Lafayette County African American Collection

MUM00772

Summary Information

Repository
University of Mississippi Libraries
Title
Lafayette County African American Collection
ID
MUM00772
Date
circa 1870s-circa 1998
General Physical Description note
2 Hollinger Boxes (approximately 0.63 linear feet)
Abstract
This collection consists primarily of personal histories and photographs of several African American families from Oxford and Lafayette County, Mississippi. Alongside information about the lives and history of these families, this collection also contains information about the history of African-American churches, businesses, and organizations in Lafayette County.

Preferred Citation

Lafayette County African American Collection (MUM00772), Archives and Special Collections, University of Mississippi Libraries

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Biographical Note

In 1993, Mrs. Susie Marshall received a Mississippi Humanities Council Grant for her coordinated project entitled, “Changes in the African American Family in Oxford/Lafayette County and Mississippi." Sponsored jointly by the Senior Sewing and Savings Club and the Oxford Development Association, the project was mainly funded by the Mississippi Humanities Council. The project consisted of three public presentations held in the spring of 1996. The first address featured Mr. Leonard E. Thompson from the Education Administration and Ms. Bonnie Krause, Director of the University of Mississippi Museums. The second presentation featured a discussion by Ms. Patsy Pipkins, English instructor, Oxford City School District, who spoke about shape note singers and the social and religious activities of Lafayette County’s African American community. Dr. William Ferris also spoke about African American music, particularly the blues. The last public presentation featured Dr. Donald Cole, Assistant Dean of the Graduate School of the University of Mississippi and Attorney Calvin Buchanan, Assistant Judge, Northern District of Mississippi.

From this initial grant project, Mrs. Marshall and other members of the working group conceived the idea of chronicling the history of the African American community in Lafayette County. Several families within Lafayette county were asked to write a short family narrative and donate or loan family photographs. This collection relates to this project.

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Scope and Content

This collection primarily contains documents, photographs, programs related to the history of African American families, churches, and organizations from Oxford and Lafayette County, Mississippi.

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Arrangement

Arranged by family and topic.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

University of Mississippi Libraries

Access Restrictions

Lafayette County African American Collection is open for research.

Copyright Restrictions

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement.

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Controlled Access Headings

Geographic Name(s)

  • Lafayette County (Miss.)
  • Oxford (Miss.)

Subject(s)

  • African Americans -- History -- To 1863
  • African Americans -- Southern States
  • Baptist church buildings -- Mississippi
  • University of Mississippi

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Collection Inventory

Box 1 

Folder 1: Cook-Herod Family 

Photograph of Russel, Magnolia Cook, and Charlie Mac Cook Herod 

Photograph of James E. Herod in front of store. circa 1950. 

Folder 2: Reverend J.C. Brown 

Photograph of Rev. J.C. Brown with Timmie Pearson Brown. 

Undated group photograph (names of those pictured not identified on photograph). 

Folder 3: Coleman/Johnson  

Photograph of Callie Coleman Johnson. Undated. 

Page with two photographs (one detached), Dovie Johnson and Harry M. Johnson. Undated 

Photograph of Anna Augusta Coleman. Back of photograph reads, “Our Grand Mother, Anna Augusta Coleman, The Mother of Callie Coleman Johnson.” circa 1941 

Folder 4: George Washington Fox  

Series of photographic negatives featuring an unidentified man, possibly George Washington Fox. Undated 

Folder 5: Mitchell  

Photograph of Ruben Mitchell and extended family. Undated 

Photograph of extended family. Back of photograph contains note from Lampton to Robert Johnson. Undated 

Folder 6: Thompson 

Photograph of Gladys Thompson and Anne Mae Thompson Brassell. circa 1998. 

Folder 7: Oxford High School/W. Johnson 

Photograph of Augustus and Walter Johnson (see also 2.17). circa 1921. 

Photograph of Oxford High School. Entitled, “My graduation class.” 29 May 1901. 

Folder 8: Johnson  

Photograph of Dovie Wilburn Johnson. 1950. 

Photograph of Augusta Johnson Carothers. circa 1930s. 

Photograph of A.C. Johnson, son of Augustus Johnson. Undated. 

Folder 9: Johnson (2)  

Photo drawing of Walter Marcarl Johnson, Sr. Back of photograph reads, “married to Callie Coleman, they had two sons, Walter Jr. and Augustus Johnson. Undated. 

Photo drawing of Anna Augusta Coleman. Undated 

Folder 10: Sewing and Savings Club  

Photograph of members of the Senior Sewing and Savings Club. circa 1950s. 

Photograph of the Junior Sewing and Savings Club Members. circa 1950s. 

