African American businesspeople

Scope and Content Note

The A.E. Warner collection covers mostly his career in sales and various other ventures from 1935-1984. Materials within the collection include an autobiography, business organization papers, copies of sales awards, correspondence, state employment agency licenses, newspaper clippings, photographs, and a sales tax permit.

Scope and Contents

The Barbara Joe Jones Ellison Collection houses the personal paper of Barbara Joe Ellsion. This collection, which dates from 1974 to 2007, contains a Houston Police Department yearbook, funeral program, and newsletter. This small colelction give a glimple into the life of black women in the police field.

Scope and Contents This collection document the career and family life of Bertron Jackson, the editor and publisher of the Galveston Examiner, president of Houston National Association of Industrial Labor for Colored People, President of Goldsound Recording Studio and Dance Band, founder of the First Universal Church of Christ Astrology and author. It contains legal documents, newspapers, photos, real estate deals, business licenses, essays, literary writings, legal records, programs and...

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...

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 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 Franklin Beauty School Collection records consist of many different types of documents from the operation of the beauty school. These include student registration forms, the Franklin Beauty School's publications and flyers, correspondence relating to students, payroll records, taxes and business records. There are also records relating to agencies and organizations auxiliary to The Franklin Beauty School, but were important to the school's practice. Documents were retained from trade...

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 Houston Business and Professional Men's Club Collection houses the records of the organization. This collection, which dates from 1948 to 2006 contains materials that documents its founding, strategic operations, and membership throughtout its history. Materials include constitution and by-laws, past presidents, committee duties, parliamentary procudures, meeting formats, financial reports, member biographies, annual banquet programs and honorees, membership directories, mailing lists,...

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. ...

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 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....