virginia and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Family genealogical papers list Nelson as a descendent of British Admiral Horatio Nelson. This lineage, however, is not supported in publically available family histories of Horatio Nelson. Philip Nelson and his wife Araminta had five children: Catherine (b. 1805?), William, Levi (b. 1820?), Henrietta, and Grayson.

Catherine Nelson married Elias E. Thomas (b. 1816?) of Virginia in 1840. They wed in Philadelphia and had five children: Levi Nelson (b. 1841), Sarah (1843-1885), Edward (b. 1844), Elizabeth (1848-1932), and Charles (b. 1851).

Sarah Thomas married William Y. Shimm (b. 1841), a barber in Reading, Pennsylvania, on July 26, 1863. They had 2 daughters, Erminie (1867-1936) and Grace (1865-1910). The Shimms lived in Pennsylvania and Ohio, but had moved to Washington, D.C., around 1871. Sarah was a teacher and a writer who published under the name "Faith Lichen." Her writings, primarily essays and commentaries about race and politics, were printed in several newspapers including The National Republican, The Celtic Weekly, The People's Advocate, and The Sunday Morning Gazette.

Sarah's sister Elizabeth was also a teacher in Maryland. Her brother Charles was a lawyer in Washington, D.C., and a graduate of the first class at Howard University's law school.

Erminie and Grace Shimm became teachers in the Washington, D.C., public school system. Erminie was active in her church and supportive of missionary work in Liberia. Grace married Charles Gilmor Cummings, a pastor in Alexandria, Virginia, on July 9, 1902. They had one daughter, Joyce Ethel (1903-1971), and second child in 1905 who died in infancy. Grace died in 1910 of heart failure. After her death, Grace's sister Erminie and Charles's family helped raise Joyce Ethel in Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, Maryland.

Joyce Ethel Cummings Hodges graduated from Morgan College in 1924, and received her master's degree from Howard University in 1931. She taught at Douglass High School in Baltimore from 1924-1964. Joyce Ethel married Charles E. Hodges (1900--975) in 1927 and they divorced in 1953. The couple had one daughter, Charlene (1929-2009).

Charlene Hodges Byrd grew up in Washington, D.C., but attended the Northfield School for Girls in East Northfield, Massachusetts, for high school, graduating in 1946. She received her bachelor's degree from Connecticut College in 1950, and her master's degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Chicago in 1951. She married Charles R. Byrd (1919-2004) in 1952. They had one son in 1954, but he died four days after birth. Byrd soon began a career as a teacher and education administrator, eventually working for Kanawha County Schools in Charleston, West Virginia. She was also active in her local community as a member of the Book Lovers of Charleston, West Virginia; Church Women United; and The Links, Inc.

Charles E. Hodges was born Bridgewater, Virginia, where his father was a minister. He graduated from Morgan College in 1923 and received his master's degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1943. He was a teacher and served as principal of the North Street School in Hagerstown, Maryland. After he and Joyce Ethel divorced in 1953, he married Elizabeth Dews (1913-1999) in 1955.

Elizabeth Dews Hodges, born Elizabeth Virginia Waumbeeka, was adopted by James Edward (1889-1954) and Sarah Virginia Dews (1888?-1964) in Washington, D.C., in 1920. She graduated from Miner Teachers College in 1939, and worked as a teacher in Annapolis, Maryland, at Wiley H. Bates High School for 34 years. She was awarded a medal for her work there by the Freedom Foundation of Valley Forge in 1959. Elizabeth was active in local organizations in Maryland and Washington, D.C., including the SE/NE Friends of the Capitol View Branch Library; Eastern Star Chapter 4; Mount Ephraim Baptist Church; National Museum of Women in the Arts; National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peoples; and the Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind.

The Davage family is descended from Sidney Hall (b. 1818?) and Charles Davage (b. 1815?). Sidney was a former slave at the Perry Hall mansion in Baltimore, and was manumitted by 1840. She married Charles, a coachman, on April 12, 1842. They had five children: Eliza Jane (1843-1913), Sophia (b. 1847), Charlotte (b. 1849), Charles (b. 1854), and Hester (b. 1845). Their daughter Eliza Jane married Henry Cummings (b. 1830?). They had seven children: Harry Sythe (1866-1917), Charles Gilmor (1870-1924), William (b. 1882), Ida R. (1868-1958), Estelle (1874-1944), Carroll (b. 1875), Francis (b. 1872), and Aaron (1864?-1932).

Harry Sythe Cummings, a lawyer in Baltimore, became the city's first African American City Council member. He was first elected in 1890 and served intermittently until his death in 1917, often working on issues related to education. Cummings also delivered a speech at the Republican National Convention in 1904 seconding the presidential nomination of Theodore Roosevelt. He married Blanche Conklin in 1899, and they had three children: Harry S. Jr. (b. 1905), Lucille (d. 1906), and Louise.