Photograph of Junior Sewing and Savings Club Christmas Party. circa 1950s. 

Folder 11: Cook-Harvey  

Photograph of Bishop and Litisha Cook Harvey. circa 1950s. 

Photograph of Mary Francis Cook. Back of photograph reads, “Mary Francis Cook (front row) daughter of Litisha and Harvey Cook. Ca. 1930s. Back row: Grandparents George Harvey and Emily Harvey Cook.” circa 1930s. 

Photograph of the children of Bishop and Litisha Harvey Cook, grandchildren of Ann and Henry Cook. circa 1950s. 

Folder 12: Carothers  

Photograph possibly of Chester Carothers. 1953. 

Photograph of Chester and Augusta Carothers. circa 1960s.  

Photograph of Augusta and Chester Carothers. Undated. 

Photograph of Harold Bennett, Rosie Carothers Bennett, and Alice Carothers. Undated. 

Photograph of Rosa Lee Carothers. circa 1930s. 

Photograph of Carothers Family Members. Rosa Lee, George Jr., Augusta, Edna, and Edward. circa 1940s. 

Photograph of Chester Carothers in uniform. Undated 

Photograph of Edward Carothers. Undated. 

Photograph of Charles and Carol Carothers. Undated. 

Hand-tinted photograph, possibly of Jessie Carothers. Undated. 

Folder 13: Oxford Training School  

Page entitled “Community Birthday Calendar.” Sponsored by Oxford Training High School’s P.T.A. Contains photographs of Mrs. Lena Peterson and Mrs. Dovie E. Johnson. circa 1961. 

Photograph likely of Samantha Ghist Redmond. 1961 

Photograph of Mrs. Susie Marshall. 1961. 

Folder 14: Roberts  

Photograph of Everett Roberts. Undated 

Folder 15: Buford  

Photograph of members of the Buford family. Enclosed note includes identifications, Bessie Buford Blake, [Elnora] Buford Young, Mrs. [Rosie] Brown Buford, Alberta Buford Campbell, and George Buford. Undated. 

Folder 16: Couch 

Undated photograph of Ed and [Eurelin] Couch. circa 1967. 

Photograph of two family members. Undated. 

Photograph of two unidentified men. Undated. 

Folder 17: Taylor  

Photograph of Tommy Taylor and sister Bettye Dickens. Undated. 

Photograph of Tommy Taylor. Undated. 

Photograph of Tommy Taylor. Undated. 

Photograph of Tommy Taylor. Undated. 

Photograph of unidentified woman. Back of photograph reads, “born 1 April 1868 and died 1964 at age 96.” Undated. 

Folder 18: Delmount Seminary Grammar School 

Photograph of students from the Delmount Seminary School. Back of photograph includes identifications: Mary Price Teacher, Etma Brooks Teacher, Bettie Dickens Teacher, Dovie E. Johnson, Ester Goolsby, Rosie B. Owens, Katie Cochran, Alberda Nelson, E. Gooslby. Undated. 

Folder 19: Organizations 

Photograph of the Oxford Community Chorus. Back of photograph includes identifications, Willie Mae Means, Gertrude Buford, Macie Lee Goff, Zettie B. Isom, Mamie Bankhead, Susie Marshall, Samantha Redmond, Edna Wiley, Director Della Davidson, Eddie Johnson, James Buford, Russel Wiley, [W.H.] Hamp Davidson, Zula Jackson, Everlene Calloway. circa 1950s. 

Letter. Leonard E. Thompson, Chairman of Committee of Minority Associations and Clubs, and Cornelia Fondren, Secretary of Committee of Minority Associations and Clubs to “Dear North Seventh Street Resident.” 19 January 1987. 

Folder 20: Churches and Businesses 

Photograph of Second Baptist Church Choir. circa 1955. 

Photograph of Second Baptist Church. Undated. 

Folder 21: Ingram Family 

Photograph, possibly of Jerry Ingram. Undated. 

Folder 22: Freedmen Town Marker 

Photograph of Mrs. Susie Marshall next to the Freedmen Town Marker, erected 5 August 1996. 

Folder 23: African American Families Project  

Information about the project, coordinated by the Senior Sewing and Savings Club and the Oxford Development Association, funded mainly by the Mississippi Humanities Council. 

Box 2 

Folder 1: Cook-Herod Family 

Paper which photographs (now in 1.1) used to be attached to, with labels, “Russel and Magnolia Cook with baby” and “James E. Herod in front of store in Abbeville, MS.” Undated. 

Folder 2: C.M. White Family  

Printed publication. “The White Family Unification in God Reunion. In Honor of Our Parents Connell Matthew & Thelma Ree.” 2-6 July 1996 

Folder 3: Reverend Jessie Brown Family 

Handwritten history of the Reverend Jessie Brown Family. Undated. 

