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.
Ms. Young worked at Smith Robertson School as a teacher and secretary for the principal from 1951 until the school’s closing in 1971. She talks about her time at the Smith Robertson School as a secretary and teacher and discusses how the property around the school had a negative effect on it.
An article from The News Tribune about the question of Friday recesses asked for by the defense because of the Muslim faith of Assata Shakur (JoAnne Chesimard), who was on trial for the 1973 killing of a state trooper. The question has been a feature of the trial and the defense, prosecution, and judge continue to argue over it.
A newspaper article from The News Tribune about a day long juryless court session where defense lawyers made numerous motions to dismiss the indictments against Assata Shakur (JoAnne Chesimard) who was on trial for the 1973 killing of a state trooper. The judge rejected these motions and the attorneys are scheduled to call witnesses that day.
Judge Houston Patton started with Child Development Group of Mississippi (CDGM) in 1965 as a Head Start administrator for Hinds, Madison, and Rankin counties in Mississippi. After attending law school, he worked from 1972 until 1979 with Head Start Legal Services in Jackson. He talks about these jobs including meetings, budgets, and personnel.
A newspaper article from The Star Ledger about Superior Court Judge Theodore Appleby ordering defense consultants, the National Jury Project, to stop making calls and contact related to the trial of Assata Shakur (JoAnne Chesimard) for the 1973 killing of a state trooper. Appleby said that the calls were approaching obstruction of justice.
Newspaper article from The News Tribune about Superior Court Judge Theodore Appleby barring the testimony of an FBI agent and senator. Chief defense attorney William Kunstler wanted to use the testimony to establish a police conspiracy against Black militants in the trial of Assata Shakur (JoAnne Chesimard) for the 1973 killing of a state trooper.
Josephine Tibbs was born in Jackson and moved to the Farish Street District in 1910. Mrs. Tibbs talks about her early school days at Smith Robertson School and her religious activities. She also talks about some of the businesses in the district and some of the Black doctors who practiced on Farish Street.
Johnny Palmer was appointed in 1980 as the first Black sergeant at arms at the Mississippi State Capitol. He had worked at the House as a maintenance and inventory supervisor since 1959. He details the challenges that Robert Clark faced and also talks about the dynamics that the presidents of the major Black colleges had with the House.
In this interview, Texas Southern art alumnus Johnetta Tinker discusses her experiences as a student in the class of 1972. As a student, she worked closely with Dr. Biggers and would sneak into his studio to watch him work. She recalls a strong sense of camaraderie with her classmates. After TSU, she was mentored by Boston artist Allen Crite.
A newspaper article from The Black Panther about the free breakfast program in New Haven, Connecticut. The first free breakfast program in New Haven began on October 8, 1969, and is named after John Huggins, a Black Panther originally from New Haven who was murdered on January 17, 1969, in Los Angeles, California.
A button with a black and white photo of John Carlos and Tommie Smith giving the Black Power salute at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, Mexico after winning bronze and gold medals, respectively, in the 200 meter running event. The salute is considered one of the most overtly political statements in the history of the modern Olympic Games.
This is a brochure for Davis’ senior art exhibition. The culmination of the Texas Southern art curriculum is a senior exhibition where students showcase artwork created over the course of their undergraduate studies. The brochure features a self-portrait of Davis, a brief biography, a catalog of the artwork featured in the exhibition, and a photo of one of his artworks.
A commentary on the conflict between technology and progress, history and culture, Davis painted this mural in response to the destruction of several Hannah Hall murals to create windows into a new computer lab. Davis’ own mural was later damaged by subsequent construction, as foreseen in its design.
This photograph shows, from left to right, Dr. John T. Biggers, Dr. Alvia J. Wardlaw, and Roy DeCarava. Wardlaw, the founder of the University Museum at Texas Southern, previously served as a curator at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, where in 1975 she organized the first retrospective of DeCarava’s photographs. Biggers and DeCarava were mutual admirers; DeCarava appreciated Biggers’ sense of African history, and Biggers praised DeCarava’s attention to the common man.
A newspaper article from The News Tribune about no-work action taken by around 170 employees of the Middlesex County Sheriff's Department over lagging contract negotiations. The missing officers are not expected to cause security issues at the Assata Shakur (JoAnne Chesimard) trial for the 1973 killing of a state trooper.
