Processed by
Wilma L. Moore
August 17, 2007
Manuscript and Visual Collections Department
William Henry Smith Memorial Library
Indiana Historical Society
450 West Ohio Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202-3269
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VOLUME OF |
3 document cases; 1 OVA graphics box |
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COLLECTION |
1926–1933 |
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PROVENANCE: |
Robert Warren, 9032 Log Run Drive South, Indianapolis, IN 46234, May 2002 |
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RESTRICTIONS: |
None |
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COPYRIGHT: |
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REPRODUCTION |
Permission to reproduce or publish material in this collection must be obtained from the Indiana Historical Society. |
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ALTERNATE |
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RELATED |
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ACCESSION |
2002.0544 |
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NOTES: |
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Ruth “Lucile” Allison Jewell (October 1905–February 1996) was the daughter of Rufus (1863–1926) and Edna Allen Allison. Her siblings were Emma Mae Allison and Norman Allison, a brother who was the child of her father and his first wife, Maria Thomas Allison. Allison received her early education in Indianapolis, graduating from School #17 and Shortridge High School. She graduated from Butler University in 1927—the last year that graduation was held on the Irvington campus.
Because of limited job opportunity for African Americans in Indianapolis, the nine black women who graduated from Butler in 1927, with the exception of Frances C. Stout, left Indianapolis and pursued jobs elsewhere. After college, Jewell worked at the State Agricultural and Mechanical College (now South Carolina State University) in Orangeburg, South Carolina. She taught and served as the Young Women’s Christian Association secretary.
In 1930 she was appointed Dean of Girls at the Kentucky State Industrial College (later Kentucky State University) in Frankfort. Her engagement to Paul W. Jewell was announced in May 1931. After their wedding in Indianapolis, they settled in Greensboro, North Carolina, where Ruth Lucile Jewell taught at Bennett College, and her husband taught at North Carolina A & T. Paula was the only child born to this union.
The family later lived in Indiana and in Maryland where Paul taught at Princess Anne College (now University of Maryland, Eastern Shore). They returned to Greensboro where Paul died circa 1960. Both Paul and Ruth Jewell are buried in Greensboro.
Sources:
Material in the collection
Telephone interview with Frances C. Stout, classmate of Ruth Lucile Allison Jewell at School #17, Shortridge High School, and Butler University, August 14, 2002
Telephone interviews with Rosemary Davis, family friend and guardian of Paula Jewell, August 17 and 28, 2002.
The collection is contained in three manuscript boxes and one oversize flat box. Though the scrapbook has been disassembled, it remains in its original order with loose items being moved to the last folder in the collection. Color scans have been taken of each page of the scrapbook to document the original order. There are 126 half pages that serve as an index to the scrapbook.
It appears that Ruth Lucile Allison Jewell compiled the scrapbook from about the time she graduated from Butler University (1927) until around 1933. There are postcards, photographs (including images of Jewell and her sister, Emma Mae Allison), invitations, programs, greeting cards, news clippings (an obituary for father, Rufus Allison and an announcement of Lucile Allison’s engagement to Paul V. Jewell), and favors (e.g., dance and tally cards that were popular during the early part of the twentieth century) in the scrapbook. Jewell received greeting cards for numerous occasions, especially Easter, from family members and friends.
Much of the material pertains to black colleges and universities (a preponderance of it relates to Kentucky State Industrial College, later Kentucky State University), sororities and fraternities, social events, and Indianapolis. There are numerous unidentified or sparsely identified photographs in the collection. Most of these are of young men and women and appear to have been taken on a college campus, probably State Agricultural and Mechanical College or Kentucky State Industrial College. The majority of the news clippings are undated and the source is not cited.
Allison grew up on the near west side of Indianapolis. Her family home (715 Fayette Street) was located in current-day Ransom Place, near Indiana Avenue. The contents of her scrapbook contain many materials that reflect the status of upwardly mobile African Americans in an early twentieth-century midwestern city. There are also items pertaining to internationally prominent African Americans of the time period including contralto Marian Anderson, tenor Roland Hayes, and artist Hale Woodruff. Many of the items in the scrapbook can be associated with the various places where Ruth Lucile Allison lived. Like most scrapbooks, it contains individual items that tell a story when they are placed within a context of time, place, and event. Many of the programs, invitations, announcements, and photographs do not include full references to names, dates, cities, and events, but that information can be inferred by placing the item in context. For example, there is a small green shamrock (made using construction paper) with a gold string in Box 2, Folder 28. It reads: “Attucks Tea, March 6, 1932.” Crispus Attucks High School was a segregated institution that opened in Indianapolis in 1927. It was widely regarded as a beacon of pride for the city’s African American population and was a center for community activity. Its school colors were green and gold.
