Aid
Title: Mary White Ovington Collection Genre: Papers Dates: 1854-1948 Size: 6.25 Linear feet ID#: 323 OCLC: |
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The papers of Mary White Ovington were placed in the Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs by Mrs. Carrie Burton Overton, Miss Ovington's secretary, in 1969, 1971 and 1973 and were opened for research in 1973.
Mary White Ovington was born in Brooklyn in 1865. In 1895, after education in private schools and at Radcliffe College, she began a career as a social worker. From 1904 on, she devoted herself to the particular problems of Negro populations in New York and other cities. In 1909 she participated in the founding of the NAACP. She remained an officer, and prominent figure in the organization until her retirement in 1947.
Miss Ovington was the author of several books and numerous articles. Her history of the NAACP, The Walls Came Tumbling Down, is in both the Archives Library and the Wayne State Purdy Library collections. Miss Ovington died in New York in 1951.
Unpublished autobiographical material by Miss Ovington
Living conditions of the poor in New York City in the early 1900s
Negroes in the American South in the early 1900s
Foundation and growth of the NAACP
The Civil Rights Movement, in general, up to 1947
Ovington family history, 1800-1948
Approximately 50 photographs relating to Miss Ovington and the NAACP have been placed in the Archives' Audio-Visual Collections.
Series 1, Box I Autobiographical Writings
The files are arranged in chronological order and cover the period from the 1860's to 1933. The material appears to have been written between 1910 and 1933. [Box1]
Series II, Boxes 1-3 Correspondence
Cards, letters, notes and telegrams sent to Miss Ovington from professional associates and friends. The files are arranged chronologically and cover the period from 1872 to 1948. (For correspondence regarding published books, see Series V). [Box1] [Box2] [Box3]
Series III, Box 3 Published Writings
Miss Ovington pasted copies of most of her short publications in scrapbooks. Since the pages are now disintegrating, most of the material in this series has been photocopied. The files are arranged in chronological order and cover the years 1904-1940. [Box3]
Series IV, Box 4
Personal Financial Accounts
The files are arranged in chronological order and cover the years 1873-1883, and 1915-1947. [Box4]
Series V, Boxes 4-5 Published Books: Records and Manuscripts
The series contains correspondence, contracts and other papers relating to the publication of Zeke (1931) and The Walls Came Tumbling Down (1947). Included are three partial drafts of 'The Walls. The files are arranged in chronological order and cover the years 1930-1947. [Box4] [Box5]
Series VI, Boxes 5A-6
Early Unpublished Writings
The files are arranged alphabetically, by title. The material appears to have been written between 1880 and 1900. [Box5] [Box6]
Series VII, Boxes 6-7
Later Unpublished Writings
The files are arranged alphabetically, by title. The material appears to have been written between 1900 and 1942. [Box6]
The series includes correspondence and miscellaneous writing by, or sent to, members of the Ovington family, including Miss Ovington herself. The files are arranged in chronological order and cover the period 1854-1942. [Box7] [Box8]
Series IX, Boxes 9-10
The Diaries of Charles K. Ovington
The original manuscripts were returned to the family after the following photocopies were made. The files are arranged in chrono- logical order and cover the years 1856-1929. [Box9] [Box10]
Series X. Box 10
Writings by Friends
Many of Miss Ovington's friends, like herself, wrote stories and verse, examples of which make up this series. The files are arranged alphabetically, by author's name. The material is not dated. [Box10]
Series XI, Boxes 10-12 Miscellaneous
Items relating to Miss Ovington's career or careers of her friends and associates. The files are arranged in chronological order and cover the period from 1905 to 1948. [Box10][Box11][Box12]
Contents |
[Box1] [Box2] [Box3] [Box4] [Box5] [Box6] [Box7] [Box8] [Box9] [Box10] |
Series 1, Box I Autobiographical Writings
The files are arranged in chronological order and cover the period from the 1860's to 1933. The material appears to have been
written between 1910 and 1933.
1-5. "Reminiscences," Baltimore Afro-American, 1932. (photocopy)
6-9. "Reminiscences" (original)
10. "Reminiscences" (fragment)
11-25. Autobiographical manuscripts
26-27. Manuscript on Jamaica, 1910
28-31. Diary of a trip, 1933
Series II, Boxes 1-3 Correspondence
Cards, letters, notes and telegrams sent to Miss Ovington from professional associates and friends. The files are arranged chronologically and cover the period from 1872 to 1948. (For correspondence regarding published books, see Series V).
