Civil Rights

Educator, author, and actor Ruth Acty (1913-1998) was the first African American teacher hired by the Berkeley Unified School District in 1943. The Ruth Acty papers include curriculum material, teaching notes, writings, photographs, awards, legal and financial records, and correspondence that document her life and activities as a teacher and author. Dates: 1927-2001 Collection number: MS 38 Creator: Acty, Ruth, 1913-1998 Collection Size: 9.5 linear feet (16 boxes + 1 oversized box) Guide to the Ruth Acty Papers Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

The African American Museum & Library at Oakland Audiovisual Collection consists of 106 audiocassettes, 72 videotapes, 2 CD-Rs, and 2 seven inch reel audiotapes. The audiovisual collection consists of materials acquired by the African American Museum & Library at Oakland, and its predecessor the Northern California Center for Afro-American History & Life. The collection is organized into 16 series by format or subject, and includes recordings of significant African Americans such J. Rupert Picott and Byron Rumford, oral histories with significant African American families and civil rights leaders, and documents various topics related to African American history, culture and experience. View online items at the Internet Archive Dates: circa 1950s-circa 2000s   Collection number: MS207   Creator: African American Museum & Library at Oakland   Collection Size: 7.25 linear feet (5 boxes + 3 audiocassette boxes)   Guide to the African American Museum & Library at Oakland Audiovisual Collection Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

The African American Museum & Library at Oakland Oral History Collection consists of 79 oral history interviews conducted in 2002-2007. The interviews were initially conducted by the AAMLO Coalition, a group of volunteers and supporters of the African American Museum & Library at Oakland, which interviewed prominent and long-time Oakland residents in the fields of education, performing arts, politics and religion. View online items at the Internet Archive. Dates: 2002-2007   Collection number: MS 191   Creator: African American Museum & Library at Oakland   Collection Size: 2.75 linear feet (6 boxes)   Guide to the African American Museum & Library at Oakland Oral History Collection Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

Dates: 1869-2008   Collection number: MS 189   Creator: African American Museum & Library at Oakland   Collection Size: 21.25 linear feet (30 boxes + 2 oversized boxes + 2 oversized drawers)   Guide to the African American Museum & Library at Oakland Photograph Collection Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) The African American Museum & Library at Oakland Photograph Collection consists of 1,953 photographs documenting African Americans in California between 1869-2008. The photograph collection consists of photographs donated to the African American Museum & Library at Oakland, and its predecessor the East Bay Negro Historical Society. The collection is organized into 28 series by subject, and includes photographs of significant African Americans such Martin Luther King Jr., Thurgood Marshall, and Byron Rumford, and documents various aspects of the African American community in Oakland including athletics, business, churches, civil rights, early pioneers, entertainment, military, fraternal and women's organizations. View online items We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

The African American Museum & Library at Oakland Vertical File Collection consists of programs, flyers, correspondence, posters, pamphlets, and ephemera collected by the African American Museum & Library at Oakland. The East Bay Negro Historical Society began vertical files in the late 1960s, collecting ephemera and newspaper clippings about African American history and culture. The vertical files are arranged alphabetically by subject, organization, or last name, and include correspondence, programs, flyers, and pamphlets mostly about African American organizations and cultural institutions in the Oakland and the East Bay during the mid-20th century (1940s-1970s). Dates: 1828-2017   Collection number: MS 179   Collector: African American Museum & Library at Oakland   Collection Size: 61.5 linear feet (82 boxes + 13 oversized boxes)   Guide to the African American Museum & Library at Oakland Vertical File Collection Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

