African Americans -- Texas -- Houston

Scope and Contents

The African American Heritage Museum of Houston Collection is comprised of programs, brochures, photographs, and slides that document their inaugural opening on September 1, 1988.

Scope and Contents This collection gathered from many sources, is composed of an assortment of material having to do with the history of Black Houstonians and Texans. Some of the items into were donated to the research center individually, while other were part of a larger body of donated materials that bore no direct historical relation. Thus except for the it singular focus on Black Americans, this collection is truly miscellaneous. Some of the major topics are local churches, politics and campaign...

Scope and Contents

The Barbara Jordan collection contains materials that highlights the life and legacy of Jordan’s work and political career. This collection, which dates from 1963 to 2011, consists of photographs, programs, newspaper clippings, flyers and various souvenir and memorabilia materials.

Content Description The Black Music in Houston Collection contains newspaper articles, programs, correspondence, and photographs of African American musicians and musical activity in Houston during the 1980s. Most materials are newspaper clippings and photographs of local musicians. While the content of the collection mostly focuses on the music styles jazz and blues, it also contains items about fashion, theater, personal interviews, poets, biography, performance profiles, cowboys’ painters, black baseball,...

Content Description This collection is composed of mostly photographic images having to do with African Americans in the Houston area from 1896 to 1968. Some of the items were donated individually, and the donor and record of ownership is unknown. Except for its singular focus on images of African Americans this collection is miscellaneous. Several of the photographs are of Jack Johnson, the first African American world heavyweight boxing champion and a Juneteenth Parade float. Some images are tintypes of...

Scope and Contents The C. W. Rice Family & Negro Labor News Collection contains Mr. Rice's personal and professional correspondence as well as some of his financial records and photographs. Some significant topics represented in these files are black employment and labor activities and local communist activities. Additionally, it contains the most complete run of the Negro Labor News newspaper known to exist. Materials are dated from 1919 to 1976 with the majority of the items from the 1940s to the...

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The Dr. Gladys Forde Papers documents the activities of the Forde Family members Dr. George Patrick Alfonso Forde, Adelaide Fullmighter Forde, and Dr. Gladys Inez Forde from 1913 to 2009. This collection includes awards and certificates, photographs, correspondence, newspaper clippings, obituaries for family and friends, funeral programs, publications related to African American history, vinyl records, and artwork.

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The Elbert Howze collection contains newspaper articles, photographs, drawings, and his “Fourth Ward” photography book. The contents of the collection primarily focuses on structures, people, and life in Fourth Ward Houston during the 1980s.

Content Description

The collection is comprised of black and white photographs of African Americans that date from 1933 through 1976. Photographs include the Terry family, along with relatives and friends in Terry's Grocery Market, the Pentecostal Missionary Baptist Church, the Terry family residence, Jack Yates High School, Harris County Court House, and several residential and community areas in Sunnyside. The collection includes photo identification sheets of descriptions of photographs.

Scope and Contents From the Collection:

The Rodney L. Griffin collection contains personal materials, which date from 1961 to 2009, that chronicle his experiences in the first desegregated Houston high school chess tournament in the 1960s. This collection consists of newspaper articles, photographs, and an election flyer. Researchers interested in urban high school clubs and activities after desegregation will find this a valuable resource.

Scope and Contents The Eliza Johnson Home for Aged Negroes Collection documents the history and activities of the Eliza Johnson Home for Aged Negroes and consists of organizational records, patient records, newspaper clippings, and photographs from approximately 1949 to 1983. This collection contains meeting minutes, financial documents, correspondence, brochures, event programs, directories, newspaper clippings, charter, incorporation papers, land deed, constitution, by-laws, a State of Texas Official...

Scope and Contents This collection documents the Harrison Family of Houston, Texas from 1880 to 1980. Most materials relate to the activities of Edwin Harrison, a civic and community leader, from 1939 to 1980. It contains personal materials including biographical materials, vital records, education records, political materials and materials documenting his time as a Scout Executive of the Sam Houston Area Council and as minister at the United Methodist Church.Materials are largely textual,...

Scope and Contents This collection contains the written and photographic records of a family of Black Houstonians who were active in civic affairs from the 1930s to the 1980s. Materials document their involvment in several social clubs and in civic clubs with meeting minutes and correspondence for Fidelity Park Civic Club and Clinton Park Civic Club. Also includes several phonographic records. Both the photographic and documentary portions of the collection will be of interest to those researching the...

