PUBLIC "-//Arlington Public Library::Center for Local History//TEXT (US::ViAr::ViAr00011::A Guide to the Papers of Edmond C. Fleet, Collector, 1812-1984)//EN" "ViAr00011.xml" A Guide to the Papers of Edmond C. Fleet, Collector, 1812-1984 Fleet, Edmond C., The Papers of RG 11 Heather Crocetto Arlington Public Library, Center for Local History © 2020 Arlington Public Library, Center for Local History Machine-readable finding aid derived from MS Word, created by Gregory Pierce, 9 November 2020 Description is in English A Guide to the Papers of Edmond C. Fleet, Collector, 1812-1984 A Collection in Arlington Public Library, Center for Local History RG 11

Arlington Public Library, Center for Local History 2020 Arlington Public Library, Center for Local History Descriptive Summary Arlington Public Library, Center for Local History Papers of Edmond C. Fleet, Collector, 1812-1984 RG 11 4 boxes. English Fleet, Edmond C. (Edmond Claudius), Jr., 1902-1983 Administrative Information Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Papers of Edmond C. Fleet, Collector, Collection # RG 11, Arlington Public Library, Center for Local History

Acquisition Information

Gift of Alice West Fleet, wife of Edmond C. Fleet.

Biographical Information

Edmond C. Fleet (b. 1902, d. 1983) was an active member of the African American community in Arlington and the District of Columbia. A pastry chef by trade, Fleet was a Chairman of the Trustee Board of the Arlington Mt. Zion Baptist Church and President of the church men's club; Chairman, fundraiser, and co founder of the Veterans Memorial Branch YMCA, the first YMCA in Arlington County for African-Americans. Fleet was also active in the Odd Fellows, Elks, and Masonic lodges in Arlington County.

Scope and Content

RG 11 holds the personal and collected material of Edmond Fleet; it measures approximately 3 linear feet and covers the period from 1812 to 1984, although the bulk of the collection dates 1920-1980. There are 105 photographs in this collection.

Most of the materials arranged in this collection were generated and collected as a result of Edmond C. Fleet's involvement and membership in numerous Arlington County organizations. Thus, the bulk of the collection consists of scattered records of the following institutions: the Mt. Zion Baptist Church; the Arlington County Civic League; the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows, Stevens Lodge 1435; the Improved, Benevolent, and Protective Order of the Elks, Arlington Lodge 384, and the Veterans Memorial YMCA. Genealogical researchers will find lists of family names in the various dues registers of the lodges and church. Family names are also listed in the Odd Fellows, Stevens Lodge cemetery plots and the baptismal records of the Mt. Zion Baptist Church.

In addition to these records, researchers will find clippings and photographs which highlight social activities in the African American community in Arlington County. There are also a limited number of clippings which document the early history of the District of Columbia (1812 1860s). Of particular interest are newspaper clippings from The Virginia Arrow, a local African American newspaper which began publishing in 1946. This newspaper includes community events and issues, and features advertisements for local businesses owned by African Americans. Series 8, File 6, has copies of articles Fleet wrote for this newspaper. Series 8, File 9, contains a World War II ration book.

Series 8 also has photographs of Fleet's family and social activities, including a Chuck Robb fundraising event from the late 1970s at Fleet's home. Lady Bird Johnson was an attendee and is featured in several color photographs. There are also images of a tour of an unknown European city. The photographs in Series 7 show Fleet's bakery staff and creations for military and government parties and events.

Arrangement

Record Group 11 is arranged into seven series. Each series reflects a particular activity or association membership of Edmond C. Fleet; Series 7 contains information on Fleet's professional baking career and Series 8 contains personal and family material. Folders containing photographs have an asterisk [*] after the file name.

Adjunct Descriptive Data Related Material

For researchers interested in other church histories, including more information on Mt. Zion Baptist Church, RG 6, Arlington County Churches should be consulted. Researchers interested in the African American community in Arlington should consult RG 18, The Personal Papers of Barbara Marx which contains materials on school integration, RG 48, The Records of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Arlington Branch, RG 196, Syphax Family Collection, RG 328, Lomax AME Zion Church Records, and RG 348, Dorothea Hamm Papers.

Digital scans of the photographs in this collection can be found here.

Index Terms Subjects: African American life African American families. Grand United Order of Odd Fellows African American cooks Fleet, Edmond C. (Edmond Claudius), Jr., 1902-1983 Fleet, Alice West, 1909-2000 Johnson, Lady Bird, 1912-2007 United States. Department of the Navy. Medical Service Corps Arlington (Va.) Arlington County (Va.) Contents List Records of the Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Arlington Church Minutes, 1884-1938 1 Baptismal Record Book, 1946-1962 1 Dues Register, 1925-1931 1 Church Bulletins and Clipings, 1952-1983 1 Records of the Arlington Civic League Minutes, 1939-1946 1 Records of the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows, Stevens Lodge 1435 1870-1918 1 1870-1873 1 1930-1939 1 Minutes, 1889, 1890, 1898 2 Minutes, 1940 2 Membership Dues Register, 1925-1938 2 Membership Dues Register 1939-1964 2 Property Deed to GUOOF, 1884 2 Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1875 2 Circuit Court Complaint, Edmond C. Fleet v. Stevens Lodge 1435 Trustees, 1965 2 Odd Fellows Cemetery Names and Lot Numbers 2 Unidentified Dues Register 2 Unidentified Dues Register 2 Records of the Improved, Benevolent, and Protective Order of Elks, Arlington Lodge 384 Membership Applications, 1924-1925 2 Membership Applications, 1924-1925 2 Membership Applications, 1924-1926 2 Correspondence, 1923-1924 2 Minutes and Resolutions, 1923 3 Minutes and Resolutions, 1924 3 Minutes and Resolutions, 1924-1925 3 Minutes and Resolutions, 1926-1927 3 Special Committee Minutes, 1923-1924 3 Lodge Financial Accounts and Reports, 1923-1926 3 Dues, Receipts, and Petty Accounts, 1923-1927 3 Protests and Charges Against Members, 1924-1927 3 Miscellaneous Announcements for Social Events, 1923-1925, 1969 3 Lodge Burial List, n.d. 3 Member Memorial Tributes, n.d. 3 Edmond C. Fleet's Elk Appointments, 1928, 1943 3 Records of the Mason's Lodge #58 Minutes, 1906-1932 3 Membership Certificate, 1927 3 YMCA YMCA Brochure, 1962 3 YMCA Programs, 1984 3 Miscellaneous Photographs of YMCA Social Functions, ca. 1982 * 3 Bakery Career Miscellaneous Photographs, 1945-1965 , n.d.* 3 Personal and Family Affairs Personal and Family Photographs, 1884, 1936, 1963 * 3 Congressional Speech, Television Script, n.d. 3 Miscellaneous Collected Items, 1939, 1956, 1977 , n.d. 4 Clippings, District of Columbia, the District Medical Museum, Horse Racing, Black History, 1813-1880s 4 Copy of Clippings in File 4 4 Clippings, Arlington Black Community Events, 1940s-1970s 4 Issues of The Virginia Arrow, 1946, 1947 (OVERSIZE) 4 Clippings, Arlington County Community Events, 1946, 1960 4 Miscellaneous Family Papers, 1906-1974 4 Miscellaneous List of Names and Lot Numbers, unidentified 4 Photographs, 1960s-1980s * 4 Edmond C. Fleet's Obituaries, 1983 4