Menschel, Joyce and Robert

Freedom Quilting Bee Files, 1966-1984

(AR 757)

The Freedom Quilting Bee was a cooperative begun in 1966 by a group of African American women in Wilcox County, Alabama. The cooperative produced quilts and other items that were sold in various stores nationwide and by direct mail. This collection includes correspondence, financial records and photographs relating to the Quilting Bee, the Selma Inter-Religious Project and the Cooperative League Fund.

Size: 3 boxes

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)

Alabama Files, 1940-1955

(AR 501)

These files contain correspondence and other material between the national NAACP office and various Alabama branches. The bulk of the correspondence relates to the issuing of branch charters and membership. Some files also contain small amounts of material relating to race relations in Birmingham and other areas of Alabama.

Size: 3 reels microfilm

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)

Birmingham Files, 1951-1955

(AR 502)

These files contain correspondence and other material between the national NAACP office and the Birmingham branch office. The bulk of the correspondence relates to the renewal of memberships, membership campaigns and the financial difficulties of the branch. Some files also contain small amounts of material relating to race relations in Birmingham. Earlier material from the Birmingham branch can be found in the NAACP Alabama Files.

Size: 1 reel microfilm

Photographs

General Collection

(AR 1556)

The general photograph collection is an artificial collection created by the Archives Department to house photographs acquired individually rather than as part of a larger body of material. New images are added to the collection as they become available. This collection contains photographic prints and negatives. The images relate primarily to the Birmingham area and to a lesser extent Alabama, and include streetscapes, buildings, and events. The images date from the 1870s to the 1990s with the bulk of the collection dating from the 1890s to the 1950s.

Size: 4,900+ photographs

Photographs

Portraits

(AR 1557)

The portrait photograph collection is an artificial collection created by the Archives Department to house photographs acquired individually rather than as part of a larger body of material. New images are added to the collection as they become available. This collection contains photographic prints and negatives. The images, studio portraits and candid photographs of individuals and groups of people, relate primarily to the Birmingham area and to a lesser extent Alabama.

Size: 1,600+ photographs

Red Mountain Cemetery

Record of Interments, 1888-1906

(AR 1015)

Red Mountain Cemetery, sometimes called Southside Cemetery, was used by the City of Birmingham from 1888 to 1906 as a place to bury the indigent dead. The cemetery contains 4,711 burials and was located south of the city on the site that is now Lane Park and the Birmingham Zoo. The graves were not removed, but decades after the cemetery ceased to be used, the park and zoo were built over the graves. The interment book lists names, sex, race, dates of death, and causes of death.

Size: 1 volume

Shadow Lawn Cemetery

Records

(AR 1830)

Located in the western section of Birmingham, Shadow Lawn Cemetery was established in the late 1930s as a burial place for African Americans, and is one of the largest African American cemeteries in the Birmingham area. This collection includes records of internments, records of plot purchases, maps and other material.

Size: 22 boxes

Smith, William H., Lizzie Smith and Rufus H. Smith

Correspondence, 1934 -1939

(AR 1890)

Rufus H. Smith, the son of Rev. William H. and Lizzie Smith, moved from their home in Birmingham to Selma University at Selma to obtain a degree in teaching. Rufus H. Smith began his teaching career in 1947 at Lincoln School in Birmingham. In addition, Rufus H. Smith worked at Riley Elementary, Western High School (Jackson-Olin), and Phillips High School from which he retired in 1980. This collection contains correspondence to Rufus H. Smith while he attended Selma University during 1937 to 1939 from William H. Smith, Rufus Smith’s father; Lizzie Smith, Rufus Smith’s mother; Aunts and Uncles; male and female friends from his Birmingham home as well as friends he had met while attending college.

Size: 1 box

Whatley, John T. “Fess”

Scrapbook

(AR 572)

This scrapbook contains newspaper clippings and other material relating to the life and career of Birmingham band director John T. “Fess” Whatley. The scrapbook was compiled by Birmingham musician J. L. Lowe.

Size: 1 box

Wise, Evelyn

Papers, 1955-1959

(AR 1747)

This collection contains correspondence, grade reports, commencement programs, newspaper clippings, and other material relating to Evelyn Wise's study at Miles College in Birmingham, Alabama. The papers cover the period 1955 to 1959.

Size: 1 box

Young Women’s Christian Association, Birmingham (YWCA)

Records, 1900-1975

(AR 549)

This collection includes minutes of the board of director’s meetings, records of various committees, scrapbooks, property records and other legal documents. The collection also includes material relating to the chapter’s “colored branch” for African American girls.

Size: 20 boxes

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