32-40. 1872-1927
1-38. 1928-1947
1-7. 1948 and no date
Series III, Box 3 Published Writings
Miss Ovington pasted copies of most of her short publications in scrapbooks. Since the pages are now disintegrating, most of the material in this series has been photocopied. The files are arranged in chronological order and cover the years 1904-1940.
19. "Negroes on Firmer Ground," "Some Publications regarding the American Negro," "A Mount Discovery Musing"
20. . "Closing the Little Black Schoolhouse" (fragment) "The Negro in America, Today and Tomorrow," "On the New-time
Negro”
21. "The Status of the Negro in the United States," "Revolution"
22 "How the NAACP Began"
23. "The White Brute," "Letter to the Editor of the Masses," "Mary Phagan Speaks"
24. "On Christmas Eve," two untitled fragments
25 . "The United States in Puerto Rico"
26. "Gretchen Talks to Her Doll," article in the New York Post
27-29. “The Shadow"
I. 1873-1883 (Account book)
2-17. 1915-1947
Series V, Boxes 4-5 Published Books: Records and Manuscripts
The series contains correspondence, contracts and other papers relating to the publication of Zeke (1931) and The Walls
Came Tumbling Down (1947). Included are three partial drafts of 'The Walls. The files are arranged in chronological order and
cover the years 1930-1947.
18. Correspondence on Zeke
19. Notes on Zeke
20. Publisher's agreement on Zeke
21. Royalty statements for Zeke and Upward Path
22. Correspondence on The Walls and publisher's contract
23-26. Correspondence on The Walls
27-32. The Walls Came Tumbling Down, first draft
33-37. The Walls, second draft
1-21. The Walls, third draft
22- 24. The Walls, final draft
25-31. The Walls, miscellaneous papers
Series VI, Boxes 5A-6
Early Unpublished Writings
The files are arranged alphabetically, by title. The material appears to have been written between 1880 and 1900.
Box 5A
I. "The Celtic Sept"
2. "The Harvard Annex"
3. "Heroines of English Novels"
4. "Herrick as a Poet of Nature," "Charles Dickens"
5. "Literature for Young Girls"
6. "My Gallery"
7. "Ode to a Lamb Chop"
8. "The Order"
9. "Parsnips For Two"
10. "Peterkin Journal”
11. "Sidney Lanier"
12."Tip-side Up"
1896 and no date
1-2. "A Wealth of Fancy”
3 “Young Unitarian Women"
4. Miscellaneous themes
5-13. Untitled novel
14. Untitled story
Series VII, Boxes 6-7
Later Unpublished Writings
The files are arranged alphabetically, by title. The material appears to have been written between 1900 and 1942.
15. "Alias Vera Fortune"
16. "Birds"
17-28. The Boy Detective (novel)
29-34. The Pokam River Mystery (radio drama)
35. "Catching a Baby" (a series of photographs, "Alabama Midwives," in the Audio-Visual Collection, accompanies this text)
36. "Christmas Peace"
37. "Contributions of the German Immigration to American Life"
38. "Enter Babbitt" and other sketches
39. "Georgia, Invisable Empire State"
40. "The Gull"
7-Box,
I . "Her Mysterious Journey"
2 . "The Nodding Head"
3 . "One Fight More"
4 . From a packet marked "plans for plays, MWO-HDO"
5-6. Verse
7 . "The Price of a Coat"
8. "Scientific Approach to Peace"
9 . "Shopping Yesterday"
10-11. "The Spode Cup"
12. "The Cycle of a Race" and "The Story of the American Negro"
13. "To Each His Fear"
14. "What Zeke 'Found"
15-16. "Winston, The 'Free County' of Alabama"
17. "Womens Clubs"
18. "Zillah"
19. Manuscript Fragment
20-23. Miscellaneous sketches on political themes
24-25 . Untitled play in Four acts
Series VIII, Boxes 7-8 Ovington Family Papers
The series includes correspondence and miscellaneous writing by, or sent to, members of the Ovington family, including Miss
Ovington herself. The files are arranged in chronological order and cover the period 1854-1942.