Charles Gilmor Cummings graduated from Drew Theological Seminary in 1898, and was a pastor in Alexandria, Virginia and elsewhere. After the death of his wife Grace in 1910, he married Rosa Catherine Bearden, grandmother of artist Romare Bearden, in 1912.

Ida R. Cummings graduated from Morgan College in 1922, and was the first African American kindergarten teacher in Baltimore. She was also active in local organizations, and was president of the Colored Fresh Air and Empty Stocking Circle; chairman of the Woman's Section Council of Defense in Baltimore during the World War, 1914-1918; and president of the Woman's Campaign Bureau of the Colored Republican Voters' League of Maryland.
Provenance:
The Charlene Hodges Byrd collection was donated to the National Museum of African American History and Culture by Herbert S. Garten, co-personal representative of the Estate of Charlene H. Byrd, in 2010.
Restrictions:
Access to collection requires appointment.
Rights:
This collection is subject to all copyright laws.
Topic:
African Americans -- Maryland  Search this
African Americans -- Photographs  Search this
African American families  Search this
African Americans -- Pennsylvania  Search this
African American newspapers  Search this
African American -- Social life and customs  Search this
African American women journalists  Search this
African Americans -- Education  Search this
African American churches  Search this
African American educators  Search this
African Americans -- Washington (D.C.)  Search this
Citation:
Charlene Hodges Byrd collection, circa 1750-2009. National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NMAAHC.A2010.26
See more items in:
Charlene Hodges Byrd collection
Archival Repository:
National Museum of African American History and Culture
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/io3b5e50c57-6cdc-4a60-9599-51a62881a4f9
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmaahc-a2010-26
Online Media:

A War Born Family African American Adoption in the Wake of the Korean War

Author:
Graves, Kori A  Search this
Physical description:
1 online resource (221 pages)
Type:
Electronic resources
History
Place:
United States
Korea (South)
États-Unis
Corée du Sud
Date:
2020
20th century
20e siècle
Topic:
Interracial adoption--History  Search this
Intercountry adoption--History  Search this
Racially mixed children  Search this
African American parents  Search this
African American families  Search this
Korean War, 1950-1953--Children  Search this
Adoption interraciale--Histoire  Search this
Adoption internationale--Histoire  Search this
Enfants métis  Search this
Parents noirs américains  Search this
Familles noires américaines  Search this
Guerre de Corée, 1950-1953--Enfants  Search this
HISTORY / Asia / Korea  Search this
Children  Search this
Intercountry adoption  Search this
Interracial adoption  Search this
Call number:
HV875.64 .G73 2020 (Internet)
Restrictions & Rights:
1-user
Data Source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_sil_1162284

Soul City

Published by:
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, American, founded 1965  Search this
Subject of:
Floyd McKissick, American, 1922 - 1991  Search this
Medium:
ink on paper
Dimensions:
L x W: 9 1/2 x 13 in. (24.1 x 33 cm)
Type:
portfolios (containers)
Place used:
Soul City, Warren County, North Carolina, United States, North and Central America
Date:
ca.1976
Topic:
African American  Search this
American South  Search this
Black geographies  Search this
Communities  Search this
Design  Search this
Graphic design  Search this
Housing  Search this
Urban planning  Search this
Credit Line:
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift from the Trumpauer-Mulholland Collection
Object number:
2011.109.13
Restrictions & Rights:
Public domain
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
See more items in:
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification:
Memorabilia and Ephemera-Advertisements
Data Source:
National Museum of African American History and Culture
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd56bd00810-3e6d-4cfa-8b56-04a4a7977a30
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmaahc_2011.109.13
Online Media:

Lecture: Voices in African American Literature

Producer:
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution  Search this
Speaker:
Harry Jackson, 18 Apr 1924 - 25 Apr 2011  Search this
Eugene Ethelbert Miller  Search this
Medium:
Audio recording
Dimensions:
Duration (a): 45 min., 37 sec.
Duration (b): 34 min., 34 sec.
Type:
Time-Based Media
Date:
10/17/1991
Topic:
Portrait  Search this
Credit Line:
Owner: National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
Object number:
AV.1991.EDU.2
Restrictions & Rights:
Usage conditions apply
See more items in:
Catalog of American Portraits
Data Source:
Catalog of American Portraits
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm4e70a5ed0-e032-415d-9a1b-22a900f41fa5
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:npg_AV.1991.EDU.2
2 Page(s) matching your search term, top most relevant are shown: View entire project in transcription center
  • View Lecture: Voices in African American Literature digital asset number 1
  • View Lecture: Voices in African American Literature digital asset number 2

