A Guide to the African American Community Photographs Collection, ca. 1861-1990s
A Collection in
Alexandria Library
Local History/Special Collections
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Alexandria Library, Local History/Special Collections
Alexandria LibraryLocal History/Special Collections
717 Queen Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22314-2420
(703) 838-4577 (voice)
(703) 706-3912 (fax)
Email: lhsc@alexandria.lib.va.us
URL: http://www.alexandria.lib.va.us/branches/lhsc.html
© 2008 Alexandria Library. All rights reserved.
Processed by: Lara Otis
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions
There are no restrictions.
Use Restrictions
There are no restrictions.
Preferred Citation
African American Community Photographs Collection, Alexandria Library, Local History/Special Collections, Alexandria, Va.
Acquisition Information
This is an artificial collection, created with photocopies from 23 existing photographs collections at the Alexandria Library Special Collections.
Scope and Content
This artificial collection consists of photocopies of 565 photographs, assembled from 23 existing photograph collections at the Alexandria Library and depicting African Americans or buildings and neighborhoods known to be associated with the African American community in Alexandria, Virginia. The collection includes formal and informal individual portraits and group photographs; photographs of building exteriors or interiors including churches, schools, residences, and the Civil War-era slave pen and jail; streetscapes; and images of sites associated with African Americans in the city. The bulk of the photographs date from the mid- to late twentieth century, and many of the individuals are identified. All photographs are 8 x 10" or smaller, and the vast majority are black and white.
Arrangement
Arrangement is by thematic series, and alphabetical within series as follows:
Index Terms
- African American churches
- African American history
- Alexandria (Va.) - History
- Schools - Virginia
- Slavery - United States
Adjunct Descriptive Data
Other Finding Aid
A Microsoft Access database detailing each photograph in the collection with a short description, any notes from the verso, any name identifications found, and the location number for the original photograph is found at the Special Collections reference desk.
Other Finding Aid
A Microsoft Access database detailing each photograph in the collection with a short description, any notes from the verso, any name identifications found, and the location number for the original photograph is found at the Special Collections reference desk.
Contents List
Exterior photographs of Alexandria buildings known to have been inhabited by or owned by African Americans. 12 photographs, 1936-2005.
- Volume 1
Businesses and Homes
Interior and exterior photographs of African-American churches in Alexandria, as well as photographs of ministers, choirs, and congregations. Also photographs of Martin Luther King celebrations at several churches. 46 photographs, 1923 - 1989.
- Volume 1
Alfred Street Baptist
- Volume 1
Alleyne AME Zion
- Volume 1
Bethlehem Baptist
- Volume 1
Beulah Baptist
- Volume 1
Community United Presbyterian
- Volume 1
Ebenezer Baptist
- Volume 1
Roberts Chapel/Roberts Memorial United Methodist
- Volume 1
St. Paul Baptist
- Volume 1
Shiloh Baptist
- Volume 1
Third Baptist
- Volume 1
Trinity Methodist
- Volume 1
Trinity United Methodist
- Volume 1
Trinity ME
- Volume 1
United Methodist
- Volume 1
Zion Baptist
Photographs taken at a variety of events and organizations: includes fraternal organizations, Boy Scouts, Robert Robinson Library, the Departmental Progressive Club, and Hopkins House. Numerous photographs of awards ceremonies; some are unidentified. Also includes entertainment, leisure activities, festivals, sports, and some street scenes including children at water pumps. Also includes a series of photographs of a Quander family reunion. 108 photographs, 1870 - 1995.
- Volume 1
Events and Awards - Identified
- Volume 1
Festivals and Parades
- Volume 1
Leisure, pre-1920s
- Volume 1
Leisure, 1920s-1990s
- Volume 1
Sports
- Volume 1
Organizations - Alexandria Lodge No. 48
- Volume 1
Organizations - Boy Scout Troop #575
- Volume 1
Organizations - Chamber of Commerce
- Volume 1
Organizations - Departmental Progressive Club
- Volume 1
Organizations - Hopkins House
- Volume 1
Organizations - Libraries
- Volume 1
Organizations - Operations Food Volunteers
Streetscapes located in current or former African-American neighborhoods in Alexandria. Note that the photographs do not always date to the time during which the neighborhood was actively associated with African-Americans. 117 photographs, 1890 - 1980s.
- Volume 2
Berg
- Volume 2
Bottoms/Dip
- Volume 2
Hayti
- Volume 2
Hill
- Volume 2
Hump
- Volume 2
Macedonia
- Volume 2
Uptown
Formal and informal portraits of individuals. Subjects are often photographed at work in city departments. Additional photographs of unidentified people at work and police or emergency professionals in uniform are in Series 9: Working Life. Photographs of ministers or those closely associated with churches are found in Series 2: Churches. 183 photographs, 1900 - 1999.
