#TheDailyRecord Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference

How can archival documents help us learn more about the sequence of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s voter registration campaigns and the role of Dr. Martin Luther King in mobilizing donors to fund the movement?  In a 1962-1963 fundraising letter in the George A. Singleton Special Collection at Payne, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. writes on behalf of Southern Christian Leadership Conference, “I am Martin Luther King, Jr. I want to tell you about the secret weapon that may win the battle for human dignity in the South”.

 In this particular letter King uses the election of a “Negro” to the Georgia Senate, the first in 92 years to persuade donors to that they are in a crucial moment, “When you write your write your check you write history”. Another digitized letter dated March 1963, from the University of Kentucky containing much of the same message excludes the paragraph about the election the to the George Senate and instead emphasizes that “more than 40,000 Negro voters were added to the registration roles last year”. Which was written first? What’s the purpose of including the Georgia contests? Are there different audiences? How stylistic features different (personal address, built in return envelope, hand signed rather than mass generated signature)? Explore the differences between the two letters by visiting: http://nyx.uky.edu/dips/xt7j0z70xm3d/data/2012ua022/2012ua022_1/82805/82805.pdf

#TheDailyRecord Vinyl in the Archive

Not just old papers! The archives also are home to a number of multimedia formats including long play albums popularly known as vinyl records. A.M.E.’s have been recording their regular meetings since the organization of the denomination. Pioneers in Protest: A Civil Rights Documentary is a recording of the May 1964 General Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio keynoted by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Excerpts from his appearance are included along with commentary from Roy Wilkins, Executive Secretary, NAACP, A. Phillip Randolph, Pres. Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, and Daisy Bates, Little Rock, Arkansas-School Protest Leader. 

Partners in Mission, is an album of the 16^th District Youth Convention and Welcome Meetings for the Connectional Y.P.D. Board Meeting of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. General Conference 1976 is double album featuring a collage and sticker based legend for identifying Bishops and General Officers. 

#TheDailyRecord Women of Agency: The Bishops’ Wives

Rarely are archival photographs accompanied by text identifying the names and titles of those pictured. Researchers are required to do their own investigation into the time period often based on the quality of the photo, the dress of those featured, and any identifying features in the background of the frame. The Wives of the Bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church at the General Conference, Columbus, Ohio, May 1900 bucks the norm. Neatly tucked into the clear polypropylene sheet protecting the photograph are two typed pages listing the women in the order of their seating arrangement along with a short bio for detailing her work beyond the title of “wife”. Who is responsible for the preserving the photo and bios? Who wrote the bios? Did the Bishops Wives provide information to the author? Aren’t you glad we have the opportunity to read them?

Seated Left to Right:
MARY FRISBY HANDY-The second wife of Bishop James A. Handy whom she married in 1886; born in Baltimore, a tailor’ was widowed before she was married to the President Elder James A. Handy; served as President of the Women’s Parent Mite Missionary Society.

FLORIDA MORRIS GRANT- Born in Florida; Married to Bishop Abram Grant; sister to Louisa Rebecca Morris Armstrong Grant; President of the Women’s Parent Mite Missionary Society.

SARAH E. MILLER TANNER-Born on May 18, 1840 in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania’ educated at Avery College, and married to Bishop Benjamin T. Tanner in 1858; seven children among whom was the first black woman admitted to practice medicine in Alabama, Halle Tanner Dillon Johnson; famed artist, Henry O. Tanner; A.M.E. minister and missionary to South Africa, Carlton M. Tanner; charter member and Treasurer of the Women’s Parent Mite Missionary Society.

JULIA A. CAMPER GAINES-Wife of Bishop Wesley J. Gaines who she married on August 30, 1863; born probably in Georgia; described as “small in stature, a black but dignified woman…an efficient housekeeper”.

MARY LOUISE GORDON ARNETT-wife of Bishop Benjamin W. Arnett whom she married on May 25, 1858; an Ohio native; there were seven children two of whom were clergymen-Reverends Benjamin W. Arnett, Jr. and Henry Y. Arnett.

M.L. ASHE LEE-wife of Bishop Benjamin F. Lee; born in Alabama and the mother of four children.

PRISCILLA SMITH SALTER-Married to Bishop Moses B. Salter on September 2, 1874; a South Carolina native. In 1895 she along with Christine Shoecraft Smith called a national women’s convention in Nashville to “discuss questions of interest to the colored women and to obtain for them a better recognition in the councils of their church”. Mrs. Salter gave a paper on “Social Purity”

Standing from Left to Right:
MRS. MORRIS M. MOORE- widow of Bishop Morris M. Moore; according to a black female contemporary she was “one of Florida’s most prominent women, greatly beloved by the Florida brethren because of her worth and ability to together with her earnest and courageous work in whatever field she is called upon to labor for the Master (Jesus Christ)”.