Oral history interview with Robert H. Dyson

Names:
Douglass Hall (Washington, D.C.)  Search this
Dyson, Daisy  Search this
Dyson, Robert H.  Search this
Dyson, William D., 1899-1992  Search this
Shipley, Rezin, Dr., 1865-1924  Search this
St. Philip's Episcopal Church  Search this
Tetrault, John  Search this
Extent:
1 Sound cassette (1 box)
1 Digital file
1 Sound disc
Container:
Box 1, Folder 33
Box 2, Cassette 53
Box 5, Disk 53
Type:
Archival materials
Audio
Sound cassettes
Digital files
Sound discs
Oral histories (document genres)
Place:
Anacostia (Washington, D.C.)
Barry Farms (Washington, D.C.)
Congress Heights (Washington, D.C.)
Anacostia River (Md. and Washington, D.C.)
Date:
1975 April 24, 2007 September 14
Scope and Contents:
Robert Dyson, an African American man born around 1888, discusses his time in Anacostia, with a focus on his work as the owner and operator of Dyson's Barbershop on Howard Road. He talks about important community members and families, including Samuel Lucas (business owner), Dr. Earl Shipley (pharmacist), and Robert Pendleton (printer). He also speaks about St. Philips Chapel, Mackall Spring and Butlers Spring in the Anacostia River, and the Silas' Barbershop. Dyson ends the interview describing what life was like in the community growing up.

Robert Dyson was interviewed by John Tetrault. Digital audio files include significant white noise and static; inaudible until 00:31:03; interviewee can be heard for some parts after.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Topic:
African American men  Search this
African Americans  Search this
African American families  Search this
African Americans in business -- 1930-1940  Search this
Genre/Form:
Oral histories (document genres)
Collection Citation:
Anacostia Oral History Project 1974-1975, Anacostia Community Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Anacostia Oral History Project, 1974-1975
Anacostia Oral History Project, 1974-1975 / Interviews
Archival Repository:
Anacostia Community Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/qa7a8ea2e1b-dd6a-44fd-a28e-ac2a21cb319e
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-acma-09-006-ref750

Oral history interview with Norris Scott

Names:
Douglass Hall (Washington, D.C.)  Search this
Greene, Ethel  Search this
Hoffman, Elzie S., 1872-1946  Search this
McKenzie, Raymond, 1898-2001  Search this
Scott, Norris, 1888-1976  Search this
Smith, Emma  Search this
St. Philip's Episcopal Church  Search this
Tetrault, John  Search this
Extent:
1 Sound cassette (1 box)
1 Digital file
Container:
Box 1, Folder 30
Box 2, Cassette 17C
Type:
Archival materials
Audio
Sound cassettes
Digital files
Oral histories (document genres)
Place:
Anacostia (Washington, D.C.)
Congress Heights (Washington, D.C.)
Washington, D.C. -- history
Date:
1974- 1975 February 24
Scope and Contents:
Norris Scott, an African American man born on November 13, 1888, discusses his family history in Barry Farms and what growing up in the Anacostia neighborhood was like. He talks about different occupations he had, such as digging ditches and plumbing; Douglass Hall and other businesses, including John A. Moss's Law Firm, Sayles Coal Yard, Mason's Funeral Home, and Slaughter's Blacksmith Shop; and recreation, like visiting Green Willow Park and Eureka Park.

Throughout the interview, Scott talks about prominent community members, including Georgianna Simpson and Emma Smith (schoolteachers), Captain George Graham (Civil War sergeant) and his daughter Ethel Greene, Elzie S. Hoffman (musician), Raymond Bohannon (taxi driver), and the Edmonson family (abolitionists and activists). He explains how many prominent families are related in Anacostia, including the Greene, McKenzie, Campbell, and Mason families. Scott also talks about being an original member of St. Phillips Episcopal Church. He ends the interview speaking about different homeowners and their houses in Anacostia.

Norris Scott was interviewed by John Tetrault on February 24, 1975. Digital audio files include white noise and static; interviewee can be heard clearly for most parts. The interview is cut short by the passing of a train.
General:
Norris Scott's first wife, Marguerite E.C. Butler, is not the same person as Marguerite E. Butler, the wife of James Johnson (also both in this collection).
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Topic:
African American men  Search this
African Americans  Search this
African American families  Search this
African Americans in business -- 1930-1940  Search this
Genre/Form:
Oral histories (document genres)
Collection Citation:
Anacostia Oral History Project 1974-1975, Anacostia Community Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Anacostia Oral History Project, 1974-1975
Anacostia Oral History Project, 1974-1975 / Interviews
Archival Repository:
Anacostia Community Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/qa7117f012e-eb47-4330-b949-f0315593cc47
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-acma-09-006-ref800