Dates: 1895-1987   Collection number: MS 108   Creator: Albrier, Frances Mary, 1898-1987.   Collection Size: 7.9 linear feet (7 boxes + 2 oversized boxes)   Guide to the Frances Albrier Papers Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) Social activist Frances Albrier (1898-1987) was born on September 21, 1898 in Mt. Vernon, New York to Lewis L. and Laura Redgray. During the late 1930s, Albrier became active in a number of different political and civil rights issues. In 1938, she became the first woman elected to the Alameda County Democratic Central Committee. The following year she became the first woman to run for the Berkeley City Council, led the Citizen’s Employment Council’s “Don’t Buy Where You Can’t Work” campaign, and organized the East Bay Women's Welfare Club, a women’s group which advocated for the hiring of black teachers in the Berkeley Unified School District. During the 1940s, she continued to be active in a number of women's, civil rights, and union organizations while serving as a first aid instructor in the American Red Cross. After her application to become a welder was denied because Black workers did not have an auxiliary union in Richmond, she garnered political pressure in the Black community forcing Kaiser Shipyards to hire her making her the first black woman welder during the war. The Frances Albrier papers include correspondence, legal and financial records, awards, photographs, records of civic organizations and women’s clubs, and assorted printed material documenting Albrier life and participation in various civic organizations and women’s clubs in the San Francisco Bay Area. We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

Photographs taken by Andrew Ritchie in Oakland, California (1990-1991). The bulk of the photographs are of the 1991 Oakland Hills Firestorm, taken both during and after the fire. Ritchie photographed the active burn while working alongside other civilians to fight off the fire with garden hoses, successfully saving two homes, and revisited the burn zone later to document the destruction. Also includes a letter of commendation from President George H.W. Bush, for Ritchie's role in fighting the fire, and a series of negatives taken at a Nelson Mandela rally at the Oakland Auditorium, 1990.   (OHC COLL 2024-5)   3 folders in 1 box (.8 linear feet)   Go here for a more detailed list of this collection's contents.  Available at Oakland History Center, Main Library. 

Records of the Bay Area Paul Robeson Centennial Committee, consisting of fliers and programs for Committee events held in Berkeley, San Francisco and Oakland, California. Includes correspondence between Committee members and various entities, meeting agendas and minutes, copies of their monthly newsletter titled "On My Journey Now," and diverse research materials.    (OHC COLL 2023-3)   5 folders in 1 box (.2 linear feet)   Go here for a more detailed list of this collection's contents.  Available at Oakland History Center, Main Library.  

Beginning in the Civil Rights Movement during the early 1960's, Bello became politically involved and was active with local school board elections and city council meetings. In 1963, together with Charlesetta Braggs-Ford, she founded the Richmond chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) to address discriminatory practices in local housing and employment. As a representative of Richmond CORE, Bello participated in training institutes, educational leagues and programs for the purpose of helping the public become better informed on the problem of de facto segregation in the Richmond Unified School District. The Savannah A. Van Dyke Bello Papers consists of pamphlets, reports, flyers, strategy and progress reports, papers, action plans, correspondence, meeting minutes, newsletters and newspaper clippings related to Bello’s founding and involvement with the Richmond chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), as well as her extensive work involving desegregation in the Richmond Unified School District. Dates: 1962-2008 (bulk 1966)   Collection number: MS 203   Creator: Van Dyke Bello, Savannah A.   Collection Size: .25 linear feet (1 box)   https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8xk8m98/ Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

The Black Panther Community News Service Collection consists of 214 newspapers published by the Black Panther Party between 1967-1976 and includes a commemorative edition published in the Spring of 1991. Each edition was between 16-28 pages and featured a range of articles and op-eds on the activities of the party, black power, police brutality, communism, and party leadership. The back of each issue featured artwork from artist and Black Panther's Minister of Culture Emory Douglas. Beginning on March 13, 1971, the newspapers were re-named The Black Panther Intercommunal News Service. Issues of the The Black Panther are available to view digitally on Alexander Street using your Oakland Public Library card. Dates: 1967-1980   Collection number: MS 178   Creator: Black Panther Party. Ministry of Information.   Collection Size: 19 linear feet (16 boxes)   Guide to the Black Panther Black Community News Service Collection Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-0200 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

