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AACR Newsletter AACR Newsletter Archivists and Archives of Color Roundtable Vol. 28, No. 1 October 2013 Research on African American women's papers at Emory supported by NHPRC grant by Sarah Quigley, Emory University Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library Collections of personal papers documenting The project, entitled “Revealing Her Story: African American women writers, musicians and Documenting African American Women artists held by Emory University's Manuscript, Intellectuals,” will help make available Archives and Rare Book Library (MARBL) will be material that has been largely inaccessible to processed and available for researchers, thanks to a scholars and the public. Once fully processed, $126,976 grant from the National Historical the papers will reveal not only the creative Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC). processes employed by each woman, but also the extensive personal relationships and The grant will allow MARBL to hire a professional professional networks that influenced and archivist who will work for two years to arrange and shaped her life. describe nine different collections, which will then be available for research. The collections include correspondence, writings and compositions, photographs, audiovisual and printed material, and Portrait of May Miller, undated. May Miller Papers, other papers chronicling the lives and creative MARBL, Emory University endeavors of African American women intellectuals in the 20th century. Inside this issue (MARBL continued on p. 4) 1. Emory University receives national grant 7. David C. Driskell papers made accessible 2. Letter from the chair 8. IMLS grant program spotlighted 3. Roundtable task forces announced 9. A historic church’s archives highlighted 4. Archivist to explore university’s slavery past 11. Updates from the Dance Theatre of Harlem 5. An archivist’s quest to capture her family’s history 12. Book review Page Senior Co-Chair’s Letter by Derek T. Mosley Ernest J. Gaines Center, University of Louisiana at Lafayette AAC Roundtable leaders at the 2013 SAA conference in New Orleans. Greetings Archivists and Archives of Color From left: Derek T. Mosley, Steven D. Booth, Roundtable: Stacie Williams, Harrison W. Inefuku ———————————————————— I am grateful to serve the roundtable over the next year as chair. I am pleased to The final task force that is being announce some of the items that I would implemented this year is a nominating like to address during my tenure. Over the task force that will work to nominate past few years, the leadership has worked roundtable members and institutions to advocate and promote archives of color. for SAA awards. Last year, the I want to continue that initiative and have nominations team successfully wrote created a task force to oversee and make nominations for a fellow and the sure that we are on the frontlines of issues distinguished service award and I hope that arise. You can view a list of all task that we can continue to highlight our force members later in this issue. membership and institutions. The roundtable is looking toward a very engaging and active year. I In the member survey done this summer, welcome the new vice chair, Gabrielle one major theme was the history of the Dudley from Emory University, roundtable and how we preserve and newsletter editor, Raegan Stearns promote it. To address that, we have from Southern University-Shreveport another task force that has members from and returning webmaster, Harrison the past and present. They hope to Inefuku from Iowa State University. If accurately document the history via oral you have any concerns, suggestions or interviews and research. The officers are ideas, feel free to contact me. This is very excited about this task force and our roundtable and we must continue cannot wait to see the results. to work toward excellence. Page 2 Editor’s Note... Congratulations... The 2013-14 by Raegan C. Stearns AAC Roundtable Task Force! Happy Archives Month! I want to thank History Task Force: the roundtable members for your enthusiastic response to the recent call Rebecca Hankins, Texas A&M University (chair) for content for this issue of the Barrye Brown, University of North Carolina newsletter. It is apparent from the items at Chapel Hill submitted that you do a vital and E. Evan Echols, University of Delaware fantastic work! Jameatris Rimkus, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign A special thank you is also extended to Denise Villegas, Los Angeles County Erica Hubbard and Mark Isaksen of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Red River Sankofa Project and the (LACMTA) Research Library and Archive Institute of Museum and Library Services, respectively, for their contributions. Just Nominating Task