Scope and Contents This collection is composed of 59 photographs of African-Americans dating from 1885 to 1979, which feature members of the Collins, Gay, Ligons, Johnson, and Williams families, as well as their relatives and friends, who were farmers, teachers, railroad employees, and active churchgoers. The images are set in Houston, as well as the counties of Houston, Willard, and Trinity. The photographs are both studio and snapshot portraits and include a few tintypes and silver gelatin prints. ...

Scope and Contents

This small collection contains information on the life of Jubal L. Taylor, a Houston resident and employee of the railway mail service in the 1930s. The collection contains news clippings, land records, and various family materials including a WWI draft card.

Scope and Contents The Judson Robinson, Jr. Collection documents the professional and family life of Judson Robinson, Jr. and the Robinson family of Houston, Texas. This collection, which dates from 1941 to 2012, includes correspondence, city planning reports, bids, motions, campaign related materials. The bulk of the materials relate to Judson Robinson, Jr.’s election to the Houston City Council in 1971 and the activities of Judson Robinson during his tenure on city council. Newspapers and clippings...

Scope and Contents

The Judson Robinson Sr. Family Collection consists mostly of photographs and a few newsclippings documenting activities of the Y.M.C.A. during the 1950's and into the 1970's.

Scope and Contents The Linda Austin Collection houses the personal papers of Linda Austin. This collection, which dates from 1944 to 2009, contains personal materials related to her parents which included materials related to her mother’s graduation from the Franklin Beauty School in 1944, and her father’s Driver License from the 1940s and 1950s. Additionally it includes materials associated with his membership in the fraternal order of the Eastern Star. There are also news clippings, programs, photographs...

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The Oyra Chyra Gibbs collection contains papers collected as a part of the community outreach program. This small collection, which dates from 1953 to 2003, contains biographies on Barbara Jordan, black cowboys, and black women in the west. It also contains newspaper clippings on African Americans in Houston. This collection is relevant to the black women in Texas and the black life in Houston.

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This collection consists primarily of the papers of Rev. Moses L. Price and those of the organizations with which he was affiliate during the 1920s to 1980s. Materials consist of correspondence, sermons, writings, biographical text, records that reflect some activities of Greater Zion Missionary Baptist Church, clippings, phonographic records, and photographs. It contains an incomplete run of the (Houston) Globe Advocate from 1970-1984.

Scope and Contents The Rollins Jewelry Collection houses the business records of Rollins Jewelry from 1943 to 2010. This collection contains administrative and business records, meeting minutes and notes, By-laws and articles, newspaper clippings, correspondence to Frank from various community leaders, business owners and customers. Also includes awards from various organizations he held membership in, programs from St. Mary of the Purification Catholic Church, and various sports related and church ephemera....

Content Description

The Sargent Roy & Tracy Cosey Collection contains several artifacts including a identification card from 1933, a dog tag and name badge from the Harris County Sheriff's Department. This small collection, documents the existence and role of black law enforcement in the Houston area.

Scope and Contents

This collection, donated by Mrs. Crawford, provides researchers with a good cross-section of historical materials, including correspondence, photographs, press clippings and organizational records which will be of special value to those with an interest in black history, as well as women's history and the history of religion in Houston.

Scope and Contents The collection consists of 118 photographs offering a visual portrait of several generations of a family of black Houstonians from the late nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century. It includes images of family members at home, school, work, and play. Many of the photographs are set in the vicinity of the family home at 3401 Ennis Street in Houston’s Third Ward, although a few are from California, Kansas City, France, and elsewhere. Chester Thompson, Sr., Leona Rasmus Thompson, Chester...

Scope and Contents

The Velma M. Johnson Collection consists of a book entitled New-World Speller and an Uncle Tom's Cabin Log pencil. Series I: School Materials (1920), contains New-World Speller Book, by Julia H. Wohlfarth and Lilian Emily Rogers and Uncle Tom's Cabin log pencil.

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The Wells Sessums Family Collection contains materials relating specifically to Cameron Wells Jr. and Cameron Wells, Sr. participation within the Boys Scouts. This collection, dated from 1919 to 1945, contains annual charter certificates, family photographs, correspondence, and miscellaneous items and memorabilia. The collection is small and not comprehensive but provides a glimpse into what being a Boy Scout was like for African American children during the time of segregation in Texas.