About the Archives
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Mrs. Inez Moore Parker, an English professor,
and Mr. Henry B. Blue established a Black Cultural Center on the
campus of Johnson C. Smith University in the summer of 1975. The
purpose of the Black Cultural Center was to expose Johnson C.
Smith University’s students, faculty, and staff to works by and
about African Americans. |
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Mrs. Parker also became interested in
recording the history of Johnson C. Smith University. She began
her research by seeking documents and photographs covering the
history of the university. Through her research, Mrs. Parker
discovered that the university’s records created prior to 1900
had been destroyed in several fires. She successfully attempted
to obtain materials for the collection by contacting people
associated with the university, such as trustees and staff
members. Mrs. Parker used the materials she collected to write a
book, The Biddle-Johnson C. Smith University Story, which
was published in 1975.
Mrs. Parker’s second book, The Rise and Decline of the
Program of Education for Black Presbyterians by the Presbyterian
Church, USA, added new materials to the collection on the
Presbyterian Church, Parochial Schools, and the Black
Presbyterians. On November 4, 1977, the Inez Moore Parker
Archives and Research Center was dedicated in honor of Mrs.
Parker’s work to preserve the history of the African American
experience and the history of the university. This day marked
the official establishment of an archives for the specific
purpose of organizing and preserving the historical records and
materials of Johnson C. Smith University.
Today, the archives contains
manuscripts,
journals, scrapbooks, photographs, clippings, and artifacts.
The collection includes a tea set dated 1859 that belonged to
Dr. Stephen Mattoon, the first President of Johnson C. Smith
University, a chair built for President William Howard Taft when
he visited the university in 1909, and a 1923 Biddle University
Varsity Sweater.
The archives also has a Black Heritage Room
with a small collection of rare books, autographed books,
manuscripts, and books written by and about Africans and African
Americans.
Archives Highlights:
·
President Mattoon's
Silver Tea Set - 1859
·
“Africo-American
Presbyterian” publication. Published and edited by JCSU’s first
African American president, Dr. Daniel Jackson Sanders. - 1889, 1907
·
Speeches and
documents written by Dr. Henry Lawrence McCrorey - 1907 to 1940.
·
The Argus,
first student newspaper - 1908
·
U.S. President
William H. Taft's chair built by faculty for his campus visit -
1909
·
Biddle University
varsity sweater - 1923
·
First Bull Annual
(Yearbook) - 1928
·
Alumni and Faculty
publications: Plays and choral readings by Darius
Leander Swann -
1953-1963; “The Bible and the Human Quest” by Dr.
Algernon O.
Steele - 1956; “The Negro in New York” by Dr. James E. Allen - 1964
The
archives is heavily used by researchers, faculty, students, and
alumni throughout North Carolina and across the U.S.
Mission
The Inez Moore Parker Archives and
Research Center preserves, selects, and makes accessible vital
information pertaining to the University’s history, administrative
operations, and the Black experience. The archives is a place where
the preservation of materials are kept for administrative and
researchers use.
Arrangement of the Archives
The Archives is arranged according to
the history of Johnson C. Smith University, the Board of Trustees,
the University’s Administrative Offices, Johnson C. Smith
University’s Publications, the Alumni Association, Special
Collections, Manuscripts, and the Photograph Collection.
See
Record Group Collection
Scope
The Inez Moore Parker Archives and
Research Center places primary emphasis on:
- Selecting only those records that
best document the University’s history, administration, faculty,
staff, and students.
- Collecting and preserving
historical records, which document the Black experiences in the
Charlotte, NC region.
- Seeking to cooperate with other
repositories, individuals, and organizations that create important
records in order to promote the identification and preservation of
records for understanding the University’s history and the Black
experience.
- Obtaining manuscripts and books
documenting the Black experience.
Some archival materials are
restricted.
Hours of operation
Monday - Friday 9am - 1pm and 2pm -
4pm
Location
The archives is located on the 2nd
floor of the James B. Duke Memorial Library.
Requests for research
Researchers are asked to first
complete a
User Registration Form.
Your registration will help us to protect the historical materials
and will enable us to evaluate the usefulness of the University's
holdings.
If you are requesting photo
duplication of archives materials then you must also complete a Photo Duplication Request Form.
Policies
The Inez Moore Parker Archives and
Research Center is open without a fee to students, faculty and staff
of the University and members of the public, for non-circulating use
only. Materials are to remain in the archives research center at all
times. Requests for materials are accepted between 9am and 2pm,
Monday through Friday.
Gifts
Present
Collecting Level: We accept donations as it pertains to the
principles of what the University will collect for its repository.
A gift agreement must be signed before materials can be added.
Present
Limitations: Documentation on student life at Johnson C. Smith
University is very weak. More information on how the University
affected the lifestyle in the Charlotte community and its major
involvement in the civil rights movement and other movements is
needed. Biographical information on the early founders, benefactors
and presidents of the University is rare and needs more
documentation for researchers use. We received the most inquires
regarding the above categories. The Black Heritage Room needs more
rare books, manuscripts and other documentations as it pertains to
Africans and African Americans history, culture and social issues.
Desired Level of Collecting:
The archives wishes to receive more information on the black
community in Charlotte and surrounding areas before or after the
civil war. Pictures, oral documentations, letters and memorabilia
are needed. Information on the early black publications,
organizations, social groups, schools and black businesses in the
Charlotte community and surrounding areas would add nicely to the
Black heritage collection. In the future we hope to add more
materials on African history and culture.
The archives will not accept
materials/donations without the legal transfer of title, deed of
gift, or other official acknowledgement. Please complete the
Gift Form
which should accompany any materials when making a donation.
Loans: The archives offer
materials for non-circulating use only. Materials can be copied,
duplicated or transfer via electronically if feasible and if no
damage is imposed upon the materials.
Contact Information
Our mailing address:
Inez Moore Parker Archives and
Research Center
James B. Duke Memorial Library
Johnson C. Smith University
100 Beatties Ford Road
Charlotte, NC 28216
Telephone: (704)371-6741
Fax: (704)378-3524
Brandon Lunsford
Archival Services Librarian |