In 1963 Braggs-Ford, together with Savannah A. Bello, founded the Richmond chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) to address discriminatory practices in local housing and employment. The Charlesetta Braggs-Ford Papers consists of reports, bulletins, correspondence, flyers, conference programs, papers, brochures, pamphlets, newsletters, and newspaper clippings that document the activities of the Richmond chapter of CORE. The collection also includes material related to regional CORE chapters and the national CORE organization. Dates: 1963-1984   Collection number: MS 204   Creator: Braggs-Ford, Charlesetta.   Collection Size: .5 linear feet (1 box)   Guide to the Charlesetta Braggs-Ford Papers Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

Dates: 1916-2017 (bulk 1916-1990)   Bulk Dates: 1916-1990   Collection number: MS 164   Creator: Smith, Jackie Bryant   Collection Size: 5.6 linear feet (5 boxes + 3 oversized boxes + 8 artworks)   Guide to the Bryant Family Papers Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) James J. Bryant was born to George and Addie Bryant in Perry, Kansas, on January 16, 1888, the second son among five brothers. Florence Bryant was born to Henry and Liza Stevens in Linn Creek, Missouri, on January 21, 1894, the youngest of six children. The Bryants were married in Wichita, Kansas, on June 28, 1916 and moved to Oakland in 1938. James was a long-time sleeping car porter for the Pullman Company and active in the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. Florence was named Oakland’s inaugural Mother of the Year in 1954 and was active in organizations such as the March of Dimes. James J. Bryant passed away on March 27, 1976, and Florence Bryant passed away on August 29, 1985. Jackie Bryant Smith, one of five daughters of James J. and Florence Bryant, was born on June 5, 1941, in Oakland and was active with the NAACP. The Bryant Family Papers include correspondence, records, realia, publications, and photographs that document aspects of the family's work life, social life, and political activities. The papers are organized into six series: James J. Bryant, Florence Bryant, Jackie Bryant Smith, Photographs, NAACP, and Printed Material. We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

The Virna M. Canson papers include photographs, correspondence, programs, certificates, and newspaper clippings documenting Canson’s activities with the NAACP and credit unions, politics, and her personal and family history. The papers are arranged into two sub-groups, Virna M. Canson and Clarence Canson. The bulk of the papers are photographs related to Canson’s family history in Oklahoma and her participation in politics, civil rights, and credit unions. The papers include some general correspondence and awards related to her work at the NAACP, her service on various advisory boards, and the NAACP’s Federal Credit Union annual meetings. The Clarence Canson sub-group includes two certificates from the Tuskegee Institute and his law degree from the University of the Pacific. Dates: circa 1900s-2003   Collection number: MS 29   Creator: Canson, Virna M., 1921-   Collection Size: .5 linear feet (1 box + 1 oversized box)   Guide to the Virna M. Canson Papers Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

The Collier Family Papers include correspondence, photographs, military service records, deeds, and newspaper clippings that document members of the Collier, Taylor, and Coffin families. The papers are organized into six series: Francis B. Collier, Muriel Taylor Collier, Cherie Collier Ivey, Claire Lynne and Muriel Patricia Florey, Willis Patrick and Lillian Taylor, and photographs. The bulk of the collection is approximately 800 photographs of mostly of Frank and Muriel Collier, their children, Patricia Flory, Claire Lynn Flory, and Cherie Collier, and family, friends, and relatives. There are also a number of photographs of Muriel Collier’s first husband, Ishmael Flory, the noted civil and labor rights activist, her father, Willis Patrick Taylor, who was active in the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, and her uncle, Alfred Oscar Coffin, the first African American to receive a Ph.D. in the biological sciences. View online items Dates: 1894-1999   Collection number: MS 23   Creator: Collier, Muriel Taylor   Creator: Collier, Francis B.   Collection Size: 3.5 linear feet (8 boxes + 1 oversized box)   Guide to the Collier Family Papers Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

