E.S. Decosta, 2 items, Papers 1921
Photographs
of “The First Colored Women Voters Club of Ettrick.” Acc. #1985-26 Guide
Available
Amanda E.
DeHart, 40 items, Papers 1920, 1989
The Amanda E.
DeHart Papers contain correspondence, photographs, tapes, and artifacts.
Much of the material relates to Christianburg Industrial Institute.
There is also a self-portrait of J. Rupert Picott. Acc #1988-61 Guide
Available
James A.
Estes Jr., 1 item, Papers 1901
Commencement invitation for 1901. Acc. #1980-57 S.B. Guide
Available
Helen W.
Evans, 11 items, Papers 1920’s
Photos
of past years at Virginia State University. Acc #1984-46 Guide
Available
Luther Hilton
Foster, 200 items, Papers 1928
Some personal
correspondence of the fourth President of Virginia State University.
Acc #1976-56 Guide
Available
Donald Frazier,
1 item, Papers 1922
One
item: a letter written by his aunt who was a member of the faculty
at Virginia State University. The letter dated December 8, 1922
is full of information about working and some sports activities.
Acc. #1991-63 Guide
Available
Funeral Services Programs
Collection, 24 items, Papers 1947
Funeral
Services programs of people connected with Virginia State University.
Acc.#1976-55c
John Manuel Gandy, Sr., ca 2,000 items, Papers 1914-1950
Personal,
business, and academic papers of the third President of Virginia
State University. Included are an unpublished biography and a history
of Virginia State University. A considerable amount of material
concerning a student strike in 1934 can be found herein. Acc. #1967-2 Guide
Available
F. Nathaniel
Gatlin (1913-1989), ca 40,000 items, Papers 1929, 1989
The F. Nathaniel Gatlin papers document his long and successful
career at Virginia State University in Music. Dr. Gatlin served
as chair of the department and was the founder of the Intercollegiate
Music Association (see Accession No. 1982-45) and the Petersburg
Symphony. Acc. #1995-71
Hamlin/Mitchell
Family, 200 items, Papers 1885-1960
Personal and business correspondence and memorabilia of a black
family from Petersburg, Virginia. Acc. #1979-11 Guide
Available
The Honorable
Alfred W. Harris, 1 piece, Papers 1879
Law Degree of
the founder of Virginia State University. Mr. Harris, Esquire, was
also a member of the General Assembly of Virginia. Acc. #1981-17
O.S Guide
Available
John Harris,
8 items, Papers N.D.
A collection of phonographic records used by the United States Information
Service. The eight “Record Disk” set includes materials used in
Turkey, France, South Africa, Australia and Israel. A list available.
Acc. #1991-65
Mabel Harris,
200 items, Papers 1888-1945
Business, personal, and legal correspondence of this 1889 Normal
Graduate of Virginia State University. Miss Harris taught in the
public schools in Petersburg until her retirement. Acc. #1945-5 Guide
Available
William E.
Hayes, 1 item, Papers N.D.
One Jacket from “The Prince Edward Academy.” Acc. #1988-52
Col. Robert Hendricks
Jr., 2 items, Papers 1940-1960
The Hendricks papers consist of two items. There is a photo scrapbook
showing all of the houses and buildings owned by Virginia State
University from ca. 1940-1960. The other item is a copy
of his Masters Thesis entitled “The Status and Treatment of Children
During Slavery.” Acc. #1985-31 Guide
Available
Roy Hines,
30 items, Papers 1972-1974
Mr. Hines is the youngest person in history to have served on the
Petersburg City Council. These papers address the issue of the
United Virginia Bank making loans to the Government of South Africa.
Correspondence. Acc. #1985-49 Guide
Available
M.E.V. Hunter,
12 items, Papers 1931-1963
Writing, reports and a Biography of Mrs. M.E.V. Hunter, the founder
of school of Home Economics at Virginia State University. Acc.#1962-44 Guide
Available
Inauguration
Programs of the Historical Black Colleges Collection, 24 items,
Papers 1924-
Programs found in area or simply sent to Archives. Acc #1976-55
Lorenzo Ivy,
1 item, Papers 1893
Teaching Certificate for Danville, Virginia. Acc. #1893-22 S.B.
May Howard
Jackson, 4 items, Papers 1918-1930
Four statues done by this artist who lived and worked during the
Harlem Renaissance. Acc. #1980-53
Luther Porter
Jackson Family, ca. 20,000 items, 1772-1960
Personal, business, and academic papers of the noted Afro-American
historian and professor of history at Virginia State University.