Items of note within the collection:
Christmas card etching made by artist Hale Woodruff and sent to the Lionel Artis family while Woodruff lived in France [Box 1, Folder 3]
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CONTENTS |
CONTAINER |
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Scrapbook index, pages 1–50 (1 of 2) |
OVA Graphics: |
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Scrapbook index, pages 51–126 (2 of 2) |
OVA Graphics: |
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Memory book, pages 1–2 |
OVA Graphics: |
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Names and addresses of friends,
pages 3–12 |
OVA Graphics: |
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Expressions and autographs from friends; newsclipping, Pages 13–14; blank sheet, pages 15–16 (removed) |
OVA Graphics: |
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Expressions and autographs from friends, pages 17–22 |
OVA Graphics: |
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News clipping (Rufus Allison obituary); acknowledgement cards, page 14 |
Box 1, Folder 1 |
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Funeral program (Elsie Mitchell Woodruff); news clipping (Sarah Elizabeth Brown’s accidental death); acknowledgement card, page 15 |
Box 1, Folder 2 |
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News clippings (Memorial Services at Fisk; YWCA building at Orangeburg campus); Hale Woodruff etching, page 22 |
Box 1, Folder 3 |
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Wilberforce flag; AKA cutouts; invitation, page 23 |
Box 1, Folder 4 |
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Michigan State Normal College c ommencement program, 1927 and wedding invitation, 1927, page 24 |
Box 1, Folder 5 |
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Butler University commencement and baccalaureate program, 1927, page 25 |
Box 1, Folder 6 |
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Bon Ton Club dance card; graduation memorabilia, page 26 |
Box 1, Folder 7 |
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Bridge party favors, page 27 (1 of 2) |
Box 1, Folder 8 |
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AKA pink and green pencil decorated with crepe paper, page 27 (2 of 2) |
Box 1, Folder 9 |
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Invitations and memorabilia to various social events, ca. 1927, page 28 |
Box 1, Folder 10 |
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Graduation and Easter cards, page 29 |
Box 1, Folder 11 |
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Birthday and Easter cards, page 30 |
Box 1, Folder 12 |
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News clippings (regarding Hale Woodruff, Ruth Lucile Allison, Henrine Ward, and Elizabeth Brown), page 31 |
Box 1, Folder 13 |
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Unidentified photographs (boy and dog; young women in outdoor scenes), page 32 |
Box 1, Folder 14 |
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Unidentified photographs (woman and baby; young women); Ruth Allison Jewell photo, page 33 |
Box 1, Folder 15 |
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Unidentified photographs (group of young women; group of young men and women); Ruth Allison Jewell photo, page 34 |
Box 1, Folder 16 |
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Unidentified photographs (small and large groups of women), page 35 |
Box 1, Folder 17 |
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Unidentified photographs (young women), page 36 |
Box 1, Folder 18 |
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Dance invitations, etc., page 37 |
Box 1, Folder 19 |
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Dance invitations, etc., page 38 |
Box 1, Folder 20 |
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News clippings (race relations, etc.), page 39 |
Box 1, Folder 21 |
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AΦA dance card, 1929; Butler University report card (Ruth Allison), 1926-27; thank you card; invitation; news clippings (“College of Missions Student Receives Gift;” “Y W Meets Today”), page 40 |
Box 1, Folder 22 |
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Butler University commencement program, 1927 (including photograph of Butler president, Robert J. Aley and list of graduates); Wilberforce commencement week schedule, June 12–16, 1927; partial NAACP conference program, 1927; St. John’s A.M.E. Church invitation; newsclippings, 1927, page 41 |
Box 1, Folder 23 |
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News clippings (Norman Allison; Emily Garrett), 1927–1929; May Day program, 1929; NAACP card, 1927, page 42 |
Box 1, Folder 24 |
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Wedding and shower invitations, 1926–1928, page 43 |
Box 1, Folder 25 |
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Phyllis Wheatley Y.W.C.A. news clipping, page 44 |
Box 1, Folder 26 |
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Unidentified photograph (woman); news clippings (Ruth Lucile and Emma Mae Allison), page 45 |