The Commemorator newspaper was a newspaper printed in South Berkeley from 1990-2013 by the Commemoration Committee for the Black Panther Party. The newspaper collection consists of 54 issues of Commemorator newspaper printed from 1990-2012. View online items Dates: 1991-2012   Collection number: MS 202   Creator: The Commemoration Committee for the Black Panther Party   Creator: Dickson, Melvin   Collection Size: 2 linear feet (1 oversized box)   Guide to the Commemorator Newspaper Collection Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

The Lawrence P. Crouchett Papers document Crouchett's role as an historian, social activist, teacher, and administrator between 1960 and 1989. The biographical series includes newspaper clippings, pamphlets, and correspondence detailing Crouchett's life and work. Also included in the papers are class syllabi, handbooks, teaching guides, and articles related to his work as an educator. The papers also provide insight into programs Crouchett instituted as Director of the Office of Special Programs and Services and include pamphlets documenting the Math-Science Institute for Minorities, early affirmative action measures, and artist-in-residence programs. View online items Dates: 1869-2008   Collection number: MS 189   Creator: African American Museum & Library at Oakland   Collection Size: 21.25 linear feet (30 boxes + 2 oversized boxes + 2 oversized drawers)   Guide to the Lawrence P. Crouchett Papers Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

Cottrell Laurence Dellums was born to William H. and Emma Dellums on January 3, 1900 in Corsicana, Texas. The C.L. Dellums papers provide insight into Dellums' career as a civil rights activist and labor leader. They encompass files he maintained as both the International Vice-President of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and as a member of the Fair Employment Practices Commission. In addition, they include some biographical materials and associated artifacts. View online items Dates: 1928-1995   Collection number: MS 14   Creator: Dellums, C. L. (Cottrell Laurence).   Collection Size: 7.25 linear feet (14 boxes + 1 oversized box)   Guide to the Cottrell Laurence Dellums Papers Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

The Ronald V. Dellums Congressional Papers consists of records, artifacts, memorabilia, and related items produced by activities undertaken during his 27-year career as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. These materials include various committee files, hearing and report books; correspondence with constituents and colleagues; sponsored or cosponsored legislative bills; personal files; staff files; press releases and other publications; and subject reference files. View online items Date Range : 1971-1999 inclusive   Collection number: MS 64   Creator: Dellums, Ronald V., 1935-2018   Extent: 432 linear ft. (432 boxes)   Guide to the Ronald V. Dellums Congressional Papers Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

Jonathan Eubanks (1927- ) is a documentary and portrait photographer from Oakland, California recognized for his work with the Black Panther Party. The Jonathan Eubanks Photograph Collection includes seven photographs of Black Panther Party members at a “Free Huey” rally held in 1969, including portraits of prominent party members Stokely Carmichael, Eldridge and Kathleen Cleaver, and Bobby Seale. Also included is a portrait of Marcella Ford taken in the 1990s. Dates: circa 1969-1990s   Bulk Dates: 1969   Collection number: MS 150   Creator: Eubanks, Jonathan   Collection Size: .25 linear feet (1 box)   Guide to the Jonathan Eubanks Photograph Collection Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

Journalist and peace activist Erna P. Harris (1908-1995) was born on June 29, 1908 in Kingfisher, Oklahoma to James E. and Francis Harris. The Erna P. Harris Papers consists of photographs of family and friends of Erna P. Harris, Gaynelle Harris’ certificates attending school in Enid, Oklahoma, and assorted printed material. Photographs include a few portraits of Erna Harris, though the majority of the photographs are portraits of Harris family and friends. The papers also include Erna Harris’ funeral program, an address book, a book review, a recipe for banana angel food cake, and assorted political and CO-OP buttons. Dates: circa 1890s-1995   Collection number: MS 54   Creator: Harris, Erna P.   Collection Size: .5 linear feet (1 box)   Guide to the Erna P. Harris Papers Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

Pamphlets, position papers, articles and other material from various organizations on Japanese Americans as an immigrant group in California in the early 20th Century. Of particular note are materials addressing the issues of quotas on Japanese immigration in the 1920s and 1930s, and the internment of Japanese Americans in 1942. Organizations represented in the collection include the California Joint Immigration Committee, the California Council on Oriental Relations, the Pacific American League, and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce, San Francisco. (OHC COLL 2013-14) Approximately 72 pieces in 1 box (.2 linear feet) Go here for a more detailed list of this collection's contents.  Available at Oakland History Center, Main Library.  

