African American families -- Texas -- Houston

Scope and Content

The Burns Family Collection contains personal papers of the Burns family of Houston, Texas. This collection, which dates from 1955 to 2009, consists of funeral programs, school programs, and ephemera of individuals and places that had special meaning to the family.

Scope and Contents

The Catchings Family Collection houses a self-published manuscript of family history and biographies of the Catching Family of Houston, Texas. The manuscript, compiled by family historian Harold Clayton Catchings, traces the family history from the days of slavery to 2009. Also includes a computer disk with additional family history through 2014.

Scope and Content

The collection houses the personal papers of C.F. Smith and Eve Hortense Smith. This collection, which dates from 1922 to 2008, consists of printed materials, photos, news clippings, personal ephemera, and awards related to their life. These materials provide a glimpse into their early lives together and Smith family history.

Scope and Contents

The Dirden Family Collection, is composed primarily of materials collected by Deborah and Willie Dirden that document the theatrical activities on Broadway, off-Broadway, regional theater and filmography of Brandon Dirden, Jason Dirden, and Crystal Dickinson Dirden from 1995 to present. The collection contains autographed playbills, photographs, news clippings, a magazine, autographed theater tickets, and calendars.

Scope and Contents

The Elizabeth Montgomery Photo Collection is comprised of fifteen scanned images. Each of the images scanned were assigned a unique identifier number and scanned in numerical order based on the numbers given. The scanned images are stored digitally at the Gregory School. The collection consists of images of a Douglas Elementary music class, Franklin Beauty School Graduates, and family photos.

Content Description

The Elmore and Mae P. Randle Collection consists of a photograph of Randles' Unisex Salon in Fifth Ward Houston and a poem about Elmore Randle.

Content Description This collection documents the personal and professional activities of siblings Hazel Hainsworth Young and Robert Hainsworth from the 1900s to 1997. It contains materials on the Alpha Kappa Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority started by Hazel and legal materials and supreme court cases handled by Robert. Materials are largely textual, comprising newspaper clippings, awards, newsletter, correspondence, newsletters, and related printed matter. Photographs are mostly of the Hainsworth...

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 Content

This collection consists of 229 black and white photographs and biographical materials. Photographs depict the Taylor family and home life in Houston, Boley, Oklahoma and Hot Springs, Arkansas from 1914 to 1997. This collection provides a glimpse into black family life and during the early 20th century. Most images are related to James and Josie’s life in Houston, but several are of Hilliard’s success after migration.

Scope and Contents The Dr. John W. Davis, Jr. and Mrs. Martha Sneed Davis Family Collection consists of professional and some family papers of John Davis, Jr., Martha Sneed Davis, and Algenitia Scott Davis from 1940 to 2003. This collection contains news clippings, event programs, a funeral program, publications, committee reports, meeting minutes, video recordings of Old Colored High School alumni, correspondence, photographs, certificates, a family history, articles about Heman Sweatt, and 2 scrapbooks. ...

Content Description

Materials in the Lorenzo Williams Photograph Collection are largely photographic in nature, but does contain some correspondence and news clippings. This collection consists of 49 photographs, one is a tin type, presumably of relatives of Lorenzo Williams during the early to mid-twentieth century. Photographs are mostly of individuals that depict military service, graduation and the daily life during the twentieth century.

Scope and Contents From the Collection:

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.

Scope and Contents From the Collection:

The Hugh and Versie Shelton Collection contains the personal papers of Versie Shelton. This collection,, which dates from 1906 to 2004, consists of correspondence between Rita Shelton and here parent and correspondonce from Adelphi College. Photographs showcase the intimate family bond and acheivements of the Shelton family. Most of the collection pertains to information relating to the community involvement, relationships and accomplishments of the Shelton family.

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of photocopies of original family photos, correspondence, clippings, printed materials, an autobiography of Rupert Orlando Roett and a studio portrait of Dr. Catherine Roett dating from 1975-1988. The collection is not comprehensive but provides background on her family.

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...