This collection contains folders with photographs of African-American individuals, families, and friends ranging from places like Richmond, Virginia to Chicago, Illionois.
Purchase.
Accessioned and minimally described in January 2010 Ute Schechter, Warren E. Burger Archivist. Fully processed by Phillip Nicholas Oct. 2014.
Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.
Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.
African American Family Photographs, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.
Photographs of an African-American family, circa 1880-1960, most likely of Richmond, Virgina. Included are snapshots, studio portraits and photo postcards of family members and also a postcard of the "Barracks of Colored Recruits, Camp Lee, Petersburg, Va." (addressed to Eliza Chatman, Richmond, Va.). Some photos are identified by first names or location. Names include Pearl, Russell, Constance, Berkley, Allen, Beverley Boxyem, Samuel, Mary, James, Horace, Sarah, Mother Booker, Julie, Lester Hall, Joe Bill Williams and Mildred. Locations in addition to Richmond, are Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Tappahannock, Va., Detroit, Michigan, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Pennyslvania. Subjects of photos include visiting relatives, returning from church, several people in military uniform, children playing, post cards, pictures of individuals, studio portraits and family photos.
This collection ID was previously Mss. Acc. 2009.606. 4/25/2018 K.King
Photographs of a woman referred to as "Mother Booker". Handwritten notations on the backs of the photos indicate she lived in Richmond, Virginia.
Handwritten notes on the photos indicate the photographs are of relatives in Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Detroit, Michigan.
Handwritten notes on the photos include the following information: an African American girl named Callie Washington shown with her teacher and class, L.A. City; a photo of a Caucasian woman named Mildred Loving from 1934; and a photo of a goat from a trip to the Zoo in Washington, D.C. Other identified names include Joe Bill Williams from 1957, Joy [Z.?] Kennedy, and Lester Hall.
This folder contains photos of a woman identified only as "Pearl". A handwritten note on the back of a photo places her location as Tappahannock, on the third day of April, 1948. Another mentions that she "just got home from church, St. John".
Handwritten notes on the photos identify the children primarily as Russell and Allen, presumably closely related as siblings or cousins. Some photos include other children identified as Constance and Berkely. A photo of "Julie and family" is included.
The folder contains photographs of African American people, likely family members, gathered in front of a building. The same building is featured in each photo and the arrangement is formal, suggesting a church or another special event.
The photos are of unknown African American women and children. On the back of one photo, a handwritten note identifies a woman as Eu[genia?] Washington Jones and included the notation, "Mt. Carmel". Photos of a baby from July 1959 are noted as Beverely Bowen. Other children remain unidentified.
The two photos depict unknown African American women in front of a house. No other identifying notations or features are present.