- Volume 3
People - Individual; A to M
Adkins, T.; Allen, Robert; Anderson, Roger; Badic, John; Bailey, Leslie; Bailey, Latreace; Bailey, Pearl; Belafonte, Harry; Banks, Ernie; Barry, Marion; Berry, Paul; Boggan, Doris; Bonds, Johnnie May (and family); Boyd, Rose; Bratton, Earnest "Dr. Buzzard"; Brookes, Joseph; Brown, Margaret; Brown, Rena; Butler, Charlie; Calloway, Leonard; Carleton, Emmitt; Carter, Otis, Sr.; Carter, Louis; Carter, Terry; Chatman, James; Chisholm, Shirley; Cleveland, William (Bill); Coard, Gail; Crawford, Willy; Cross, Hayward; Current(?), Angella; Daly, Calvin, Jr.; Day, Lawrence; Day, Helen; Dawkins, Nolan; Diggins, Michael; Dumas, George; Duncan, John; Durant, Oswald, Dr.; Dynanic(?), Emma Reeder; Ellerbe, Zack, Jr.; Euille, William B.; Evans, Andrew; Faison, Herbert; Faulkner, Eunice; Fell, Tracy; Fields, Shay; Floyd, Jeremiah, Dr.; Fountain, Lynne; Freeman, Leslie L.; Funn, Carlton; Gee, Tony; Gilliam, Bernice; Gilmer, Anne; Gray, Harvey; Gray, Lee; Green, Madelaine; Greene, Cecil; Greene, Nelson B.; Green, Rodelyn; Greene, Vanessa K.; Gregg, Cleveland; Griffin, Mitch; Grigg, Allen; Hampton, Trevor; Harsley, Raleigh; Harris, Melvin; Hawkins, Robert; Hawkins, Josephine; Hayes, Donald; Hendrick, Kim; Henry, Albert, Rev.; Hope, Lionel; Horton, Ervin; Hough, C.W.; Howard, Henry; Jackson, Charles; Jackson, Jesse, Rev.; Jennings, Jesse; Johnson, George; Johnson, Jerry; Johnson, Marion; Jordan, Thomas, Jr.; Joyner, Michael; Kye, Floyd; Lambert, George; Lender, James; Lewis, Bessie; Lewis, Theodore; Lyles, Eudora; Mackley, Aaron; Mason, Jackson; Mason, Steve; McDuffie, David; McInnis, Lyles; McKinney, Aaron W.; Medley, Billy L., Jr.; Boston, Stephanie; Miller, A. Melvin; Mitchell, Henry; Montero, Steve; Moore, Jacqueline; Morgan, Alice P.; Morton, Mae Taylor; Murphy, Luther.
- Volume 3
People - Individual; N to Z
Nesbitt, Eugene; Nesbitt, Garwin(?); Poole, Richard; Pope, George; Proctor, Dr. Samuel DeWitt; Proctor, Wells; Quander, Nellie; Ramseur, Harvey; Reeder, Emma; Render, Frank W.; Robbins, Gwen, Lt.; Robinson, John; Robinson, Thomas A., Rev.; Rolark, Wilhelmina J.; Rose, Annie; Tuncil, Gladys; Roseboro, William; Tucker, Samuel W.; Ross, Katrina; Rucker, Rob F.; Saunders, Cresoda; Scott, Herman, Rev.; Sims, Linda; Springs, Herman; Spruell, Essie Mae Redding; Stephens, Sonja; Stephens, Mary; Steward, Dianettea; Stone, Henrietta I.; Strange, John E.; Strickland, Dan; T, Mr.; Taylor, Stanley E.; Temple, David; Terrell, Beatrice M.; Thomas, David; Thompson, Eugene; Toatley, Olivia; Truesdale, William Gene; Tucker, Samuel Wilbert; Tyler, Shirley; Vinson, Ve; Walden, Steve; Webber, George T.; Wilder, Douglas; Williams, Cynthia; Williams, Walter; Wilson, James; Wise, Pam; Wood, James.
Photographs of African American school buildings, schoolteachers, administrators, and students. Also includes some sports teams. Includes the following schools: Charles Houston; Cora Kelly; Hallowell; Jefferson-Houston Elementary; Mount Vernon Elementary; Mount Vernon High; Parker-Gray Middle; Parker-Gray High; Snowden; T.C. Williams High. 34 photographs, 1920 - 1990.
- Volume 2
John Adams
- Volume 2
Hallowell
- Volume 2
Hammond
- Volume 2
Jefferson-Houston
- Volume 2
Cora Kelly
- Volume 2
Mount Vernon
- Volume 2
Parker-Gray
- Volume 2
Snowden
- Volume 2
T.C. Williams
Sites or structures associated with African-Americans in Alexandria. Includes cemeteries and boundary stone. 6 photographs, 19th century - 1984.
- Volume 2
Sites
Exteriors and some interiors of buildings associated with slavery and the slave trade in Alexandria. Also included are buildings known to have been constructed using slave labor. 24 photographs, 1865 - 1987.
- Volume 2
Slavery
Individuals and groups at work. Includes several formally posed images of African American women with white families or children. Some street scenes and individuals with wagons or automobiles. Police and emergency professionals in uniform. Includes a small number of images of unidentified late twentieth century office workers; similar photographs in which workers are identified are found in Series 5: People - Individual. 35 photographs, 1864 - late 20th century.
- Volume 2
Working Life