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Preferred Citation

The Alice and Henry Colson Jackson Papers, Accession #1977-13a , Special Collections and Archives, Johnston Memorial Library, Virginia State University, Petersburg, VA.

Biographical/Historical Information

Alice Jackson was born in Petersburg, Virginia. The daughter of Ella and Andrew hugo Jackson. Alice jackson graduated from Peabody High School and earned a B.S. degree from Virginia State College. She then went on to the library school at Hampton Institute where she earned a B.S. degree in library science. At a later date, Miss Jackson attended Columbia University School of Library Science where she earned a master science degree in library science.

She began her employment as a librarian at Virginia State College for Negroes in 1930. In 1944 she left Virginia State College and during the following years she held a variety of positions st a number of institutions in the United States. In 1962 she returned to Virginia State College as the educational librarian and retired in 1972.

Miss Jackson in 1929 was a Rosenwald Fund Scholar,and in 1937 she was awarded the General Education Scholarship to pursue her M.S. degree in library science at Columbia. her masters thesis topic: "Sources of Main Entries for Negro Collections."

Henry Colson Jackson was born in Petersburg, Virginia in 1903. His career spanned seventy years as a teacher and counselor. He taught at the Brick Junior College, Enfield, North Carolina, the Peabody High School, Petersburg and Virginia State College where he later became the Dean of Men. He served in the United States Army in World War II.

Henry Colson and Alice Atwell Jackson were in the family of the Colsons of Petersburg. James Major and Ella Colson were siblings, first cousins of James Major Colson.

More information about the Colsons may be found in the Colson-Hill Family Papers, Accession#1965-13 at the Virginia State University in Special Collections/University Archives.

Scope and Content Information

Correspondence, photographs, writings, and printed matter documenting this branch of the Colson Family history. The correspondence pertaining to the house of Roberts and Colson is of particular value

Series Description

Series I. Correspondence Correspondence, some with family members. Most of the correspondence documents Alice and Henry Jackson's educational and professional activities. The correspondence of Miss Jackson's regarding her pursuit of a graduate degree in Library Science is particularly intresting.

Series II. Family Documents Family correspondence documenting the House of Roberts and Colson. The company was established by joseph Jenkins roberts and William Nelson Colson in 1831. Included is a letter from Joseph Jenkins Roberts. Arranged chronologically, all ALS.

Series III. Photographs Family and friends of Alice and Henry Colson Jackson.

Series IV. Printed Sub-series A. Awards Statements of appreciation awarded to Alice and Henry Colson Jackson over the years.

Sub-series B. Programs and Pamphlets Printed items, programs, obituaries, and a few newsclippings. Sub-series C. Degrees High School and College degrees arranged by date, earned by members of the family.

Series V. Scrapbooks, yearbooks, Teacher's Registry Sub-series A. Scrapbook Photographs of family members. Sub-series B. Yearbook A 1940 Peabody High School. Sub-series C. Teachers Registry in Petersburg, Virginia maintained by Ella Colson 1896-1898. Twenty-nine pages, unidentified names and ages of students at the Jones Street School.

Series VI. Literary Book of poems written by Fannie Meade Bolling Colson. Many of the poems were written for birthdays. Alice Jackson M.S. Thesis 1938.