Labat: A Creole Legacy Project Records

Creator:
Gordon, Lori K.  Search this
Names:
Labat, Celestine  Search this
Extent:
1.31 Linear feet (2 boxes; audiocassettes, videocassettes, floppy disk, CDs)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Transcripts
Clippings
Postcards
Videocassettes
Audiocassettes
Oral histories (document genres)
Floppy disks
Cd-roms
Articles
Vhs (videotape format)
Place:
Mississippi
Date:
2001-2004
Summary:
The Labat: A Creole Legacy project records, which dates from 2001 to 2004 and measure 1.31 linear feet, contain materials documenting the creation of artist Lori K. Gordon's quilt, titled "Labat: a Creole Legacy," and the life of Celestine Labat. The collection is composed of audiocassettes, videocassettes, floppy disks, CDs, transcripts, newspaper clippings, writings, notes, correspondence, notecards, and postcards.
Scope and Contents note:
The Labat: A Creole Legacy project records, 2001-2004, contain material related to the creation of the Labat: A Creole Legacy quilt. The quilt, based on the life and family history of Celestine Labat, was created by the artist Lori K. Gordon and acquired by the Smithsonian Institution in 2004.

Series 1: Writings contains correspondence, writings, notes, and speeches by Gordon her life, work, and research on Labat family history, and friendship with Labat.

Series 2: Interview Transcripts consist of transcripts of Gordon's interviews of Labat.

Series 3: Printed Materials consists of newspaper clippings and artwork related to Labat, Gordon, and the quilt.

Series 4: Audiovisual Materials consists of 21 audiocassettes and 4 videocassettes containing interview material.

Series 5: Digital Materials consists of 1 floppy disk and 3 CDs containing images and documents related to creation of the quilt.
Arrangement note:
Material in the Labat: A Creole Legacy project records is arranged into five series by subject and material type. Series 1 through 3 are housed in Box 1, and Series 4 and 5 are housed in Box 2. Where possible, material within series has been arranged by item type and date.
Biographical/Historical note:
Biography of Celestine Labat -- Celestine Labat (1898-2002), educator and traveler, was born and raised in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, in a large Creole family. Her mother Leonora Fayard was a homemaker, and her father Joseph Labat, known as "Papa Joe," was a builder and engineer. Celestine Labat's education would have been limited to eighth grade due to racial discrimination, but she moved to Indianapolis and did domestic work in order to finish high school. Upon graduation, she returned to Mississippi and became a secondary school teacher. After a decade of teaching, her desire for higher education prompted a move to Washington, DC, where she attained a bachelor's degree in science during the years of WWII. She continued teaching, moving to San Antonio, Texas, then Los Angeles, California, where she got her master's degree in education at the University of Southern California. She again returned to Mississippi and taught at St. Augustine Seminary for twenty years before retiring at age 72. She remained active until the last years of her life, and at age 102 was the featured speaker at a Hancock County Historical Society luncheon where she met artist Lori K. Gordon. Their collaboration lasted until her death in 2002.

Biography of Lori K. Gordon -- Lori K. Gordon (1958-), visual artist, is originally from eastern South Dakota but now makes her home in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Her work reflects her interest in social issues and her environment, such as the "Katrina Collection," in which Gordon made art from found objects after her studio and community were devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Her meeting with Celestine Labat in 2000 was the start of a friendship and collaboration that resulted in the art quilt, "Labat: A Creole Legacy," acquired in 2004 by the Smithsonian institution. Gordon's work spans arts forms including sculpture, collage, and painting, and is in public and private collections around the world. She is also the founder and president of Six Degrees Consortium, a nonprofit organization created to "enable the creation and dissemination of works of art that are socially relevant, timely, build bridges across cultures and that address the issues faced by humans in an ever-shrinking world."
Related Archival Materials note:
Related material held by the Anacostia Community Museum:

Lori K. Gordon collection

Other related material:

Lori K. Gordon website
Provenance:
The Labat: A Creole Legacy project records were donated to the Anacostia Community Museum in 2004 by Lori K. Gordon.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Rights:
The Labat: A Creole Legacy project records are the physical property of the Anacostia Community Museum. Literary and copyright belong to Lori K. Gordon or their legal heirs and assigns. For further information contact the Museum Archives.
Topic:
African American families  Search this
African American women educators  Search this
African American women  Search this
African Americans -- Race identity  Search this
Creoles  Search this
Genre/Form:
Transcripts
Clippings
Postcards
Videocassettes
Audiocassettes
Oral histories (document genres)
Floppy disks
CD-ROMs
Articles
VHS (videotape format)
Citation:
Labat: A Creole Legacy Project records, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution, gift of Lori K. Gordon.
Identifier:
ACMA.06-082
See more items in:
Labat: A Creole Legacy Project Records
Archival Repository:
Anacostia Community Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/qa72688deab-3eb0-4987-ae92-8c04a390a3b9
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-acma-06-082
Online Media:

