This collection showcases the rich legacies of HBCUs through ephemera and material objects, including maps, blueprints, audiovisual materials, newspaper articles, buttons, collectibles, memorabilia, clothing and accessories, scrapbooks, speeches, photographs, brochures, and posters.
Rochelle Carter, a student at Jackson State University at the time, talks about her experiences attending the Head Start program in Champaign, Illinois, in 1972.
Robert Rhodes III was born in Jackson and was a well known carpenter from doing work in the Farish Street District. He worked with his father, who owned a business in the district, until taking the business over for himself. He discusses his work during the Jim Crow Era and the difference in pay between white and Black carpenters.
In this interview, Texas Southern art alumnus Robert Pruitt discusses his time as an art student (1993-2000) and as an artist later on. During Pruitt’s time at TSU, he learned from Dr. Alvia J. Wardlaw and Professor Harvey Johnson, the latter of whom’s drawing classes were particularly influential on Pruitt and his practice. The artist also discusses his hopes for the future and his desire to create a body of work that speaks to the vitality of African Americans.
Robert Hoskins was a long time community activist, working with the NAACP and other organizations. He tells the story of working with the Harrison County Community Action Agency to help bring Harrison County its first Head Start program in 1965. Later, he became Area Administrator for Harrison County Head Start. Incomplete. Side B missing.
Rep. Robert G. Clark served in the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1968 to 2004. In the final interview of the series, Rep. Clark talks about isolated incidents and experiences he had as a legislator, including being appointed to the commission to handle the aftermath of Hurricane Camille and his decision to run for re-election in 1971.
Rep. Robert G. Clark served in the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1968 to 2004. In this interview, Rep. Clark fills in some holes from the previous interviews, including: the difficulty in starting a family and maintaining a business while being involved in politics and some pushback his campaign and election received.
Rep. Robert G. Clark served in the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1968 to 2004. Rep. Clark talks about his legislative career and the racism he faced. He also talks about the impact the Civil Rights Movement had on him winning the election and his introduction of bills to create holidays for Martin Luther King, Jr., and Medgar Evers.
Rep. Robert G. Clark served in the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1968 to 2004. In this interview, Rep. Clarks talks about his eyesight issues keeping him out of the U.S. military, even though he did want to serve. He also discusses his teaching career out of college and his decision to enter politics in the mid-1960's.
Rep. Robert G. Clark served in the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1968 to 2004. He was the first African-American member of the Mississippi Legislature since 1894. In this interview, Rep. Clark summarizes in detail his time at Jackson State College.
Rep. Robert G. Clark served in the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1968 to 2004. In this interview, Rep. Clark talks about his vocational education in agriculture he began after graduating the 8th grade. He also talks about playing basketball in high school and college even though his eyesight had begun to fail him.
Rep. Robert G. Clark served in the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1968 to 2004. In this interview, Rep. Clark talks about his childhood, his experiences in school up to 8th grade, and his membership at Pleasant Green Missionary Baptist Church. He also talks about interactions he had with white people when he was teenager.
Rep. Robert G. Clark served in the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1968 to 2004. In this interview, Rep. Clark talks about his childhood, his time at Jackson State College, and his time as a teacher. He talks about threats his campaign received but also the support he got from the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party.
Case Data and Exhibits for Brown III, a relitigation of Brown v. Topeka Board of Education (1954) that corrected resegregation issues caused by open enrollment school choice in 1992. Map includes state roads, county roads, township roads, and county, corporate limit, section line, and township boundaries.
Case Data and Exhibits for Brown III, a relitigation of Brown v. Topeka Board of Education (1954) that corrected resegregation issues caused by open enrollment school choice in 1992. The legend marks township boundaries; railroads; public institutions; national roads, state roads, and township roads; and indicates roads that have been improved.
In this interview, Texas Southern art alumnus Richard "Sunnyside" Williams discusses his experiences as a student who graduated in 1994. He learned from faculty like Biggers, Simms, and Vital, and cites classmates and fellow alumni Roy Vinson Thomas and Karl Hall as influences. Williams taught at Worthing High School for years after graduating.
A newspaper article from The Black Panther recounting several examples of the role Black women have played in the movement for Black liberation (date unknown). The article is credited to the Kansas City Chapter of Black Panther Party. A poem about Black women is also included in the article, author unknown.
Rev. Wendell P. Taylor became minister at Central Methodist Church in the Farish Street District in 1963 and was retired at the time of the interview. He talks about the district being prosperous for Black businesses at that time but that a decline has taken place since businesses have left. The transcript is heavily edited with handwritten notes.
Rev. Rims Barber came to Mississippi in 1964 to assist in the Civil Rights Movement. He talks about his work in the movement and Delta Ministry and about the connection between the Child Development Group of Mississippi (CDGM) and Delta Ministry in bringing Head Start to Mississippi through grassroots organizing and community development.
At the time of the interview, Rev. R.L.T. Smith was on the board of directors of Mississippi Action for Progress (MAP), which was part of his larger work within the community for people in need. He tells the story of how Head Start came to be in Mississippi.
Rev. Phillip Brown was a minister at Lynch Street C.M.E. Church from 1952-1953. The purpose of the interview was to learn about the function of the Lynch Street C.M.E. Church in the community. Rev. Brown talks about being a life-long member of the church since its inception. The transcript is edited with handwritten notes.
A red, green, and black button with an image of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King was a co-founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and remained its leader, and the most prominent leader of the Civil Rights Movement in the South, until his assassination in Memphis in 1968.
Rev. Horace L. Buckley was elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives in 1975 to a four year term. In the interview, he reflects on his time in politics and working with Robert Clark. He also discusses what made him run for a representative seat as a pastor, and the connections he made within the church community and the legislature.
Hickman M. Johnson came to Jackson in 1967 and had just finished his 10th year as pastor of Farish Street Baptist Church. He talks about the civil rights activist spirit that existed there in 1967. He goes on to discuss the deterioration of the district and discusses his ideas about how to revitalize the area. Transcript contains handwritten edits.
Rev. George Thomas was a pastor at a church in Terry, Mississippi, and also worked as a contractor and carpenter. He possessed several plans from early buildings which he built in the Farish Street District. He talks about the construction of new roads and buildings as Jackson converted from dirt roads and horses to a more metropolitan space.
Rev. George Jones was born in 1903 in Hermanville, Mississippi. He says the “Good Old Days” was the time about 40 years ago when he enjoyed baseball games and the fashions of the time. He talks about his education and his career as a teacher and principal, eventually moving to the Jackson area to teach. The transcript contains handwritten edits.
Rev. Coleman Turner was a Methodist minister and became involved with the Child Development Group of Mississippi (CDGM) through his ministry. He talks about his time as a member of the CDGM board and becoming the chairman of the board later.
A newspaper article from The Star Ledger about the defense team for Assata Shakur (JoAnne Chesimard), on trial for the 1973 killing of a state trooper, being denied calling an extra ballistics witness by the judge. The prosecution contended the witness was not valid since the defense team missed the cutoff date to add witnesses to their list.
Rep. Thomas Lamar Woods served in the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1988–2012. Robert Clark eventually appointed him to the Ways and Means committee. Rep. Woods discusses his district’s makeup, bills he supported with Robert Clark, and Clark’s famous fox hunts.