Katherine G. Lederer Ozarks African American History Collection

Katherine G. Lederer Ozarks African American History Collection Notes on the holdings as of September 20, 2010

Collection overview:

For over 20 years, Dr. Katherine Lederer worked to preserve this region’s African American heritage. Through archival research and by building close bonds with the area’s ethnic community, Dr. Lederer compiled a collection of approximately 7,500 documents, many from the 19th century. The Lederer Collection includes over 2,500 photographs, numerous documents (such as marriage records and copies of church records), and Dr. Lederer’s own notes and writings.

The collection has served many instructional purposes over the years, including forming the basis of Dr. Lederer’s 1986 work, Many Thousand Gone: Springfield’s Lost Black History. Selections from the photograph collection have been displayed throughout the region, and materials in the Lederer Collection were used to develop an online exhibit, Dallas Bartley: Small Town Boy.

Archivists are working to better organize the Lederer Collection. Some parts of the collection have been organized to archival standards and some materials have been digitized and are available online. For other parts of the holdings, there is only a brief description of box contents or perhaps a folder listing. Anyone wishing to access this collection is strongly encouraged to contact Special Collections and Archives prior to a research visit.

Scope and content notes:

Digitized materials:

Selections from the collection have been scanned and are available on the library’s website. Complete links are given below, or you can access this material from the department’s homepage: http://library.missouristate.edu/archives/

 The Katherine Lederer Exhibit Collection o In1982 Dr. Katherine Lederer developed the exhibit "Springfield's Lost Black History." Featuring images from her own collection, as well as materials made available to her by the community, this collection grew to include copies of over 450 photographs, documents, and published pages. The exhibit collection was scanned in its entirety. http://digitalcollections.missouristate.edu/cdm4/browse.php?CISOROOT=/LedererExhibit

 Katherine Lederer Ozarks African American History Collection o This digital collection represents a sample of the materials in Dr. Lederer’s collection. It currently contains over 75 items. http://digitalcollections.missouristate.edu/cdm4/browse.php?CISOROOT=/Lederer  Dallas Bartley: Small Town Boy o An online exhibit focused on the career of noted jazz musician and composer. http://library.missouristate.edu/archives/exhibits/bartley/index.htm

Overview of the archival holdings (in no particular order):

 Dallas Bartley materials: o Two boxes of processed materials. A folder list is available.

 Oral history tapes: o Over twenty interviews conducted by Dr. Lederer. A list of interviewees is available, but there are no transcriptions nor do we know the topics discussed in the interviews.

 Photograph collection: o In addition to the digitized materials (noted above), there are several boxes of unorganized photographs. (Not all of these are identified.)

 Subject files: o Of the 2,000 file folders transferred from Dr. Lederer’s office after her death, only a portion of them relate to local history. A list of those folders is attached. o NOTES: . The value of these files has not been evaluated. Many of them contain little information or cryptic notes written by Dr. Lederer to aid in her research. . Some of these are local, but are not tied to African American history. (Dr. Lederer had many interests.)

 Audio/visual materials: o Includes three boxes of video tapes and cassette audio tapes that after quick review appear to relate to Dr. Lederer’s research interests.

 Other boxes of materials: o In addition to the above materials, there are 36 boxes of other potentially archival holdings. This is not all connected to Dr. Lederer’s research on African Americans. Much of it is related to her work as a faculty member. Because of this, some material is restricted until further review. o For more information on this material, speak with an archivist. Subject Folders (items of local interest) Box # Folder # Folder Heading 17 70 "Bible" from McCullough Family Records A1/56 12 74 "Black in Springfield" News-Leader Series, extra copies

12 82 "Blacks Urged to Update Strategy" Newleader July 19, 1981 (Clarence Thomas) 19 173 "Campbell Street" Article from Springfield! (no date) 13 87 "Drury Contained Future NBA Superstar Pippen 18 66 "East End" Houses - Pics A37

13 12 "Friends and Neighbors: Our Community in Photos" Spfd-Greene Co. History Museum 18 100 "Greene County Courts" History 13 45 "Guests" Log Book- Photocopy

13 19 "Hidden Treasures Uncovering Our Ethnic Heritage" 03/1999 - St. Louis 13 10 "History to Go: Takeout Menu" Missouri Historical Society 12 63 "Indian Annie" 10 34 "Indian Annie" Correspondence 2000

12 58 "Inherently Unequal" Segregated Education in Central Mo (Exhibit in Jeff. City 2001) "Intellectual Access to the Katherine G. Lederer Collection of Ozarks African-American 4 6 History" Project Submission

17 46 "Kiwanis Minstrel and Dance" Annual Benefit Show Programs: 1947,1948,1949 A1/26 19 140 "Mary Collette" Article from Springfield! (no date)

12 39 "Mining Missouri's Black History" St. Louis Post Dispatch 06/17/2001 13 91 "Mom" - poem by Shemeka Hopkins

12 106 "My Old Man's a White Old Man" Black Women Search for their Root" by KL

"NAACP Says It Won't Give Up On Its Bid For Reparations" - St.Louis Dispatch 11/24/00 13 5 (Rosemary Stewart-Stafford Quoted) 22 46 "Old Lincoln" Lincoln Contains Drury Appeal to Voters

19 138 "Old Slave Cabin" Article - Restored to House Spinning Shop in 1960 21 60 "Park Day" -News leader 1989

"Sing It, Tell It" - Brochure - Media Arts and Education Project Celebrating African American 13 56 History, Culture and Community Building in Mo

18 93 "Slavery in Christian County" by Marcelene McLean and Joseph Weaver A18

13 18 "Slave's Rude Cabin Brings Life to Missouri's History" Wichita Eagle-Beacon 06/21/1987 13 58 "SMS Hopes to Enroll More Black Students from Springfield"

12 81 "Springfield's Black Community Celebrates 'Park Day'" Jefferson City Post Tribune 8/7/00