Anna Murray Douglass, My Mother as I Recall Her, by Rosetta Douglass Sprague

Creator:
Sprague, Rosetta Douglass  Search this
Names:
Douglass, Frederick, 1817?-1895  Search this
Collection Creator:
Smithsonian Institution. Traveling Exhibition Service  Search this
Smithsonian Institution. Anacostia Community Museum  Search this
Extent:
1 Item (book, 7 3/4 x 5 3/4 inches.)
Type:
Archival materials
Books
Date:
1923
Collection Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Topic:
African American families  Search this
Genre/Form:
Books
Collection Citation:
The Frederick Douglass years: a cultural history exhibition records, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution
Identifier:
ACMA.03-20, Item ACMA 10-010.1
See more items in:
The Frederick Douglass years: a cultural history exhibition records
Archival Repository:
Anacostia Community Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/qa7d0b06fe6-3557-4303-9d2d-797c941796e1
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-acma-03-20-ref580

Lorenzo Dow Turner and wife Lois Turner

Names:
Turner, Lorenzo Dow, 1890-1972  Search this
Collection Creator:
Turner, Lorenzo Dow, 1890-1972  Search this
Container:
Box 19b, Folder 19
Culture:
African Americans  Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Photographs
Date:
circa 1948
Scope and Contents:
Lorenzo Dow Turner and Lois Turner with sons Lorenzo Dow Turner, Jr. and Rani Meredith Turner.
Collection Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Topic:
African American families  Search this
African American professors  Search this
Collection Citation:
Lorenzo Dow Turner papers,Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution, gift of Lois Turner Williams.
See more items in:
Lorenzo Dow Turner Papers
Lorenzo Dow Turner Papers / Series 5: Photographs, circa 1890–1974 / 5.2: Turner Family Photographs
Archival Repository:
Anacostia Community Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/qa76b8e2346-bdbc-4aac-ac71-ae36312ef81e
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-acma-06-017-ref674

Lorenzo D. Turner and wife Lois Turner with others

Names:
Turner, Lorenzo Dow, 1890-1972  Search this
Collection Creator:
Turner, Lorenzo Dow, 1890-1972  Search this
Extent:
1 Photographic print
Container:
Box 19b, Folder 20
Type:
Archival materials
Photographic prints
Collection Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Topic:
African American families  Search this
African American professors  Search this
Collection Citation:
Lorenzo Dow Turner papers,Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution, gift of Lois Turner Williams.
See more items in:
Lorenzo Dow Turner Papers
Lorenzo Dow Turner Papers / Series 5: Photographs, circa 1890–1974 / 5.2: Turner Family Photographs
Archival Repository:
Anacostia Community Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/qa7db5c90f7-884b-40e9-ada2-370b1d3c328f
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-acma-06-017-ref675

The Turner family

Names:
Turner, Lorenzo Dow, 1890-1972  Search this
Collection Creator:
Turner, Lorenzo Dow, 1890-1972  Search this
Container:
Box 19b, Folder 22
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1961 August 25
Scope and Contents:
Turner family birthday dinner celebration.
Collection Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Topic:
African American families  Search this
African American professors  Search this
Celebrations  Search this
Collection Citation:
Lorenzo Dow Turner papers,Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution, gift of Lois Turner Williams.
See more items in:
Lorenzo Dow Turner Papers
Lorenzo Dow Turner Papers / Series 5: Photographs, circa 1890–1974 / 5.2: Turner Family Photographs
Archival Repository:
Anacostia Community Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/qa74bb550f9-95ff-4b05-85cd-d4a6d4eaf618
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-acma-06-017-ref678

Chester Lee Harris papers

Creator:
Harris, Chester Lee  Search this
Names:
Harris, Lee  Search this
Extent:
1.37 Linear feet (4 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Ephemera
Color photographs
Clippings
Brochures
Books
Awards
Memorabilia
Invitations
Newspaper clippings
Programs
Place:
New York (N.Y.)
Date:
circa 1884-2001
bulk 1940-1976
Summary:
The Lee Harris papers, which dates from circa 1884 to 2001 and measures 1.43 linear feet, documents the activities of Chester Lee Harris and his extended family. The papers are comprised of certificates, diplomas, newspaper clippings, memorabilia, books, and photographs.
Scope and Contents note:
This collection documents the activities in the personal life of Chester Lee Harris and his family between 1884 and 2001. The majority of materials contained in this collection are family and travel snapshots. The series of biographical documents and books outline major events in his life, as well as his service in the military and his community.
Arrangement note:
The papers are organized into five series. Folders within series I to IV are arranged alphabetically, while the photographic series is arranged roughly in chronological order. Documents within the folders are organized chronologically.