Box 1, Folder 27 |
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Tally cards; memorabilia, invitation, page 46 (1 of 2) |
Box 1, Folder 28 |
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Pencil decorated with orange and black crepe paper, page 46 (2 of 2) |
Box 1, Folder 29 |
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Photographs of bears, page 47 |
Box 1, Folder 30 |
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Unidentified photographs (young people, mostly women); news clippings, page 48 |
Box 1, Folder 31 |
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Unidentified photographs (mostly young women); news clipping (Ethel Ransom, president of the Inter-Collegiate Club), page 49 |
Box 1, Folder 32 |
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Social club invitations, 1927–28 (The Elite Club and the Entre Nous Club, etc.), page 50 |
Box 1, Folder 33 |
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Tally cards; invitations (honoring visiting NAACP delegates, et al.); Orangeburg County Colored Fair Association tag for painting; thank you note from Dr. & Mrs. Aubrey Owens, page 51 |
Box 2, Folder 1 |
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News clippings (poems; Rev. Joseph D. Armistead, pastor of the Downey Avenue Christian Church); invitations, page 52 |
Box 2, Folder 2 |
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News clippings (mostly obituaries), page 53 |
Box 2, Folder 3 |
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Y.W.C.A. news clippings, page 54 |
Box 2, Folder 4 |
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News clippings (Y.W.C.A.; Abraham Lincoln statue), page 55 |
Box 2, Folder 5 |
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Postcard (dated 4-20-1929, addressed to Lucile Allison from Lloyd Hickman, includes photo of Oberlin College buildings); news clippings; telegram to Lucille Allison from her brother, Norman, page 56 |
Box 2, Folder 6 |
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Postcards (includes images of Charleston, S.C. scenes), page 57 |
Box 2, Folder 7 |
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Postcards (images of Charleston, S.C.; Spelman College); memorial program for Minnie Elizabeth Ivory, 7-31-1929) page 58 |
Box 2, Folder 8 |
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Invitations (Lotus Dames, 1928; Lotus Club, 1929; et al.), page 59 |
Box 2, Folder 9 |
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Invitations, 1928–29 (Easter Prom; wedding); red paper Christmas tree ornament, page 60 |
Box 2, Folder 10 |
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Crispus Attucks High School commencement announcement, 1928; State Agricultural and Mechanical College commencement program, 1928, page 61 |
Box 2, Folder 11 |
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Epicurean Club program, 1927; State Agricultural and Mechanical College organ recital program, 1928, page 62 |
Box 2, Folder 12 |
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Tally cards; invitations (Wedding shower at the Cosmopolitan School of Music and Fine Arts, 1928; Omega Psi Phi “Spring Hop,” 1928); favors, page 63 |
Box 2, Folder 13 |
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Birthday cards, page 64 |
Box 2, Folder 14 |
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Unidentified photographs (mostly young women; young man named Chick), page 65 |
Box 2, Folder 15 |
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Greeting cards; train ticket stub (Pullman Company-from Baltimore to Indianapolis, 4-17-1931), page 66 (1of 2) |
Box 2, Folder 16 |
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Light green crepe paper flower with handle, page 66 (2 of 2) |
Box 2, Folder 17 |
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Unidentified photographs, outdoor scenes (couples; young women), page 67 |
Box 2, Folder 18 |
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Invitations (Elite Club, 1928; et al.); Valentine card, page 68 |
Box 2, Folder 19 |
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Greeting cards, page 69 |
Box 2, Folder 20 |
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Unidentified photographs (outdoor scenes: toddler; young women; buildings), page 70 |
Box 2, Folder 21 |
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Unidentified photographs (small groups in outdoor scenes); photograph of basketball coach, Miss Hurlong, page 71 |
Box 2, Folder 22 |
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Unidentified photographs (young women; exterior and interior of log house), page 72 |
Box 2, Folder 23 |
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Unidentified photographs (young men and women in outdoor scenes); photo of Ruth Allison Jewell holding a doll, page 73 |
Box 2, Folder 24 |
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Unidentified photographs (young men and women; exterior and interior of YWCA building, no city specified); photograph of Emma Mae Allison, page 74 |