The Barbara Lee Papers consist of legislative bills and working files, correspondence, speeches, constituent case files, audiovisual material, subject and administrative files documenting Barbara Lee’s six years as state assemblywoman for California’s 16th District, two years as a state senator for California’s 9th District, and records created by the California Commission on the Status of Black Males (CCSBM). Dates: 1977-1998   Bulk Dates: 1991-1998   Collection number: MS 086   Creator: Lee, Barbara, 1946-   Collection Size: 80 linear feet (80 boxes)   Guide to the Barbara Lee Papers Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

The Men of Tomorrow, Inc. was a male African American civic and professional organization started in Oakland, California in 1954. Founded by Jefferson Beaver, Richard A.G. Foster, Aramis Fouche, Theodore R. Hardeman, H. Solomon Hill, L. Sylvester Odom, Kenneth F. Smith, and George R. Vaughns, the group eventually grew to include over 300 members including many notable judges and politicians, including Evelio Grillo, Lionel Wilson, and Allen Broussard, and would eventually establish additional chapters in San Francisco, Richmond, Sacramento, and Los Angeles. The Men of Tomorrow, Inc Oakland Chapter records document meetings, conferences, and the administration of the organization between 1959-1985. Dates: 1959-1985   Collection number: MS 3   Collection Size: 1.25 linear feet (3 boxes)   Guide to the Men of Tomorrow, Inc. Oakland Chapter Records Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Collection includes newsletters, brochures, pamphlets, newspaper clippings, convention programs, ephemera, scrapbooks, and records created by national, regional, and local California branches of the NAACP. The collection is organized into five series: West Coast Regional Office records, California regional and local branch records, NAACP publications, 2nd Annual Youth Conference scrapbook, and newspaper clippings. Dates: 1912-2002   Collection number: MS 87   Creator: National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.   Collector: East Bay Negro Historical Society.   Collection Size: 1.5 linear feet (3 boxes + 1 oversized box)   Guide to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Collection Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

Dates: 1965-1968   Collection number: MS 198   Creator: Oakland Economic Development Council (Calif.)   Collection Size: 2 linear feet (1 oversized box)   Guide to the Oakland Economic Development Council Newsletter Collection Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) View online items The Oakland Economic Development Council was a local agency established in 1965 to implement programs associated with the Office of Economic Opportunity and the ‘War on Poverty’ in Oakland, California. The council’s programs were funded through Office of Economic Opportunity and Ford Foundation grants and were administered at Neighborhood Service Centers in North Oakland, West Oakland, East Oakland, and Fruitvale. Programs included family planning clinics, preventative health programs, legal aid services, job training, remedial instruction, small business development, dental and eye services, head start and day care, youth employment, and emergency aid and housing for women and children. We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

Dates: 1922-2005   Bulk Dates: 1963-1996   Collection number: MS 169   Creator: Oakland post.   Collection Size: 56 linear feet (116 boxes + 1 oversized box)   Guide to the Oakland Post Photograph Collection Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) The Oakland Post Photograph Collection consists of 11,000 photographs appearing in the Oakland Post newspaper between 1963-2005. A majority of the photographs are portraits of African American politicians, business and community leaders, entertainers, athletes, and community and social groups from Oakland, California. The collection documents significant social and political events in Oakland, California, including social protest movements during the 1960s-1980s, festivals and sporting events, visits to Oakland, California by notable figures such as Nelson Mandela and Bill Clinton, and activities of Oakland politicians. We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