Folder 4: Penamon Family 

Original and copy of newspaper article discussing Mary Penamon’s 107th birthday. Undated. 

Original and copy of newspaper article discussing Mary Penamon’s 113th birthday. Undated. 

Typed history of Mary Penamon. Undated 

Handwritten history of Mary and Andrew Penamon. Undated. 

Folder 5: Mitchell Family  

Handwritten history of the Berkley Mitchell Family. Undated. 

Folder 6: Rogers Family 

Copy of article discussing Rev. Will Rogers 100th birthday. Undated. 

Typed history of the Rogers family. Undated. 

Folder 7: Blind Jim Ivy 

Typed history of Rev. Blind Jim Ivy by Susie Marshall. Undated. 

Copy of newspaper article from The Oxford Eagle entitled, “Letter from Blind Jim Recalls ’36 Prediction.” 19 September 1975. 

Handwritten history entitled, “Rev. Blind Jim Ivy at Second Baptist and Ole Miss” by Susie Marshall. Undated. 

Folder 8: Solomon Morgan and Family 

Handwritten notes about Soloman Morgan. Undated. 

Handwritten history of the Morgan family. Undated 

Folder 9: Martin Family 

Handwritten history of the Martin Family by Orusta Martin. Undated 

Handwritten notes about Commodore Martin, Alex Martin Family Unit. Undated. 

Folder 10: Coleman Family 

Handwritten document entitled “Black History, Lafayette County Oxford, township” by Harry M. Johnson, Sr. Undated. 

Folder 11: George Washington Fox 

Typed document entitled, “George Washington Fox Family Unions.” Undated. 

Folder 12: W.T. Houston 

Typed document entitled, “History of Wilmer T. Houston.” Undated. 

Handwritten document entitled, “History of Wilmer T. Houston.” Undated. 

Folder 13: Mitchell Ruben 

Typed document about Mitchell Ruben and family. Undated. 

Folder 14: Correthers Family 

Typed document entitled, “Correthers Family History.” Undated. 

Folder 15: Nick Tyson 

Handwritten document entitled, “Nick Tyson Family.” Undated. 

Folder 16: Thompson Family 

Program entitled, “The Descendants of Carter Braxton and Beulah Davis Thompson.” 2 copies. 2 July 1982 

Handwritten document entitled, “Thompson Family History.” Undated. 

Folder 17: Johnson 

Newspaper article entitled, “Are you in this picture?” requesting information about the names of a Boy Scout troop, with several names annotated on the page. The Lafa Shopper News. 29 December 1998. 

Photocopy of photograph of Anna Augusta Coleman. Undated. 

Photocopy of photograph of Callie Coleman Johnson. Undated. 

Page with the identifications for the photograph of Walter and Augustus Johnson (see also 1.7). Undated. 

Typed document entitled, “Education. Oxford-Lafayette African American Education.” Undated. 

Typed document entitled, “Burl Roberson/John Wesley Johnson Family.” Undated. 

Folder 18: Sewing and Savings Club 

Newspaper article entitled, “Club Continues Long-Time Service” by Susie Marshall. The Lafa Shopper News. 18 October 1988. 

Newspaper article entitled, "Senior Savings." Undated. 

Reference to a children’s picnic, Senior Sewing and Savings Club. Undated. 

Typed document entitled, “African American Organizations: The Senior Sewing and Saving Club.” Undated 

Typed document regarding photograph of the Junior Sewing and Saving Club (see also 1.10). Undated. 

Folder 19: Harvey Cook 

Document identifying an image of Mary Francis Cook, George Harvey, Emma Harvey (see also 1.11) Undated 

Folder 20: Carothers Family 

Handwritten document, Carothers Family history. Undated. 

Folder 21: Oxford Training School 

Program entitled, “Oxford Training School Alumni 20th Year Anniversary Program, July 8, 9, 10, 1994” 

Newspaper. “OTS Reunion Section.” The Oxford Eagle. 8 July 1994. 

Folder 22: Boy Scouts 

Poster. One side is entitled, “Soul Force Boy Scouts and Black History Week” and the reverse side is entitled, “Black History Shines on the Late James O. Buford.” Undated. 

Folder 23: Roberts Family 

Completed draft interview for Field Committee Members entitled, “Roberts Family History of Myrtle Parker.” Undated. 

Incomplete document of interview questions for Field Committee Members. Undated. 

Photocopy from the Roberts Family memory book pages. Undated. 

Folder 24: Family Histories 

Typed document about African American history and the family of Stella Mayes Alexander and the family of Nathaniel Cook. Undated. 