26. Ovington Family genealogy
27-36. Theodore Ovington to,Louise Ketchum Ovington
37-40. Typed copies of 27-36.
MARY WHITE OVINGTON
1. "Poems" (an anthology, marked "L. Ovington from Annie Chadwick")
2. Verse by Louise Ovington
3-6. Miss Ovington to her family
7. Verse and writings with accompanying letter
8. John White Chadwick manuscript on Hebrews 2:15
10-11. Dr. N.E. Gorke-Davis to C.K. Ovington
12. C.K. Ovington, miscellaneous correspondence
13-14. Mrs. C.K. Ovington, miscellaneous correspondence
15-22. Yadwiga Smyk to Mrs. C.K. Ovington
23-26. Jennie Harding to Mrs. C.K. Ovington
27. Postcards from Gotts Island, Maine
28-29. Elizabeth W. Kingsbury, (Betty) to Miss Ovington
30-33. Elizabeth W. Kingsbury, "The Lives of Two Young Shepherds"
34. Elizabeth W. Kingsbury, 3 pencil drawings
35-39. Correspondence concerning Georgia Ovington
40. Family to Miss Ovington
Series IX, Boxes 9-10
The Diaries of Charles K. Ovington
The original manuscripts were returned to the family after the following photocopies were made. The files are arranged in
chrono- logical order and cover the years 1856-1929.
9-Box,
I. 1856-1874
2-21. 1881-1892
22-39. 1905-1923
1-10. 1924-1929
Series X. Box 10
Writings by Friends
Many of Miss Ovington's friends, like herself, wrote stories and verse, examples of which make up this series. The files are
arranged alphabetically, by author's name. The material is not dated
11. Doris Alexander, "A Chest of Drawers"
12. Rosalie M. Jonas, verse
13. Ruth Moore, verse
14. Beth Torrey, "Little Elephant"
15-24. Elisa Van Wyck verse and related writing
25. Miscellaneous, verse
Series XI, Boxes 10-12 Miscellaneous
Items relating to Miss Ovington's career or careers of her friends and associates. The files are arranged in chronological order and cover the period from 1905 to 1948.
26. Book of Birthdays and Wedding Dates
27. Sydney Oliver "The White Man's Burden at Home"
28. Articles on Miss Ovington
29. NAACP branches list, Atlanta Conference list
30. James Weldon Johnson, "Self-Determining Haiti"
1. "Book Chats"
2. "The Civic Club," Program of the Second Unitarian Congregational Society
3. Mabel Carney, "African Letters"
4. Marcet Haldeman-Julius, "The Defendants in the Sweet Trial," in Haldeman Julius Monthly
5. Haldeman-Julius, "Clarence Darrow's Defense of a Negro"
6. "Cheers" (student handbook), Tuskegee Institute
7. Lorenza Cole, papers
8. Christmas card lists
9. Christmas card lists
10.Christmas card lists
11. James Weldon Johnson Dinner Program
12. "Negroes Holding Presidential Appointment offices Under the Roosevelt Administration, 1933-1937"
13. "Visits to Branches," "Report to (NAACP) Board by Miss Ovington re: Southern Trip"
14. Shirley Graham, "Spirituals to Symphonies"
15. Miscellaneous articles and souvenirs
16. Address books
17. George Padmore, articles
18. Miscellaneous articles and souvenirs
19. William H. Hastie, "On Clipped Wings, The Story of Jim Crow in the Army Air Corps”
20. Appointment calendar
21. Atlanta University Bulletin
22. W.E.B. Du Bois, reports on Pan African Congresses
23. George M. Houser, "Erasing the Color Line"
24-35. NAACP minutes and bulletins, 1946-1947
1-6. NAACP minutes and bulletins, 1946-1947
7. New Africa (Bulletin)
8. Robert F. Wagner, "Service and Conduct of Negro Soldiers"
9 . From Mary White Ovington's "Book File"
10. "Notes on Conversation between Miss Ovington and Mr. (Walter) White"
11. Minutes of the Negro Labor Assembly
12. Helen Gahagan Douglas, "The Negro Soldier"
13. CORE, "Corelator"
14. Matthew Browning, "My Tour Through Dixie"
15. NAACP tributes to Mary White Ovington
16. Book reviews and lists
17. Housing, business and the American Negro
18-24. Letters in C. Overton's shorthand transcription
25. Miscellaneous