Earl Gregg Swem Library, College of William and Mary
Special Collections© 2012 By the College of William and Mary. All rights reserved.
Collection is open to all researchers.
Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.
Diary (Portsmouth, Va.), Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.
The materials were acquired by Special Collections Research Center on 10/14/2009.
Accessioned and processed in October 2009 by Ute Schechter. Additional description provided by Pat Overton, SCRC Staff, in November-December 2009.
Diary, 1901 of an African American woman of Portsmouth, Virginia. In brief daily entries she talks about the weather, chores, and social life, trips to town, church, attending meetings, etc. In August 1901 she went to visit churches and schools in Georgia and Alabama, like Atlanta University and Spelman College, both historically black schools. She also mentions teaching music, attending educational meetings in Portsmouth and being elected president of the local YMCA. September 3 is the last entry in this diary. In summary it appears that she has a daughter named Alma who lives with her and attends school. There is a continuity throughout the diary that would lead you to believe that she manages or runs the house owned and lived in by a doctor and other boarders.For a more detailed description from SCRC staff as well as description and excerpts from the diary provided by the seller, please see the folder link below.