Series I: Biographical files

Series II: Printed materials

Series III: Career

Series IV: Books

Series V: Photographs

Subseries 5.1: Lee Harris

Subseries 5.2: Family
Biographical/Historical note:
Chester Lee Harris was born in 1940, spending his early years at Hackensack, New Jersey with his parents, Chester and Margaret Harris. His sister Renee Harris was born three years later, after which the family moved to Manhattan, New York. Lee's mother was 16 years old when he was born – documentation on his father, however, is scarce. Margaret later divorced Chester and became married to William Beasley, who died in 1977. Both Lee and Renee graduated Edward W. Stitt Junior high school in New York.

In the early 1960s, Lee was enlisted in the 369th Infantry of the New York Army National Guard, participating in training at Fort Dix and Fort Drum. After his discharge, Lee married Claudette Nourse in 1969, moving into an apartment in the Bronx. He worked as a New York City Transit bus operator until 1994. Their first house was acquired after retirement in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The couple remains active in the community into later years of their life. At the age of fifty, Claudette graduated Bronx Community College of the City University of New York with an Associate's degree in Applied Science. Lee was fifty-nine and Claudette sixty-three when they volunteered at the Citizen's Academy of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. The two-month program aimed to foster public understanding on the incentives behind police work, in order to correct common misunderstandings. The following year Lee again applied to be a police department volunteer, this time for the Programs for Accessible Living's Parking Patrol Program (P.A.L.). There is no indication of whether he was accepted into this program or not.

Gatherings with his extended family continued after marriage, particularly at Christmas. His grandmother, Henrietta Cephas Brown ("Nana") makes a consistent appearance in family photographs since Lee's birth, indicating their close correspondence. He also made trips with his extended family to locales such as Cape Cod, New Hampshire, and New York City.
Provenance:
The Lee Harris papers were donated to the Anacostia Community Museum in August 2003 by Mr. Chester Lee Harris.
Restrictions:
The collection is open for unrestricted research. Use requires an appointment.
Rights:
The Lee Harris papers are the physical property of the Anacostia Community Museum. Literary and copyright belong to the author/creator or their legal heirs and assigns. Rights to work produced during the normal course of Museum business resides with the Anacostia Community Museum. For further information, and to obtain permission to publish or reproduce, contact the Museum Archives.
Topic:
African Americans -- Employment  Search this
Travel  Search this
African American families  Search this
African American military personnel  Search this
Hackensack (N.J.)  Search this
Genre/Form:
Ephemera
Color photographs
Clippings
Brochures
Books
Awards
Memorabilia
Invitations
Newspaper clippings
Programs
Citation:
The Lee Harris papers, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution, gift of Mr. Chester Lee Harris.
Identifier:
ACMA.06-034
See more items in:
Chester Lee Harris papers
Archival Repository:
Anacostia Community Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/qa76962e5b3-db53-4bdd-86ff-4c9dcc59c6b1
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-acma-06-034
Online Media:

Young Henrietta and Sara E. Cephas standing together

Collection Creator:
Harris, Chester Lee  Search this
Extent:
1 Photographic print (gelatin silver, 2 x 3 in.)
Type:
Archival materials
Photographic prints
Place:
United States
Date:
Undated
Scope and Contents:
Photograph of grandmother and great-aunt of Lee Harris, Henrietta and Sara E. Cephas. Description written on back.
Collection Restrictions:
The collection is open for unrestricted research. Use requires an appointment.
Collection Rights:
The Lee Harris papers are the physical property of the Anacostia Community Museum. Literary and copyright belong to the author/creator or their legal heirs and assigns. Rights to work produced during the normal course of Museum business resides with the Anacostia Community Museum. For further information, and to obtain permission to publish or reproduce, contact the Museum Archives.
Topic:
African American women  Search this
African American families  Search this
African Americans  Search this
Genre/Form:
Photographic prints
Collection Citation:
The Lee Harris papers, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution, gift of Mr. Chester Lee Harris.
Identifier:
ACMA.06-034, Item ACMA PH2003.7078.58
See more items in:
Chester Lee Harris papers
Chester Lee Harris papers / Series 5: Photographs
Archival Repository:
Anacostia Community Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/qa726d2c998-97fb-4fca-9507-3f9a988d2447
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-acma-06-034-ref551