MRS. EVANS TYREE-wife of Bishop Evans Tyree; their son Herman, became a minister.

CHRISTINE SHOECRAFT SMITH-second wife of Bishop Charles S. Smith whom she married in 1888; born in Muncie, Indiana; in Alabama she was vice president of the State Normal and Industrial School; active in the National Association of Colored Women; joined Priscilla Smith Salter in spearheading the national women’s convention in Nashville in 1895. Her son, Charles Jr., was an early black graduate of the University of Michigan.

LOUISA REBECCA MORRIS ARMSTRONG GRANT-born in Florida in 1852; sister of Florida Morris Grant; widow of Bishop Josiah H. Armstrong whom she married on May 15, 1870; she was widowed in 1898; wife of Bishop Abram Grant whom she married on October 23, 1902; she was widowed again worked as a matron at Wilberforce University in Ohio after the death of Bishop Armstrong.

LILLIAN M. DERRICK-wife of Bishop William B. Derrick; president of the Women’s Parent Mite Missionary Society; she died in 1907; the Lillian Derrick Institute which Bishop Derrick founded in South Africa was named in her honor.

HARRIED WAYMAN TURNER-widow of Bishop Alexander W. Wayman who died in1895; served as president of the Women’s Parent Mite Missionary Society from 1878 through 1883; became the third wife of Bishop Henry M. Turner in 1900.

ANNIE MARIE TAYLOR SHAFFER-wife of Bishop Cornelius T. Shaffer whom she married in 1870; born in Lexington, Kentucky; they were the parents of two daughters and one son; the son, Carl like Bishop Shaffer earned a M.D. degree.

FANNY M. JACKSON COPPIN-second wife of Bishop Levi J. Coppin whom she married in 1881; born a slave in Washington, D.C. in 1837; her aunt purchased her freedom; reared in Newport, Rhode Island where she attended the Rhode Island State Normal School; was graduated from Oberlin College in 1865 with the A.B. degree; Institute of Colored Youth in Philadelphia; in 1869 she became principal of the whole school; she retired in 1902; she was active with the National Association of Colored Women. She died on January 21, 1913.

#TheDailyRecord The Big Sea

Langston Hughes' autobiography, The Big Sea was released in 1940. Today's featured item is an autographed copy of this book that belonged to Dwight V. Kyle, an A.M.E. minister. It was signed 70 years ago today in celebration of Negro History Week. First observed in 1926, Negro History Week did not expand to a month long celebration until 1976.

#TheDailyRecord White House Correspondence

 In the world of Archives and Special Collections, Correspondence is distinguished from other documents by the fact that it is typically addressed to a specific individual or group, and is intended to be delivered by a third party. Examples include letters, email, postcards, and telegrams. The correspondence series in the George A. Singleton Collection includes exchanges with some very important organizations and people including The White House. The White House correspondence spans April-December 1939. On April 11, 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt penned a letter of “hearty congratulations on the happy occasion of the ninety-first anniversary of the establishment of the Christian Recorder”. The envelope containing the letter gives us a rare glimpse at formal White House stationary and the cost of postage during that time.

#TheDailyRecord NAACP's 50th Anniversary

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded on February 12, 1909. This newspaper article highlights a celebration of the NAACP's 50th anniversary, at which George A. Singleton would be speaking.

Referencing Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, and the NAACP, the article says, "By coincidence the birthdates of the three all fall on the same date, Feb. 12." Douglass's exact birth date, however, is actually unknown. The tendency to claim that it was the 12th likely has to do with the desire to draw connections between him and Lincoln. Regardless, this article shows us that many have used this day to celebrate the lives of both Lincoln and Douglass, as well as the founding of the NAACP.

#TheDailyRecord The Deaconess Manual of the AME Church 1902,

The Deaconess Manual of the AME Church 1902, recounts the history Women’s Ministry in the AME Church. The Dorcas Society was organized in 1824 by Sarah Allen, wife of Richard Allen. Sarah was unhappy because of the shabby appearance of the ministers who attended the Annual Conference to give their reports, etc. She wanted them to look more adequately dressed. So, she sought other women to help her mend the preacher’s clothes. The organization lasted only a few years and became inactive. On February 17, 1874, the editor of the Christian Recorder, Rev. Benjamin T. Tanner wrote an open letter to the women of the AME Church posing the question: “What are the women doing?” It was suggested that a Women’s Missionary Society should be organized. On August 11, 1874, at Bethel AME Church in Pennsylvania, the Women’s Parent Mite Society was organized.