Typed document entitled, “Tidbits from the Countryside.” Undated. 

Typed document about the family of Stella Mayes Alexander. Undated. 

Typed document about the Nathaniel Cook family. Undated. 

Typed document about the Mitchell and Fox families. Undated. 

Typed document about the histories of several families (2 copies). Undated. 

Typed document about Frank Chalmers Neilson. Undated. 

Typed document about the history of the Boles, Wiley, and Johnson families. Undated. 

Folder 25: Jim Owens 

Handwritten document entitled, “The Late Jim Owens and Callie Family History.” Undated. 

Printed illustrations of the Jim and Callie Owens family tree (2 documents). Undated. 

Folder 26: Roberson and Johnson Family 

Photocopy of photograph of Nettie Cannon and Ella Flowers attached to handwritten document, “Burl Roberson/ John Wesley Johnson. Undated. 

Typed document entitled “Burl Roberson/John Wesley Johnson Family” (2 copies). Undated. 

Folder 27: Dan Avant 

Program. Avant-Joiner Family Reunion. 28 July 1996 

Handwritten document about the history of the Avant family. Undated. 

Folder 28: Edna Dickens 

Typed document entitled, “Tribute to Mrs. Susie Marshall.” Undated. 

Completed draft interviews regarding the histories of the Couch and Buford families. Undated. 

Folder 29: Taylor Family 

Handwritten document entitled, “Saga of Thomas Taylor and Mary Avant Taylor.” Undated. 

Typed document entitled, “A Talk with Tommie Wendell Taylor” by Richard S. Griffin. Undated. 

Folder 30:Delmount Seminary Grammar School 

Document identifying individuals in the Delmount Seminary Photograph (see also 1.18). Undated. 

Folder 31: Organizations 

Program. Oxford Lodge No. 16 100th Anniversary. 29 September 1978 

Typed document about the history of several different groups from the Oxford-Lafayette area. Undated. 

Copy of photograph from program and handwritten information about Judge William E. Peterson, Judge of Circuit Court of Cook County, Chicago, IL. Undated. 

Document with typed and handwritten information about Nolia Banks, founder of the Oxford Consistory. Undated. 

Typed document about different associations in the Oxford-Lafayette area. Undated. 

Folder 32: Churches and Businesses 

Typed document containing information about churches in the Oxford-Lafayette area. Undated. 

Typed document containing information about businesses and occupations in the Oxford-Lafayette area. Undated. 

Folder 33: Personalities 

Copy of photograph of Mrs. Lena Mae Peterson and information about her commemorative service. circa November 1959. 

Typed document containing information about the commemorative service of Mrs. Lena Mae Patterson, written by Mrs. Susie Marshall. 

Photocopy of program from the Oxford Lodge No. 16 100th Anniversary (see also 2.31) 

Photocopy of photograph of Mrs. Susie Marshall standing in front of the Freedmen Town Marker included on a document entitled, "Freedmen Town." Undated. 

Typed document entitled, “Freemantown.” Undated. 

Typed document entitled, “Notable People" which includes histories of C.B. Webb, W.R. Redmond, Jr., Reverend Wayne Johnson, Della R. Davidson, and Susie Marshall. Undated. 

Folder 34: Ingram Family 

Typed document entitled, “The History of the Ingram Family.” Undated. 

Folder 35: Reconstruction 

Photocopy of newspaper article entitled, “An Incident of Reconstruction Days.” The Oxford Eagle. 28 February 1986. 

Handwritten notes entitled, “An Incident of Reconstruction Days.” 28 February 1986. 

Folder 36: Mrs. Lena M. Peterson 

Photocopied document about the commemoration service for Mrs. Lena M. Peterson, 30 November 1959. (see also 2.33). 

Folder 37: African American Family Project 

Document entitled, “African-American Family Project Funded by MHC,” by Niler P. Franklin. Undated. 

Folder 38: Thirkield Family 

Typed document entitled, “Rules of the Thirkield Family.” Undated. 

Typed document containing the prayer and mission of the Thirkield Family. Undated. 

Typed document containing information about the history of the Thirkield family by Ida Fay Cambpell. Undated. 

Form and information about the scholarship program for Thirkield Descendants. Undated. 

Folder 39: Thirkield Family  

Copy of the Thirkield Family Directory, 1993. 

Copy of the Thirkield Family Directory, 1994. 

Folder 40: Historical Program 

Program. “Changes in African American Family in Oxford/Lafayette County and Mississippi.” Sponsored by the Oxford Development Association, Senior’s Sewing & Savings Club, Mississippi Humanities Council. 16 April 1996.