Included among the correspondents are John Hope Franklin, W.E.B.
Dubois, Hugh Smythe, Helen Edmonds, P. Bernard young, E. Franklin
Frazier, Charles S. Johnson, Rayford Logan, Alrutheus A. Taylor,
Lorenzo Green, and Carter G. Woodson. The collection incorporates
papers of black families collected by Jackson for his work, e.g.,
those of Butler, Layton, a Woodridge. Among the personal papers
collected is a handwritten diary belonging to Samuel T. Miller,
a missionary in South Africa 1881-1882. Acc. #1952-1 Guide
Available
The Jackson
and Walker, 2 items, Papers 1900
One letter from two black businessmen from Covington, Virginia to
Booker T. Washington. Acc. #1976-59 Guide
Available
Joseph Jenkins, ca. 4,000 items, Papes 1934, 1980
Mr. Joseph Jenkins,
a former member of the department of English and an avid book collector.
There are about one hundred books many rare and records of his involvement
with establishing a marker in Petersburg to Joseph Jenkins Roberts,
the first President of Liberia. Acc #1997-76
Altona Johns,
50 items, Papers 1906-1969
Correspondence of one of them embers of the music department at
Virginia State University. Mrs. Johns wrote, Play songs of the
Deep South, which was illustrated by James A. Porter. Included
is some correspondence from E. Azalia Hackley. Acc. #1979-8
William Henry
Johnson, ca. 2,000 items, Papes 1884-1935
Personal, business, and military papers of one of two highest-ranking
black officers in the Virginia Militia. Included are a substantial
number of manuscripts, which reflect that thinking of era’s black
elite. This group includes hundreds of photographs of black citizens
of Petersburg, many dating from the 19th century. Acc.
#1957-3 Guide
Available
James Hugo
Johnston Sr., 200 items, Papers 1865-1914
The James Hugo Johnston, Sr. papers do not contain any correspondence
of a personal nature. Although the correspondence is missing, in
the papers are several notebooks maintained by Mr. Johnston pertaining
to his household expenses. One of the books contains the early
proceedings of the Peabody Reading Circle and some early notes on
the formation of the Virginia Teachers Association. James Hugo
Johnston, Sr. was the second president of Virginia State University
from 1887-1914. There are also a number of speeches. Acc #1963-9 Guide
Available
James Hugo
Johnston Jr., ca. 2,000 items, Papers 1876-1962
Personal, business and academic correspondence of the son of the
second President of Virginia State University. James Hugo Johnston,
Jr. served as professor of history, Dean of the School of Arts and
Sciences and Vice President of Virginia State University. He authored
many articles on history and wrote Race Relations in Virginia and
Miscegenation in the South. Acc.#1963-10 Guide
Available
Robert Jones,
3 items, Papers 1897-1899
Monthly teaching reports for one of the black schools in Sussex
County, Virginia. Acc. #1987-48 Guide
Available
Maurice Lawrence,
600 items, Papers N.D.
The Lawrence Collections is made up of about six hundred 78-rpm
recordings of jazz bands. Included in this collection are recordings
of: Count Bassie, Duke Ellington, and many others. A list is available.
Acc. #1967-70
Anna Laura
Lindsay, 100 items, Papers 1898-1937
Some personal and business correspondence of the founder of the
Department of Music at Virginia State University. There are also
a large number of photographs. Acc. #1959-7 Guide
Available
Samuel A.
Mann, 200 items, Papers 1863-1914
Personal, business and agricultural records of a white farmer from
Matoaca in Chesterfield County, Virginia. Included are a number
of thorough diaries detailing his daily activities. Acc. #1957-6 Guide
Available
Amaza Lee
Meredith (1895-1983) ca 5,000 items, Papers 191 1930-1983
The Amaza Lee Meredith papers contain personal and business documents
generated by Ms. Meredith, which reflect the activities of her lifetime.
Included are materials related to her career at Virginia State University,
her participation in the VSU Alumni Association, the official records
of the Azurest North Syndicate, and personal correspondence with
several prominent black women of the period. Additionally, this
collection contains voluminous blueprints, line drawings, and sketches
of Ms. Meredith’s designs, which demonstrate her pursuits in architecture. These papers
were given to the VSU Special Collections/Archives Department by
decree of Ms. Meredith’s Last Will and Testament. They are to be
preserved, administered, and used by the VSU Special Collections/Archives
under the customary practices and guidelines of general archival
administration. Copyrights were transferred to VSU by Deed of gift
in March 1982. Acc. #1982-2 Guide
Available
The Ettrick
Mill Cemetery, 4 items, Papers 1951
Plot maps and
a short history of this cemetery established by one of the cotton
mills, which operated, in Ettrick during the antebellum. Forty-seven
soldiers are buried there, forty-six which are confederate. Acc.