See the manual for yourself: https://archive.org/details/deaconessmanualo00gran

#TheDailyRecord the Forcean at Wilberforce University

It is evident from the cover of this 1973 edition of the Forcean that students were committed to capturing the spirit of the times.  An interesting thing to take notice of in this 1973 volume where most of the persons pictured are rocking larger than life afros, is how they are photographed. The photographer must have been forced to zoom out farther than traditional portraits to capture the full hairstyle. The Ransom archive has a small run of Wilberforce University and Central State University yearbooks.

#TheDailyRecord Payne Asks "What Ought to be the Character of a Theological Seminary?"

Bishop Daniel Alexander Payne asked “What Ought to be the Character of a Theological Seminary?” Read his answer on page 11 of The Payne Theological Seminary Catalogue 1893-1894 https://archive.org/details/paynetheological00unse_3 

 

#TheDailyRecord February 5, 2016

In this October 1909 edition of The AME Church Review, Mr. W.C. Bolivar shows documents the history of the convention movement where free and fugitive Blacks came to together in state, national and religious conventions to strategize about racial uplift. Read "Early Conventions and Their Influence on Promoting Social Efficiency among Negroes" on pg. 159 https://archive.org/details/amechurchreviewo00keal 

Read more about Colored Conventions here: http://coloredconventions.org/conventions

#TheDailyRecord February 4, 2016

Early AME ministers were better travelled than you think. See for yourself  (pictures of a number of programs showing preaching schedules for George A. Singleton: Sonya) Learn more about African American travel in this interactive exhibit about The Green Book, a travel guide published between 1936 and 1966 that listed hotels, restaurants, bars, gas stations, etc. where Black travelers were welcome. http://publicdomain.nypl.org/greenbook-map/

#TheDailyRecord February 3, 2016

Bishop Reverdy C. Ransom 

Cover of printed Eulogy

There is a rich tradition of eulogizing our African American heroes by delivering powerful, expressive sermons about their impact. A good eulogy will make you cry, laugh, and shout hallelujah. Think of Today Bishop Joseph A. Gomez marked the passing of the Great Prevailer Reverdy C. Ransom with these moving words: https://archive.org/details/eulogyforgreatpr00gome

Photograph of Bisho Gomez as seen on book cover
In Darkness with God: The Life of Joseph Gomez, a Bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church 

#TheDailyRecord February 2, 2016

The 1880 publication, The Life, Experience, and Gospel Labors of the Rt. Rev. Richard Allen, to which is annexed the rise and progress of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States of America. Containing a narrative of yellow fever in the year of our Lord 1793. With an address to the people of color in the United States, offers an autobiographical reflection of Richard Allen, the founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the denomination’s first Bishop. Richard Allen’s legacy will be celebrated along with Mother Bethel AME’s bicentennial year today in the latest of the release of the U.S. Postal Service’s Black Heritage Commemorative Series with a stamp barring his image.

Read the digitized version of Richard Allen’s autobiography here: https://archive.org/details/lifeexperiencego1880alle

To purchase the Commemorative Stamp visit:                   https://about.usps.com/postalbulletin/2016/pb22433/html/info_011.htm

In Celebration of Black History Month: The DailyRecord at Payne Theological Seminary #TheDailyRecord

In celebration of Black History Month, The Ransom Library at Payne Theological Seminary is pulling items from the archive. These glimpses into the unique collection at Payne will henceforth be filed as "The Daily Record" #thedailyrecord

February 1, 2016

Epic Scrapbooking! Ethie Ruth Singleton wife of George A. Singleton, long time editor of A.M.E. Church Review and elected editor of the denomination journal (Singleton Special Collection housed at Ransom Library) was a mean scrap- booker and historian in her own right. The Wilberforce Alum can be seen in this circa 1918 sepia toned photo, where she is leaning on a windowsill. The back of the photo reads “Ettie R. Singleton, a student at Wilberforce University”. Between the black felt paper pages of Mrs. Singletons’ scrapbooks we find incredibly well staged and candid photographs of Wilberforce University students, postcards from members of the Singleton family, and collages of unidentified people the Singleton met throughout their many years of travel and work in the AME Church. Some photographs appear to be captioned with white text before their development. We think black ink was used on the negatives.

                                      

George A. Singleton pictured in Upper Left 

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Epic Scrapbook page

Ettie at Wilberforce University