The Oakland Unified School District Newsletter Collection consists of 18 issues of the New Directions (1966-1969) and Urban Education (1969-1971) newsletters. The newsletters were published by the Oakland Unified School District with federal funds from the Elementary Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and featured articles and photographs of ESEA programs, school integration and busing, curriculum, scholarships, administrative news, and free lunch, ESL, and head start programs. View online items Dates: 1966-1971   Collection number: MS 199   Creator: Oakland Unified School District (Calif.)   Collection Size: 2 linear feet (1 oversized box)   Guide to the Oakland Unified School District Newsletter Collection Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

Dates: 1869-1992   Bulk Dates: 1917-1992   Collection number: MS 46   Creator: Pittman, Tarea Hall.   Creator: Pittman, William.   Collection Size: 12.25 linear feet (29 boxes + 1 oversized box)   Guide to the Tarea Hall and William Pittman Papers Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) Noted civil rights leader, social worker, and radio personality Tarea Hall Pittman (1903-1991) was born in 1903 in Bakersfield, California to William and Susie Hall. In the 1930s, Pittman became active in civil rights organizations, serving as president of the California State Association of Colored Women’s Clubs from 1936-1938, organizing West Coast branches of the National Negro Congress, and hosting the radio program, Negroes in the News, on KDIA in Oakland, California which she would continue to host for over 45 years through the 1970s. She was an active member of the NAACP serving in various roles as an officer of the Alameda County Chapter of the NAACP, Regional Director of the West Coast Region, and Regional Acting Secretary of the NAACP. Pittman is a central West Coast figure in the Colored Women's Club movement, in addition to her work around significant civil rights issues including organizing protests to force war industries to hire African American workers during World War II, fighting to abolish the segregation of the Oakland Fire Department in 1952, and lobbying for the passage of fair employment practices legislation in California, Arizona, Alaska, and Nevada. The Tarea Hall and William Pittman Papers includes photographs, correspondence, awards, certificates, financial and legal records, newspaper clippings, programs, and ephemera documenting the life and career of William Pittman and Tarea Hall Pittman. View online items We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

Lillian M. Potts (1917-2010) was born on November 16, 1917 in Eudora, Arkansas. In 1943, she met and married Weilan Potts and the couple moved to Berkeley, California. After working as a primary school teacher in Arkansas and California, she worked for the California Equal Employment Opportunity Commission until her retirement in 1980. Both Weilan and Lillian Potts were active in advocating for civil rights issues and were active in the N.A.A.C.P., with Weilan chairing the G.I. Assistance Committee in 1951 and Lillian acting as an advisor to the Berkeley Youth Council for five years during the 1960s. Lillian was also active in a number of civic and political organizations serving as president of the 20th Century Democratic Club and the Berkeley Victory Democratic Club, and treasurer of the FEPC Employment Commission. The Lillian M. Potts papers include correspondence, programs, newspaper clippings, photographs, ephemera, reports, and brochures documenting her involvement in California politics and civic and civil rights organizations. Dates: 1937-1998   Collection number: MS 88   Creator: Potts, Lillian M.   Collection Size: .75 linear feet (2 boxes + 1 oversized box)   Guide to the Lillian M. Potts Papers Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

Goldie Byrd Ruffin was a long-time resident of Oakland California with connections to African American political organizations and relatives that were active in civil rights and politics, including her uncles, George R. Vaughns and William E. Vaughns. The Goldie Byrd Ruffin Collection includes photographs, ephemera, and newspaper clippings collected by her about her uncle, George R. Vaughns, and correspondence, photographs, and clippings of his brother, William E. Vaughns. This collection shows an era of political activity of African Americans in Alameda County in the 1950s-60s and highlights the achievements of two prominent African American professionals, and their endeavors to further civil rights legislation and litigation. Collection number: MS 146   Dates: circa 1940s-1980s   Bulk Dates: 1956-1958   Collector: Ruffin, Goldie Byrd   Creator: Vaughns, William E.   Collection Size: 1.25 linear feet 1 box + 1 oversized box   Guide to the Goldie Byrd Ruffin Collection Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

