Lillie Kate Walker was an artist from Atlanta, GA. "276 Chestnut Street" is a faux naive depiction of a house on a neighborhood street. Walker uses broad, simplistic strokes of mostly primary colors to craft a residential scene
Taylor offers a snapshot of Houston’s Third Ward in the mid-20th century. Growing up in Third Ward, Taylor saw it grow and change. The scene is a busy one and depicts various storefronts and residents of the neighborhood. Taylor named the pool hall in the lower left corner after himself.
A program created by the Tuskegee Civic Association governing board to show the rest of the organization and community of the accomplishments of Mrs. M.E. Tilly.
A page of a draft of Margaret Walker’s biography of Richard Wright with edits. She writes about Wright’s Natchez years.. After exhaustive research and extended legal battle, Margaret Walker published her biography of famed novelist Richard Wright. She titled the biography, “Richard Wright Daemonic Genius,” published by Warner Books in 1988.
In this entry, Margaret Walker is writing from Minneapolis, Minnesota. She is reacting to the assassanation that day of Martin Luther King Jr., writing, “May God have mercy on us! What will happen next?” This page also reflects her doodling, which can be found across the entire collection of her journals.
A letter from Charles G. Gomillion to President Frederick D. Patterson acknowledging his receipt of the 09/11/1940 letter and accepting increase in pay to continue working at Tuskegee.
A thank you letter from Chaplain Wynn to Rev. Ralph Abernathy expressing gratitude for the invitation to be guest speaker for First Baptist Church celebration.
Gregory L. Ridley, Jr., was an artist from Smyrna, TN. "Asleep in Stone" is a marble sculpture of a person asleep. The subject's face is subtly carved into the marble, giving the impression that the subject is not separate from the stone.
Romare Bearden was an artist, author, and songwriter from Charlotte, NC. "Atlanta Mural" is a maquette of a mural created for City Scenes '76-'77, the National Paint and Coatings Association bicentennial. Bearden includes the Kente symbol, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's head, the silhouette of a Black family, a church, and a plot of land to represent the African American influence in the city.
Remble's drawing portrays renowned Mardi Gras Indian chief David Montana. Mardi Gras Indians refers to Black New Orleanians who draw from Creole, Indigenous, African, and Afro-Caribbean tradition to develop a unique form of visual culture and resistance. Remble, a Texas Southern graduate, was born in New Orleans and later moved to Houston. In his own words, he aims to "explore and preserve the diverse subcultures of the American South" through his art.
A newspaper article from the Jackson Advocate about the history of the Farish Street Historic District. Some research for the article comes from Jackson State's Farish Street Oral History Collection.
James Routh, Jr. is a painting and printmaker from Atlanta, GA, by way of New Orleans, LA. "Blue Ridge Farm" depicts a rural landscape in the Blue Ridge Mountains, an Appalachian range that extends from Georgia to Pennsylvania. The background shows an atmospheric perspective of two mountains and rain clouds. In the foreground, two women dressed in white are picking cotton while a man behind them carries cotton on his back.
Mr. Myers was the owner of Myers Coffee Company on Farish Street. He talks about his business as well as other businesses in the district and breaks down the different sections of the neighborhood.
A letter from the university’s fourth president, Dr. Luther Hilton Foster, to Charles G. Gomillion, asking him to serve as Chairman of the Division of Sciences in the College of Arts and Humanities at Tuskegee University.
A letter from Rev. Ralph Abernathy to Chaplain Wynn expressing sorrow for the loss of the chapel and offering to be the Youth Day Speaker on 04/11/1957.
Mr. Peterson was born in 1891 and was a lifelong resident of Clinton. He talks about his parents being born into slavery; the Clinton Riot; his Christian faith; and his education, specifically giving an overview of the curriculum of his school at the turn of the century.
Hals’ drawing shows two women chatting on the street. Their environment, filled with shotgun homes and tall grass, resembles Houston’s Third Ward, the historically Black neighborhood that Texas Southern University calls home. TSU art students, at Dr. Biggers’ instruction, often looked to their surroundings for inspiration.
A newspaper article from the Clarion Ledger (Jackson, Mississippi) providing historical context to the Clinton Project Oral History Collection. The article is about the growth of population and homebuilding in Clinton, Mississippi, since 1960.
A newspaper article from Mississippi News and Views providing historical context to the Clinton Project Oral History Collection. The article includes statistics on the growth of population and industry in Clinton, Mississippi, as well as construction and enrollment increases at Mississippi College.
Gordon's painting reflects the work life of cotton harvesters. The three pictured laborers are older and formally dressed as they pick cotton bolls and carry baskets. Many of the cotton plants are shown with white flowers, an early stage in the plant’s development. This suggests Gordon may be familiar with the process of cotton farming and harvesting.
Leroy C. Weaver was an artist and art educator from Prarie View, TX. "East Texas Oil Field" is a print depicting an aerial view oil field in East Texas. The print features several oil rigs and workers' living quarters. In the background, a landscape of forest and trees is visible.
Mr. McElroy was born in 1891 and was a lifelong resident of Clinton. He talks about being the son of a former slave and discusses the oral traditions around the Clinton Riot as well as his education and childhood.
A letter from the third President of Tuskegee University, Dr. Frederick D. Patterson, confirming that Charles G. Gomillion will receive an increase in salary and continue his work at Tuskegee University.
Aurelia Norris Young was a prominent Civil Rights activist and professor of music at Jackson State College and Tougaloo College. She gave this speech on the history of the Farish Street Historic District on April 9, 1983, at the Smith Robertson Neighborhood Folklife Festival, which honored the history and legacy of the district.
Charles Henry Alston was a Harlem Renaissance painter, sculptor, illustrator, muralist, and teacher. "Farm Boy" is a portrait of a young Black boy holding a hat and a tool on a farm. In the background is a rural landscape of fields and a barn. Alston photographed Black Southern life in North Carolina when he visited rural and farm sites with a Farm Security Administration inspector. His photos served as inspiration for his paintings that depicted Black southern life.