#1982-47 Guide
Available
The Honorable
Arthur W. Mitchell, ca 15,000 items, Papers 1910-1950
Copies of the family, personal, business and political correspondence
of the first black Democratic Congressman in the United States House
of Representatives from 1934-1942. The originals are housed at
the Chicago Historical Society. Acc. #1968-15
J. Harold
Montague, 200 items, Papers 1950-1966
J. Harold Montague was professor of music at Virginia State University.
This group consists of photographs, artifacts and a few news clippings.
Acc. #1986-40 Guide
Available
The Intercollegiate
Music Association, ca 2,000 items, Papers 1962
Minutes, reports
and correspondence of this group which was established in 1962 in
order to expand more and improve all aspects of music in the schools
which belonged to the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association.
Acc.#1982-45 Guide
Available
The James
and Goldie Nicholas, 20 items, Papers 1926, 197
The Nicholas papers consist of some photographs, several books,
and awards. Dr. James Nicholas was a former rector of the Board
of Visitors at Virginia State University. Acc. #1995-73 Guide
Available
George Washington
Owens, 2 items, Papers 1944
Biography
and letter book of the founder of the agricultural department and
the agricultural extension department at Virginia State University.
Washington Owens was also one of the founders of the “New Farmers
of America.” Acc. #1944-12 Guide
Available
Thomas Patterson,
4 items, Papers 1888-1913
Thomas B. Patterson was a student at Hampton Normal and Agricultural
Institute in 1888. among his papers is a charter of a proposed
normal school in Bullock County, in the State of Alabama. One member
of the Board was Booker T. Washington. There is an interesting
letter from T. Thomas Fortune. Acc. #1913-23 S.B Guide
Available
E.H. Payne,
3 items, Papers 1907
Photographs of Dr. E.H. Payne’s parents who were students at Virginia
State University in 1907. Acc. #1984-28
Thomas D.
Pawley, 50 items, Papers 1912-1962
The Pawley papers consist of some business correspondence and other
Memorabilia. Mr. Pawley was a member of the faculty at Virginia
State University. Acc. #1985-35 Guide
Available
Paul Pollard,
1 item, Papers 1902
Commencement
Speech by the top 1902 Normal Graduate at Virginia State University.
Acc. #1983-29
Ruby Price,
1 item, N.D.
A photograph of Mrs. Price and her class from the Dinwiddie Normal
and Industrial Institute in Dinwiddie, Virginia. The Dix school
for many years served as a high school for Americans in the county.
Acc. #1991-68
Prince Edward
County (Free School), ca 50,000 items, Papers 1962-1964
Between the years
1959 and 1963, there were no public schools in Prince Edward County,
Virginia. After five long years the County and State allowed Prince
Edward’s schools to reopen. Because the black children in the county
had no school during this period of time (the white students attended
an all white academy) it was thought best to organize a free school
which would pave the way for hundreds of young children to return
to school after a five year absence. The Prince Edward County,
Virginia (free school) papers are the records of that effort. The
papers contain correspondence, reports, photographs and other items,
which document this sad period in Virginia History. Acc. #1969-38
Archie Gibbs
Richardson, ca 30,000 items, Papers 1919, 1970
In 1935, Archie Richardson became the highest-ranking African-American
in State Government. In that year, he was appointed assistant to
the assistant for “Negro” Education in Virginia. In 1969 he retired
as Associate Director of the Division of Secondary Education in
Virginia. His papers consist of correspondence, speeches, writings,
and several hundred photographs of Rosenwald and other schools in
use in Virginia in the 1930’s Acc. #1997-77 Guide
Available
Harry Walter
Roberts, ca 100,000 items, Papers 1916-1968
Harry
W. Roberts was a professor of sociology at Virginia State University
from 1935 until 1968. He was an authority on Rural Virginia black
life and culture. His papers consist of correspondence, writings
and a few photographs. Acc.#1984-39
William
A. Rodgers, 15 items, Papers 1912-1940
The Rodgers papers consist of a number of bulletins of “The Colored
Intercollegiate Athletic Association.” Mr. Rodgers was the secretary
of this group for a number of years. Acc. #1984-33 Guide
Available
The Richard
Schwartz, 5 items, Papers 1970
A number of original compositions by the members of the Virginia
State University Faculty. Acc. #1991-67
Paul Seldon,
350 items, Papers 1889, 1977
Paul Seldon, a graduate of Virginia State University, donated his
extensive collection of musical scores to the University. Included
in the collection are compositions by Irving Berlin, Hoagy Carmichael,
Duke Ellington, and W.C Handy. An inventory is available. Acc.
