1 Digital file ((1 data disk DVD-R digital, 24-bit 96kHz WAV.)))
Container:
Box 2, Folder 27
Box 4, Cassette 16A
Box 4, Cassette 16B
Box 5, Disk 16
Type:
Archival materials
Audio
Sound recordings
Sound discs
Digital files
Oral histories (document genres)
Place:
Anacostia (Washington, D.C.)
Anacostia Community Museum
Date:
1970- 1971 March 19
1974 April 3 - 1975 November 11
2007 September 14
Scope and Contents note:
Ophelia Settle Egypt, an African American woman born on February 20, 1903, discusses her time in Anacostia after moving to the neighborhood in 1940. She talks about the public education available (such as Dunbar High School), the "Social Work Row" in the neighborhood (a street in Anacostia where many social workers lived), the different occupations residents had, and the typical family structures. She describes how the neighborhood was segregated and how sit-in protests began the difficult integration process.
Egypt provides information about her time at Howard University, recalling student involvement with the sit-in protests (including her own experiences) as well as with musical groups at Howard Theater and Constitutional Hall, where students saw Duke Ellington and Marian Anderson perform. She speaks about how the communities in Anacostia used to be much more close-knit by organizing civic organizations and neighbors helping each other with childcare and housework. She recalls the fight for integration of schools and other public spaces. The interview is cut short during Egypt noting the difference between childrearing now versus when she was growing up.
Ophelia Settle Egypt was interviewed on December 9,1970, by an unnamed volunteer or staff member at the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum (now the Anacostia Community Museum). Digital audio files include white noise and static; interviewee can be heard clearly for most parts. The interview was cut short due to a recording failure of tape #16B.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Evolution of a Community: 1972 Exhibition Records, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).
Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (Boston, Mass.) Search this
Extent:
2.5 Cubic feet (1 box, 8 map folders)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Brochures
Handbooks
Posters
Place:
Boston (Mass.) -- Social conditions
Massachusetts -- 20th century
Massachusetts -- 21st century
Date:
1977 - 2014
Scope and Contents:
The collection includes: annual METCO Parent Handbooks which detailed the services METCO provided and provided other information for parents of children attending the METCO supported schools, 1977-2004; event programs from METCO gatherings, 2007-2014; flyers and handouts; and posters, including 7 hand-made posters created to be displayed at meetings, featuring photographs and articles on some of the school districts METCO served.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into one series.
Biographical / Historical:
The Racial Imbalance Act of 1965 was passed by the Massachusetts General Court. It made the segregation of public schools illegal in Massachusetts, and stated that any public school in the Commonwealth whose student body was composed of over 50% of minority races was "racially imbalanced." The Boston School Committee was required to achieve "the complete integration of the Boston Public Schools" before September 1966. Significant civil unrest followed court-ordered busing to achieve the aims of this legislation, especially during the years 1974-1976. Against this background, METCO was started in 1966. METCO's mission was to enable voluntary integration in public schools in Metropolitan Boston, by enabling students who lived in the city to attend schools in the more affluent suburban areas, and provide better educational opportunities for minority students.
Provenance:
Collection donated by METCO Inc., through Jean McGuire, Director, 2016
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
Busing for school integration -- Massachusetts -- Boston Metropolitan Area Search this
Ella Howard Pearis, an African American woman born in 1901, discusses her family history, tracing back to her great-grandparents who were some of the first residents in the newly established Barry Farms. She talks about the house her grandfather built on Elvan's Road prior to 1877 that Pearis still resided in with her son and grandson; about how her paternal great-grandfather, James Thomas Howard was a minister and the first president of Barry Farms Civic Association; about her maternal great-grandfather worked for Larz Anderson; and about her family purchasing many shares of PEPCO stock. Pearis also includes information about other prominent Anacostia residents, such as James Banks (banker), Emma Smith (schoolteacher), and Dr. Georgiana Simpson (Howard University professor).
Pearis describes the changes in the Anacostia around the 1940s and 1950s, including the construction of public housing and schools, integrating of the different neighborhoods, and the migration of Anacostia residents to the other side of the river. She recalls Dr. Shipley's Pharmacy and Silas' Barbershop as well as St. Elizabeth's and Douglass Hall. She continues to explain her mother's side of the family and their involvement in the community. She briefly speaks about her father who was a piano player.
She discusses the Barry Farms Civic Association, the Barry Farms Recreation Center, Miner's Normal Teaching School, and Dunbar High School. Pearis ends the interview talking more about Anacostia history and many of its prominent residents.
Ella Pearis was interviewed by John Tetrault. Digital audio files include white noise and static; interviewee can be heard clearly for the most part.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
The collection, which measures 1.18 linear feet and dates from circa 1961-2004, documents the personal life and professional activities of Rev. H. Rhett James. The collection is comprised of awards, photographs, books, newspaper clippings, correspondence, invitations, newsletters, oral histories, resumes, audio- and videocassettes, and ephemera.