Force: in time for National Family History Month, Jarrett Drake, University of Michigan (chair) Ms. Hubbard recounts how her quest to Natalia Fernandez, Oregon State learn more about her family resulted in University , University of Delaware the creation of a public genealogy Tammi Kim resource. Outreach & Advocacy Task Force: Mr. Isaksen’s article highlighting a grant , New Orleans Public opportunity was submitted against the LaToya Devezin Library (chair) backdrop of the United States Aisha Johnson, Fisk University government shutdown, and at the time Berlin Loa, Casa Grande Valley Historical of this writing, the IMLS is closed. I send Society encouraging thoughts to roundtable Lisa Cruces Welty, University of Notre members who are likewise affected. Dame Social Media Coordinator: Again, thank you and happy reading! Ardra Whitney, Avery Research Center Page 3 (MARBL from p. 1) The collections are of potential benefit to Geneva Southall papers: Southall (1925-2004) was an award-winning musician, educator and author. The first numerous researchers, including scholars woman to earn a PhD in piano performance from the from the fields of African American studies; University of Iowa, she taught at both the University of American history and literature; women's, South Carolina and the University of Minnesota and published multiple books on the African American gender and sexuality studies; art history; film musician and former slave “Blind Tom” Moore. history; and music. Access to these Mildred Thompson papers: Thompson (1935-2003) was collections will encourage interdisciplinary an artist, writer and editor whose work was heavily studies, since the work of these nine women influenced by her readings in spiritualism, metaphysics and often transcended disciplinary boundaries. astronomy. Her artwork forms part of the permanent collections of such prestigious institutions as the About the collections Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Pearl Cleage papers: Cleage (1948-) is a noted novelist, playwright and activist. Sarah Wright papers: Wright (1928-2009) was a poet and novelist, perhaps best known for her critically acclaimed Delilah Jackson papers: Jackson (1928-2013) was a 1969 novel “This Child's Gonna Live,” which explores the scholar and filmmaker who specialized in the history lives of an African American woman and her family in of African American entertainment. Maryland during the Great Depression. Samella Lewis papers: Lewis (1924-) is an artist, educator, filmmaker and author. She is the founder of the International Review of African American Art Professor Ervin L. Jordan, Jr., a journal and the Museum of African American Art in thirty-four year employee and Los Angeles. research archivist at the Almena Lomax papers: Lomax (1915-2011) was an University of Virginia’s Albert and author, newspaper publisher and activist. She co- Shirley Small Special Collections founded the Los Angeles Tribune with her husband Library and SAA member since Lucius Lomax in 1941, and served as co-publisher, 1980, has been appointed by UVA editor and reporter until 1960. President Teresa A. Sullivan to the President’s Commission on May Miller papers: Miller (1899-1995) was an Slavery and the University. author, playwright and educator. She published her first play, “The Bog Guide,” in 1925, subsequently becoming the most-published female playwright of This “newly-formed 27-member commission will explore the Harlem Renaissance. the University of Virginia’s historical relationship with Undine Smith Moore papers: Moore (1904-1989) slavery and provide input on how the University should was a composer and educator, prolific throughout address this legacy including the creation of a memorial the early and mid-20th century. She was the first on Grounds to commemorate the history of slavery at graduate of Fisk University to receive a scholarship the University of Virginia and will also explore other to Juilliard. opportunities for commemoration on Grounds and in the community.” Page 4 That method later transitioned to many trips to Passion unfolded local & state libraries, repositories, and eventually led me to county courthouses across three states. by Erica Hubbard, My courthouse trips expanded into graveyard hunts that eventually led me to a huge ‘Aha Houston Community College Central moment’. While in the midst of this crusade to uncover my family’s history, my passion was Back in 2004, sitting at my aunt’s house in discovered and three years later earned me a Houston, TX, the topic of her grandfather came Master’s Degree in Library Information Science up, someone she hardly ever spoke about. I’d with a concentration in Archives and Manuscripts heard about him through other family members from Drexel University. but nothing really
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