#1989-60
James E.
Smith, Jr., 100 items, Papers 1978-1980
Copies of periodical published by a member of the Virginia State
University Faculty. Acc. #1982-30
The Honorable
Hugh Smyth, 1 item, Papers- unknown
African mask collected by Smyth. Acc. #1984-27
Tracy Thrift,
1 item, Papers 1903 One
item, a degree from the Virginia Normal and Industrial Institute
(now Virginia State University) 1903. The degree was granted to
Miss Thrift’s grandmother. Acc. #1996-75
Thomas Verdell,
50 items, Papers 1940’s-1960’s
Photographs
collected by this former head coach and athletic director at Virginia
State University. Acc. #1985-50
The Virginia
Intercollegiate Association, ca 100,000 items, 1951-1969
The records of the Association that governed all non-academic activities
of the black high schools in Virginia. This manuscript group has
correspondence, photographs, minutes, reports, films, tapes, news
clippings and artifact. The VIA was headquartered at Virginia State
University from 1954-1969. Acc. #1969-37 Guide
Available
Special Celebrations
and Events at VSU Collection, 20 items, 1926-
Programs held at VSU and printed items relating to VSU. Acc. #1976-55a
The Virginia
Teachers Association, ca 100,000 items, Papers 1929-1965
The Virginia Teachers Association was formed in 1887 by African
American educators to support the official organ and to pressure
groups dedicated to improving all aspects of black education in
the state. From 1887 through 1965 this association functioned as
the major “political pressure group,” as well as an administrative
agent lobbying for equal salaries and better facilities. Additionally,
these groups documented both state public policies on education.
Though it’s annual meeting, workshops, bulletin, and newsletter
the later methods were discussed and debated. Acc. #1969-14
Charles
White, 50 items, Papers 1785, 1956
Materials collected by Mr. Charles White while he was engaged in
writing a History of Blacks in Buckingham County, Virginia. There
are copies of wills, letters, and news clippings. Also included
are original copies of the official journal of the Virginia Baptist
Convention: The Expected. Acc. #1983-41 Guide
Available
Lena and
Asa Whitt Papers, 4 items, Papers 1880’s
Four Lithographs showing scenes of Afro-American Life. Acc.#1979-32
Daniel Barclay
William (1862-1895), 30 items, Papers 1883, 1895
Daniel Barclay
Williams was the first instructor of Greek and Latin at the Virginia
Normal and Collegiate Institute from 1884-1895. Mr. Williams prior
to coming to Virginia State University has studied at Brown University
and had taught in the public school system in Richmond, Virginia.
His papers consists of his library, photographs and copies of the
“Annual Reports, Superintendent, Public, City of Richmond” for 1879-1880,
1880-81, and 1881-82. Included in this are a number of books written
by Mr. Williams. Acc.#1997-78
The Reverend
Mr. Henry Williams, 50 items, Papers 1856-1901
Business and personal correspondence of the first black minister
(since 1831) of Gillfield Baptist Church. Mr. Williams was also
a member of the City Council in Petersburg during Reconstruction.
Furthermore, he was one of the leading advocates of black teachers
for black students. Acc.#1945-4 Guide
Available
Inez Worsham, 4 items, Papers 1928-1931
Personal correspondence of Inez Worsham of Ettrick, Virginia.
Acc.#1931-24 S.B. Guide
Available
Marion Gandy
Wyatt, 50 items, Papers 1919-
Photographs of Virginia State University buildings and students.
Marion Wyatt is the daughter of John Gandy, then President of Virginia
State University. Acc.#1982-21 Guide
Available
The Reformed
Zion Union Apostolic Church, 200 items, Papers 1876-1974
Minutes, annual conference reports programs and a short unpublished
history of this conference. The Reformed Zion Union Apostolic Church
Conference was established in Mecklenburg, Virginia in 1869. Acc.#1980-36 Guide
Available
Service Hours:
Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
For more information feel free to contact the University Archivist,
Lucious Edwards at 804-524-5749, ledwards@vsu.edu