A newspaper article from The Afro-American about Lennox Hinds, president of the National Conference of Black Lawyers, speaking out against his critics for his support of Assata Shakur (JoAnne Chesimard), who was on trial for the 1973 killing of a state trooper, after being cited by The Ethics Committee of the Middlesex County Bar Association.
A newspaper article from The New Jersey Afro-American about Attorney Jerry Paul, whose appeal of contempt of court from his successful defense of Joanne Little in 1975 was denied by the 4th U.S. Court of Appeals. Little was the first woman in U.S. history to be acquitted for murder using the defense of using deadly force to resist sexual assault.
A newspaper article from the Daily News about the testimony of State Police Detective James Challender describing what he saw at the emergency room where Assata Shakur (JoAnne Chesimard) and wounded state trooper Werner Foerster were taken after he was fatally shot. Shakur was on trial for the 1973 murder of Foerster.
Jessie Jelks began work as a teacher with Head Start in 1967 and by 1979 had worked her way up to Education Special Services Specialist. She talks about the improvements and growth of Head Start since she first began working. At the time of the interview she was still working as Education Special Services Specialist.
This is a brochure for Sifuentes’ senior art exhibition. The culmination of the Texas Southern art curriculum is a senior exhibition where students showcase artwork created over the course of their undergraduate studies. The brochure features a brief biography, a catalog of the artwork featured in the exhibition, and photos of two of his paintings and several of his ceramics. Sifuentes later returned to TSU to teach pottery, ceramics, and sculpture classes.
Texas Southern art alumni Jesse Sifuentes and Earl Jones are pictured in this photograph from the mid 1970s. They are seen here in the ceramics room of the John T. Biggers Art Center, seated in the trash cans where clay was stored. Sifuentes later went on to teach ceramics at Texas Southern University.
Attorney Jess Brown moved to the Farish Street District in 1948. He talks about his education and his legal career. He discusses his recollections of businesses on Farish Street and the effect that integration had on them. He also talks about the Civil Rights Movement and the NAACP and some of the cases he was involved with as a lawyer.
Jerome Wyatt talks about his work at Head Start, primarily in Jones County, since starting in 1972. He discusses the economics of being employed there, community reaction to the program, and his vision for the future of Head Start. The transcript contains handwritten edits.
Jerome Wyatt started working at Head Start in Jones County, Mississippi, in 1972 as Area Director. Mr. Wyatt talks about his time working with Head Start, including the internal and external problems he had to deal with when coming into the job. He says that White politicians were actively working to take control over the program.
A black and green button for Jericho '98: Amnesty and freedom for all political prisoners. At the top of the button is a quote from Ho Chi Minh: "When the prison doors open the real dragon will fly out." Jericho 98 was a protest held in Washington, D.C. on March 27, 1998. The 5,000-7,000 attendees called for the release of all political prisoners.
In this photograph, Dr. John Biggers opens the door to Texas Southern's art building, which was dedicated as the John T. Biggers Art Center in 1995. Dallas-based artist Jean Lacy stands to the left of Dr. Biggers. Biggers founded the university's art department in 1949 and retired in 1983.
A newspaper article from The Home News about a 133 page report from American Foundation, Inc., Institute of Corrections that finds the conditions of Middlesex County Jail, specifically the basement where Assata Shakur (JoAnne Chesimard) is being held while on trial for the 1973 killing of a state trooper, to be "grossly inadequate."
A photograph of the old Jackson Advocate offices near Farish Street in the Farish Street Historic District. The Jackson Advocate is an African American weekly newspaper founded in Jackson in 1938 by Percy Greene, a World War I veteran and Civil Rights leader in the 1940’s and 1950’s.
This is a brochure for Sampson’s senior art exhibition. The culmination of the Texas Southern art curriculum is a senior exhibition where students showcase artwork created over the course of their undergraduate studies. The brochure features a photo of Sampson, a brief biography, a catalog of the artwork featured in the exhibition, a photo of one of his tapestries, and photos of two of his paintings.
A newspaper article from The New York Times about the espionage case against Julius and Ethel Rosenberg and the judicial issue that had arisen in recent years: whether alleged contacts between the trial judge and the prosecution were proper judicial contact. The couple were convicted of espionage against the U.S. in 1951 and executed in 1953.