Box 2, Folder 25 |
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Invitations (Bon Ton Club Bal Formel, 1928; New Century Club, 1928; et al.); congratulatory note, page 75 |
Box 2, Folder 26 |
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Invitations related to several Indiana African American fraternities and sororities, 1928; Kappa Alpha Psi, Grand Chapter dance card, 1928; tally card, etc., page 76 |
Box 2, Folder 27 |
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Invitations; greeting card; tally cards; memorabilia (e.g., small green shamrock with gold string dated March 6, 1932, announcing Attucks tea), page 77 |
Box 2, Folder 28 |
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Greeting cards, page 78 |
Box 2, Folder 29 |
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Greeting cards, page 79 |
Box 2, Folder 30 |
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Unidentified photographs (young women in outdoor scenes), page 80 |
Box 2, Folder 31 |
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Unidentified photographs (young men and women in outdoor scenes), page 81 |
Box 2, Folder 32 |
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Unidentified photographs (young men and women in outdoor scenes; women in car with one woman sitting on sideboard); , page 82 |
Box 2, Folder 33 |
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Unidentified photograph (young man and women); printed photograph of Lionel F. Artis, editor-in-chief, Kappa Alpha Psi Journal; printed photograph of Myra Logan; The Shanghai Gesture advertisement, page 83 |
Box 2, Folder 34 |
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Unidentified photographs (outdoor scenes), page 84 |
Box 2, Folder 35 |
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Wedding announcement (Nannie Mae Gahn and Earp E. Foster, Indianapolis, 1928) and wedding invitation (Daisy Arimenta Payne and Byron Fauntleroy at the Bethel AME Church in French Lick, Indiana, 1928); “Tid Bits of 1929” program; Invitation to tea, 1930, page 85 |
Box 2, Folder 36 |
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Unidentified photographs (House and other buildings; arch entrance sign to “State College,”), page 86 |
Box 2, Folder 37 |
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Invitation to Junior –Senior Prom of the Junior High School Class, 1931; Phi Beta Sigma dance card (1929) and program (1929), page 87 |
Box 2, Folder 38 |
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Greeting cards, page 88 |
Box 2, Folder 39 |
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Dance cards, 1928–1930; Annual Hop invitation (Crescent Club of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, Omicron Chapter), 1929, page 89 |
Box 2, Folder 40 |
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Tally cards; memorabilia, page 90 (1 of 3) |
Box 3, Folder 1 |
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Crepe paper flowers, page 90 (2 of 3) |
Box 3, Folder 2 |
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Crepe paper bride, page 90 (3 of 3) |
Box 3, Folder 3 |
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News clippings (Louise Briscoe, Mary Bolin); unidentified photograph (young man); Butler University commencement program, 1928, page 91 |
Box 3, Folder 4 |
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S. D. S. Club annual prom invitation, 1931; Wilberforce University commencement invitation, 1927; Christmas card, page 92 |
Box 3, Folder 5 |
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Tally cards; greeting cards, page 93 (1 of 2) |
Box 3, Folder 6 |
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Piece of holly, page 93 (2 of 2) |
Box 3, Folder 7 |
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Greeting cards, tally card, postcard, page 94 |
Box 3, Folder 8 |
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Unidentified photographs (mostly young men and women in outdoor scenes); postcard includes image of four young, dapper men dressed in ties and overcoats), page 95 |
Box 3, Folder 9 |
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Unidentified photographs (men and women-many standing on the outside of buildings), page 96 |
Box 3, Folder 10 |
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Greeting cards; tally cards, and place card announcing engagement of Paul Jewell and Ruth Allison), page 97 |
Box 3, Folder 11 |
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News clippings (regarding engagement of Ruth Allison to Paul Jewell), page 98 |
Box 3, Folder 12 |
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Greeting cards; tally cards, pages 99–100 |
Box 3, Folder 13 |
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News clippings (Kentucky State College), page 101 |
Box 3, Folder 14 |
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Programs: (Roland Hayes at Woodland Auditorium in Lexington, Kentucky, 1930); Negro Girl Reserves, Kentucky Committee, Y.W.C.A., 1931; Delphic Club, 1931), page 102 |
Box 3, Folder 15 |