The Edward E. Schaupp papers includes artifacts, ephemera, and photographs mostly related to the civil rights movement in the 1960s. The collection consist of eight protest buttons related to SNCC, C.O.R.E., fair housing, and the March on Washington, two arm/head bands, an invitation to the Berkeley Chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality sip, and a letter from attorney William J. Woods informing Schaupp of the dismissal of his ‘mass bust’ case. The collection also includes three photographs of a street scene, four men in suits, and a man standing in the street. Dates: circa 1920s-1969   Collection number: MS 89   Collector: Schaupp, Edward E.   Collection Size: .1 linear feet (1 box)   Guide to the Edward E. Schaupp Papers Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

The Flatlands newspaper collection consists of 34 issues of The Flatlands newspaper printed from 1966-1968. The newspaper consists of news and op-ed articles, profiles, photographs, and events calendars mostly related to poverty, education, housing, police brutality, and politics in East and West Oakland. View online items Dates: 1966-1968   Collection number: MS 197   Collector: Oakland Public Library (Calif.)   Collection Size: 2 linear feet (1 oversized box)   Guide to the The Flatlands Newspaper Collection Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

Hadwick A. Thompson (1919-2002) was born on November 17, 1919 the son of Hadwick and Edna Thompson of Willows, California and the grandson of California pioneer Alvin Aaron Coffey. In 1947, Thompson and Clarence Williams became the first African American police officers to join the Oakland Police Department. Thompson was as a police officer with the Oakland Police Department for over twenty five years, working as a specialist in the community affairs department and supervising youth programs until his retirement in 1973. After his retirement, he continued to work as a police officer with the Bay Area Rapid Transit police force and as a fraud investigator with the Bank of California before retiring in 1992.  Thompson was also active in a many civic and service organizations. He serviced as the president of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, Oakland Chinatown Lions Club, and was a national director for the U.S. Navy League and was an active member of the National Black Chamber of Commerce, Commonwealth Club, California Pioneer Society, and Men of Tomorrow, Inc. The Hadwick Thompson papers consist of twenty photographs, correspondence, business cards, and a funeral program that document the life and activities of Hadwick Thompson as the first African American police officer to join the Oakland Police Department. Dates: 1901-2002   Collection number: MS 45   Creator: Thompson, Hadwick.   Collection Size: .15 linear feet (1 box + 1 oversized box)   Guide to the Hadwick Thompson Papers Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

The Mildred Pitts Walter papers document Mildred and Earl Walter’s participation in civil rights protests in Los Angeles in the 1960s as part of the Los Angeles branch of the Congress of Racial Equality (C.O.R.E.) and as parents at Manual Arts High School. Dates: 1963-1968   Collection number: MS 217   Creator: Walter, Mildred Pitts   Creator: Congress of Racial Equality. Los Angeles Chapter.   Collection Size: .25 linear feet (1 box)   Guide to the Mildred Pitts Walter Papers Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

Journalist and television reporter Benjamin Vernon Williams (1927-2012) was born on January 25, 1927 in St. Louis, Missouri. After joining KPIX in 1966, he became the first African American television reporter in northern California. While working as a television news reporter at KPIX, he covered stories on the Free Speech Movement on the University of California Berkeley campus, Vietnam War protests, the assassination of Bobby Kennedy at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California, the Black Panther Party, Symbionese Liberation Army’s kidnapping of Patty Heart, and the trial of serial killer Juan Corona. In 1977, he was awarded an Area Emmy Award from the San Francisco Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for his exclusive interview with Sara Jane Moore after her attempted assassination of President Gerald Ford in San Francisco, California on September 22, 1975. In 1972, he was promoted to weekend anchorman and in 1975 became Oakland News Bureau Chief. He worked for KPIX for over 25 years until his retirement in 1990. The Benjamin V. Williams papers consists on correspondence, news reports, audiovisual material, speeches, employment records, photographs, and memorabilia documenting Ben Williams’ long career as a journalist and reporter for KPIX and other news San Francisco Bay news organizations. View online items Title: Benjamin V. Williams papers   Dates: 1957-2012   Collection number: MS 194   Creator: Williams, Benjamin V.   Collection Size: 4 linear feet (8 boxes + 1 oversized box)   Guide to the Benjamin V. Williams Papers Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