Chester and Margaret Harris with a family member in Hackensack, New Jersey

Collection Creator:
Harris, Chester Lee  Search this
Extent:
1 Item (photographic print , gelatin silver, 2 x 3 in.)
Type:
Archival materials
Photographic prints
Place:
New Jersey
United States
Date:
1948
Scope and Contents:
Note on verso in ink: "Mary Harris and Chester Harris (Mother and Father) and family member? Hackensack, N. J. , summer 1948, Railroad Avenue & Second Street."
Collection Restrictions:
The collection is open for unrestricted research. Use requires an appointment.
Collection Rights:
The Lee Harris papers are the physical property of the Anacostia Community Museum. Literary and copyright belong to the author/creator or their legal heirs and assigns. Rights to work produced during the normal course of Museum business resides with the Anacostia Community Museum. For further information, and to obtain permission to publish or reproduce, contact the Museum Archives.
Topic:
African American families  Search this
African Americans  Search this
Genre/Form:
Photographic prints
Collection Citation:
The Lee Harris papers, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution, gift of Mr. Chester Lee Harris.
Identifier:
ACMA.06-034, Item ACMA PH2003.7078.11
See more items in:
Chester Lee Harris papers
Chester Lee Harris papers / Series 5: Photographs
Archival Repository:
Anacostia Community Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/qa76ee26135-97cc-4259-820c-05c543794864
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-acma-06-034-ref554

Lee and Renee Harris, Howard Brown, and an acquaintance at a family gathering

Collection Creator:
Harris, Chester Lee  Search this
Extent:
1 Item (photographic print , gelatin silver, 2 x 3 in.)
Type:
Archival materials
Photographic prints
Place:
Manhattan (New York)
United States
Date:
1945 July
Scope and Contents:
Description written on back: Photograph of 5 year old Lee and 2 year old Renee Harris with grandfather Howard Brown and an acquaintance, taken at downtown New York City.
Collection Restrictions:
The collection is open for unrestricted research. Use requires an appointment.
Collection Rights:
The Lee Harris papers are the physical property of the Anacostia Community Museum. Literary and copyright belong to the author/creator or their legal heirs and assigns. Rights to work produced during the normal course of Museum business resides with the Anacostia Community Museum. For further information, and to obtain permission to publish or reproduce, contact the Museum Archives.
Topic:
African American families  Search this
African Americans  Search this
Genre/Form:
Photographic prints
Collection Citation:
The Lee Harris papers, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution, gift of Mr. Chester Lee Harris.
Identifier:
ACMA.06-034, Item ACMA PH2003.7078.14
See more items in:
Chester Lee Harris papers
Chester Lee Harris papers / Series 5: Photographs
Archival Repository:
Anacostia Community Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/qa7de6c1474-cc9e-4b4c-ae76-a579d1d62c47
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-acma-06-034-ref555

Lee and Chester Harris, godmother Bessie, and Henrietta Brown pose in front of building

Collection Creator:
Harris, Chester Lee  Search this
Extent:
1 Photographic print (gelatin silver, 2.12 x 3.18 in.)
Type:
Archival materials
Photographic prints
Place:
Manhattan
New York
United States
Date:
1945 July
Collection Restrictions:
The collection is open for unrestricted research. Use requires an appointment.
Collection Rights:
The Lee Harris papers are the physical property of the Anacostia Community Museum. Literary and copyright belong to the author/creator or their legal heirs and assigns. Rights to work produced during the normal course of Museum business resides with the Anacostia Community Museum. For further information, and to obtain permission to publish or reproduce, contact the Museum Archives.
Topic:
African American families  Search this
African Americans  Search this
Genre/Form:
Photographic prints
Collection Citation:
The Lee Harris papers, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution, gift of Mr. Chester Lee Harris.
Identifier:
ACMA.06-034, Item ACMA PH2003.7078.20
See more items in:
Chester Lee Harris papers
Chester Lee Harris papers / Series 5: Photographs
Archival Repository:
Anacostia Community Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/qa7d7bf5f4b-119f-453e-92db-745213b24da7
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-acma-06-034-ref558

Lee Harris with his grandparents in front of their house

Collection Creator:
Harris, Chester Lee  Search this
Extent:
1 Item (photographic print , gelatin silver, 2 x 3 in.)
Type:
Archival materials
Photographic prints
Place:
New Jersey
United States
Date:
1940 September
Scope and Contents:
Photograph of 7 month old Lee Harris and grandparents taken in front of their house on Second Street in Hackensack, New Jersey. Description written on back.
Collection Restrictions:
The collection is open for unrestricted research. Use requires an appointment.
Collection Rights:
The Lee Harris papers are the physical property of the Anacostia Community Museum. Literary and copyright belong to the author/creator or their legal heirs and assigns. Rights to work produced during the normal course of Museum business resides with the Anacostia Community Museum. For further information, and to obtain permission to publish or reproduce, contact the Museum Archives.
Topic:
African American families  Search this
African Americans  Search this
Genre/Form:
Photographic prints
Collection Citation:
The Lee Harris papers, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution, gift of Mr. Chester Lee Harris.
Identifier:
ACMA.06-034, Item ACMA PH2003.7078.22
See more items in:
Chester Lee Harris papers
Chester Lee Harris papers / Series 5: Photographs
Archival Repository:
Anacostia Community Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/qa70416fac3-2ccf-44ca-a7e9-a45400c95424
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-acma-06-034-ref559