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Invitation; programs, ca. 1931, page 103 |
Box 3, Folder 16 |
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Greeting card; program (Home Economics Department, Kentucky State Industrial College, 1931); news clipping (Girls Reserve-Indianapolis); miniature photos of scenes in Bardstown, Kentucky, page 104 |
Box 3, Folder 17 |
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Greeting cards; wedding announcement of Nettie Lee Kenner and Lee Isaac Allen; tally card; Delphic Club invitation, 1931, page 105 |
Box 3, Folder 18 |
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Invitations (wedding invitation of Frederick Sheffield and Helen Wilkinson and annual reception invitation of the Epsilon Omega Chapter of Omega Psi Phi); “Miss Allison” place card; A. P. B. dance card; memorabilia, page 106 |
Box 3, Folder 19 |
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News clippings (comics); greeting cards, page 107 |
Box 3, Folder 20 |
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Birthday and Easter cards, page 108 |
Box 3, Folder 21 |
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Invitation (Aurora Club’s annual prom); tally cards, page 109 |
Box 3, Folder 22 |
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Greeting cards, page 110 |
Box 3, Folder 23 |
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Unidentified photographs (young women–perhaps college co-eds–in outdoor scenes), page 111 |
Box 3, Folder 24 |
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Greeting cards; invitation (Home Economics Club of Kentucky State College); tally card, page 112 |
Box 3, Folder 25 |
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Postcards (buildings in Baltimore, Boston, and New York scenes), page 113 |
Box 3, Folder 26 |
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Postcard (from Willie to Lucile Allison-has image of Fisk University Library, 1930); news clippings (Kentucky State College football season, ca. 1930; Leona Potter, ca. 1930), page 114 |
Box 3, Folder 27 |
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News clipping (Fisk University dean, n.d.); programs (YWCA and State Agricultural and Mechanical College,1930-31, n.d.); The Kentucky Thorobred, 1930-31; pages 115–116 |
Box 3, Folder 28 |
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News clippings (Harold Jewell, college football captain; uniting church denominations; international racial prejudice); programs (State Agricultural and Mechanical College, 1928–29), page 117 |
Box 3, Folder 29 |
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News clipping (photo of Kentucky State College football team, 1930); programs, 1928–29 (Orangeburg, South Carolina), page 118 |
Box 3, Folder 30 |
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News clippings; programs, 1928 (Orangeburg, South Carolina; Claflin State College Debate; Girl Reserve Committee of the Y.W. C. A., Indianapolis; Interracial Sunday), page 119 |
Box 3, Folder 31 |
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News clippings; program (Phi Delta Kappa, 1928), page 120 |
Box 3, Folder 32 |
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Telegram to Ruth Allison from Mrs. John H. Finley; programs (State Agricultural and Mechanical College commencement exercises and conferring of degrees, 1929, et al.); news clippings, page 121 |
Box 3, Folder 33 |
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Programs (Spelman College commencement week program, May 31–June 5, 1929; First Annual Junior and Senior Prom, State College High School, Orangeburg, S.C., 1929, et al.), page 122 |
Box 3, Folder 34 |
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News clippings (Sarah Elizabeth Brown dies in accident near Argos, Indiana, et al.); program (State Agricultural and Mechanical College Christmas Cantata, 1927); tally card, page 123 |
Box 3, Folder 35 |
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News clippings (Names of nine African American women who graduated from Butler University in June, 1927, et al.), page 124 |
Box 3, Folder 36 |
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Programs, etc., page 125 |
Box 3, Folder 37 |
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Tally card; newsclippings, page 126 |
Box 3, Folder 38 |
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Appendices/loose items: programs (including Kentucky State Industrial College annual commencement, 1931; “The Green Pastures” playbill beginning August 10, 1931; Marian Anderson Song Recital held at the State Agricultural and Mechanical College, November 28, 1928); newsclippings; tally card |
Box 3, Folder 39 |
For additional information on this collection, including a list of subject headings that may lead you to related materials:
1. Go to the Indiana Historical Society's online catalog: http://opac.indianahistory.org/
2. Click on the "Basic Search" icon.
3. Select "Call Number" from the "Search In:" box.
4. Search for the collection by its basic call number (in this case, M 0793).
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