The Henry Williams Jr. Film Collection consists of 175 films and 3 reel-to-reel audiotapes mostly documenting the Black Panther Party and student and union protest movements of the late 1960s. The collection is organized into five series: Series I: Black Panther Party films; Series II: Union and student protest films; Series III: British films; Series IV. Chinese films; Series V. Assorted films. The Black Panther Party film reels include outtakes and b-roll footage shot in preparation of the California Newsreel film MayDay and includes film footage of Kathleen Cleaver, Bobby Seale, Huey Newton, and other party leaders. The union and student protest series consists of assorted footage of protest rallies in the late 1960s and 1970s, and includes footage of Vietnam War protests, UAW and OCAW union strikes, the Farah Manufacturing Company strike of 1972, and student protests at high schools in Oakland, California following the police shooting of Melvin Black in 1979. British films include six educational and newsreels from the 1940s-1950s and four unidentified Chinese films. The assorted series consists of 59 films of stock footage, educational films and unidentified films. For the unidentified films, a short description of the initial film frames has been supplied by the cataloger in brackets. View online items Dates: 1937-1979   Collection number: MS 195   Collector: Williams, Henry Jr.   Collection Size: 7 linear feet (6 boxes)   Guide to the Henry Williams Jr. Film Collection Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

Theologian, civil rights activist, and educator William Hazaiah Williams Jr. (1930-1999) was born on May 14, 1930 in Columbus. The W. Hazaiah Williams Papers consists of the administrative files of the Center for Urban-Black Studies and assorted subject files, photographs, notebooks, and printed material documenting the career of theologian, civil rights activist, and educator W. Hazaiah Williams. Dates: 1950-1996   Collection number: MS 209   Creator: Williams, W. Hazaiah, 1930-1999   Creator: Graduate Theological Union. Center for Urban-Black Studies   Collection Size: 11.75 linear feet (10 boxes + 1 oversized box)   Guide to the W. Hazaiah Williams Papers Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.

Dates: 1919-1977   Creator: East Bay Negro Historical Society.   Collection Size: .25 linear feet (1 box)   Guide to the Young Women's Christian Association Collection Available at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland (AAMLO) View online items The Young Women's Christian Association Collection consists of correspondence, event invitations and programs, meeting minutes, constitution and by-laws, and publications of the Young Women's Christian Association of Oakland collected by the East Bay Negro Historical Society. The collection is organized into two series: YWCA of Oakland and Assorted national YWCA publications. The bulk of the YWCA of Oakland series is administrative records of the Linden St. and Market St. branches of the YWCA of Oakland, the two black branches of the YWCA in Oakland, California. The administrative records include the Linden St. branch constitution and by-laws, meeting minutes, and programs and invitation to events held at the Linden St. branch. Publications include a transcript of a 1934 speech delivered by Ernestine Bryant, “The architectural mode of life” and YWCA of Oakland reports and newsletters. The assorted national YWCA publications series includes a March 1960 edition of the The Phyllis Wheatley Reporter newsletter and a 1949 YWCA pamphlet, Interracial policies of the Young Women’s Christian Associations of the United States of America. We encourage researchers to contact AAMLO before visiting so that we can be prepared to assist you. Please call 510-637-2000 or email aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org to arrange an appointment or inquire about access.