Lee Harris with his father in Hackensack, New Jersey

Collection Creator:
Harris, Chester Lee  Search this
Extent:
1 Item (photographic print , gelatin silver, 3 x 2 in.)
Type:
Archival materials
Photographic prints
Place:
New Jersey
United States
Date:
1940 September
Scope and Contents:
Photograph of 7 month old Lee Harris and Chester Harris taken in Hackensack, New Jersey. Description written on back.
Collection Restrictions:
The collection is open for unrestricted research. Use requires an appointment.
Collection Rights:
The Lee Harris papers are the physical property of the Anacostia Community Museum. Literary and copyright belong to the author/creator or their legal heirs and assigns. Rights to work produced during the normal course of Museum business resides with the Anacostia Community Museum. For further information, and to obtain permission to publish or reproduce, contact the Museum Archives.
Topic:
African American families  Search this
African Americans  Search this
Genre/Form:
Photographic prints
Collection Citation:
The Lee Harris papers, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution, gift of Mr. Chester Lee Harris.
Identifier:
ACMA.06-034, Item ACMA PH2003.7078.24
See more items in:
Chester Lee Harris papers
Chester Lee Harris papers / Series 5: Photographs
Archival Repository:
Anacostia Community Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/qa790f5018d-d52f-45fb-a207-fc1272bf6329
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-acma-06-034-ref560

Family gathering in Hackensack, New Jersey

Collection Creator:
Harris, Chester Lee  Search this
Extent:
1 Item (photographic print , gelatin silver, 2 x 3 in.)
Type:
Archival materials
Photographic prints
Place:
New Jersey
United States
Date:
1942
Scope and Contents:
Photograph of 2 and a half year old Lee Harris, 9 month old Renne Harris, and 11 month old Bill taken at grandmother Harris's home on Second Street in Hackensack, New Jersey. Description written on back.
Collection Restrictions:
The collection is open for unrestricted research. Use requires an appointment.
Collection Rights:
The Lee Harris papers are the physical property of the Anacostia Community Museum. Literary and copyright belong to the author/creator or their legal heirs and assigns. Rights to work produced during the normal course of Museum business resides with the Anacostia Community Museum. For further information, and to obtain permission to publish or reproduce, contact the Museum Archives.
Topic:
African American families  Search this
African Americans  Search this
Genre/Form:
Photographic prints
Collection Citation:
The Lee Harris papers, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution, gift of Mr. Chester Lee Harris.
Identifier:
ACMA.06-034, Item ACMA PH2003.7078.28
See more items in:
Chester Lee Harris papers
Chester Lee Harris papers / Series 5: Photographs
Archival Repository:
Anacostia Community Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/qa78d4fac18-cba2-4dad-9934-a8dff43f04e8
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-acma-06-034-ref562

Lee Harris sitting on lawn with his grandmother, Nana

Collection Creator:
Harris, Chester Lee  Search this
Extent:
1 Item (photographic print , gelatin silver, 3 x 5 in.)
Type:
Archival materials
Photographic prints
Place:
New Jersey
United States
Date:
1940 June
Scope and Contents:
Photograph of 5 month old Lee Harris and Henrietta "Nana" Cephas Brown taken in front of his house on 3rd Street in Hackensack, New Jersey. Description written on back.
Collection Restrictions:
The collection is open for unrestricted research. Use requires an appointment.
Collection Rights:
The Lee Harris papers are the physical property of the Anacostia Community Museum. Literary and copyright belong to the author/creator or their legal heirs and assigns. Rights to work produced during the normal course of Museum business resides with the Anacostia Community Museum. For further information, and to obtain permission to publish or reproduce, contact the Museum Archives.
Topic:
African American families  Search this
African Americans  Search this
Genre/Form:
Photographic prints
Collection Citation:
The Lee Harris papers, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution, gift of Mr. Chester Lee Harris.
Identifier:
ACMA.06-034, Item ACMA PH2003.7078.37
See more items in:
Chester Lee Harris papers
Chester Lee Harris papers / Series 5: Photographs
Archival Repository:
Anacostia Community Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/qa7b05ff55c-056f-43db-b68c-dcce53305afe
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-acma-06-034-ref564

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