Scope and Contents note:
The Reverend H. Rhett James papers, which date from 1961 to 2004, document the personal and professional life of Reverend H. Rhett James. Very notable are the letters and correspondence between Reverend H. Rhett James and the United States of America President, Lyndon B. Johnson, and his cabinet. The papers include an oral history, a C.V., letters and correspondence, awards, black-and-white photographs, books, clippings. color photographs, ephemera, invitations, newsletters, photographic prints, signatures, audio cassettes, and videocassettes.
Arrangement note:
The collection is organized into four series: Series 1, Biographical, Series 2, Correspondence, Series 3, Writings, Series 4, Sound Recordings, and Series 5, Photogrpahs. One box contains Series 1, 2, and 3. Box 2 contains Series 3, and Box 4 contains Series 5.
Series 1, Biographical, 1961-2004, is comprised of a typed oral history interview with Dr. H. Rhett James, on December 21, 2002, for the Dallas Public Library's Oral History Project (Box 1/Folder 1), a typed C.V. (Box 1/Folder 2), and other biographical information in the form of newsletters, booklets, certificates, visitor passes, and card invitations.
Series 2, Correspondence, 1962-1999, is arranged alphabetically by correspondent's last name. It is comprised of typed correspondence and letters on various political and community issues. Members of Lyndon b. Johnson's administration figure prominently in this series. The miscellaneous folders contain reproduced correspondence and letters from the Lyndon B. Johnson museum. A set of original envelopes are at the end of folder 15.
Series 3, Writings, 1972, 1992, 1997, is comprised of two books and a NAACP position paper on Dallas Public Schools by Reverend H. Rhett James. The books are titled, The Audacity to Survive and Stamp your own Passport.
Series 4, Sound Recordings, 1972, 1975, 1981, undated, is comprised of 60 audio cassettes in a box. Three notable cassettes in the box contain Jesse Jackson sermons on Civil Rights, "Silver" Rights, social justice, the black church's role in Black Amerca, and religion's role in America. A majority of the tapes are sermons by H. Rhett James on mind consciousness, spiritual regeneration, empowerment, the Gospel, civil rights, social justice, and ecomonic betterment.
Series 5, Photographs, is comprised of autographed photographs by political personage, family photographs, and other photographs including H. Rhett James with prominent figures, notably one with Martin Luther King Jr. Autographed photographs include Lyndon B Johnson, Benjamin Hoover, ans Hubert Humphrey.
Biographical/Historical note:
Reverend H. Rhett James was an ardent pastor,African-American educator, and community activist, who played a role in Dallas and the larger Texas community during the Civil Rights era.
Reverend H. Rhett James (1928-2004) was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on December 1, 1928. He received his early education in the public schools of Topeka, Kansas, Nashville, Tennessee and San Antonio, Texas, he enrolled at Virginia Union University, Richomond Virginia. Upon graduation (Bachelor's 1950), he accepted a teaching position in San Antonio, and became the first African American to receive the Masters of Education Degree from Our Lady of the Lake College (1951).
Returning to his Alma Mater, Virginia Union, he taught in the Department of Education and Psychology and received his Masters of Divinty Degree (1958). Moving to Dallas to accept the pastorate of New Hope Baptist church, he enrolled in the Brite College, T.C.U. and became the first African American to receive the Masters of Theology Degree (1961). He rceived his Ph.D. degree in Urban Administration frm the University of Texas at Arlingotn (1981). He served as pastor of New Hope Baptist church until his retirement in 1986.
As a political and community activist, he headed scores of local organizations working for desegregation and human rights causes. He headed the N.A.A.C.P through severe local desegregation and human rights causes; founder and twelve year Board President of the Dallas O.I.C. (Opportunities Industrialization Center); the first black president of the Dallas War on Poverty (DCCAC); founding Board member of the Dallas Urban League and Board and Budget committee member for the Dallas United Way, ACLU, Southern Historical Association, UNCF and YMCA boards.
Rverend H. Rhett James died on March 14, 2004. He left one daughter and three sons.
Rights:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
The Henry P. Whitehead collection is 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.
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
The Henry P. Whitehead collection is 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.
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
The Henry P. Whitehead collection is 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.
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information. Use of archival audiovisual recordings and born-digital records with no duplicate access copies requires advance notice.
Collection Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Collection Citation:
Jeff Donaldson papers, 1918-2005, bulk 1960s-2005. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the digitization of the Jeff Donaldson papers was provided by the Walton Family Foundation.
This collection, which dates from 1838-1898, contains nine pamphlets and one booklet. The materials cover various subjects relating to African-Americans, including civil rights, education, the Civil War draft and services for freedmen. Several of the pamphlets contain speeches by Frederick Douglass.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist at acmarchives@si.edu.
Interview created as part of the research for the Anacostia Community Museum's "A Right to the City" exhibition.
Collection Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
