Gardening

Historic image of the Women's Art and Industrial Club in the garden of Frances Albrier
Women's Art and Industrial Club (Oakland, Calif.) in the garden of Frances Albrier (standing, left-right): Emily P. Normand, Emma Bolmer, Mattie Williams, Pauline McCoy, Mattie Dickson, unidentified, unidentified, Verone Stevenson, Ethel Brooks (seated, left-right): Frances Albrier, Leezinka Cooper, Lillie Wilkerson, Justina Ross, Chlora Hayes Sledge, circa 1940s, African American Museum & Library at Oakland Photograph collection, MS 189, African American Museum & Library at Oakland, Oakland Public Library.
Group of men and women standing in rose garden
Group of men and women standing in rose garden, undated, Royal E. Towns papers, MS 26, African American Museum and Library at Oakland, Oakland Public Library.
Four men in suits holding lawnmower and gardening tools in front yard
Four men in suits holding lawnmower and gardening tools in front yard, circa 1920s, E. F. Joseph photograph collection, MS 126, African American Museum & Library at Oakland, Oakland Public Library.

Prepare for a visit to AAMLO with these special topic resource guides.

This resource guide is intended to help users locate holdings at AAMLO related to gardening.

It highlights holdings in the following areas:

● Selected Library Material at AAMLO
● Selected Archival Collections at AAMLO

Other collections may contain relevant materials. Please contact AAMLO (aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org) with any questions or to schedule an appointment to view materials in person.

A printable PDF version of this resource guide is available for download.

Selected Library Materials

Raised garden bed, 1988
Raised garden bed, 1988, East Bay Negro Historical Society records, MS 32, African American Museum & Library at Oakland, Oakland Public Library.

Rooted in the earth : reclaiming the African American environmental heritage by Dianne D. Glave

The color of food : stories of race, resilience and farming by Natasha Bowens

Ethno-botany of the Black Americans by William Ed Grime

Farming while Black : Soul Fire Farm's practical guide to liberation on the land by Leah Penniman ; foreword by Karen Washington

Dispossession : discrimination against African American farmers in the age of civil rights by Pete Daniel

Black farmers in America photographs by John Francis Ficara ; essay by Juan Williams

Black nature : four centuries of African American nature poetry edited by Camille T. Dungy

To love the wind and the rain : African Americans and environmental history edited by Dianne D. Glave and Mark Stoll

Selected Archival Collections

East Bay Negro Historical Society Records. Includes 7 photographs of garden beds from 1988.

Historic image of Members of the Carver Garden Club
Members of the Carver Garden Club, 1960, African American Museum & Library at Oakland Photograph collection, MS 189, African American Museum & Library at Oakland, Oakland Public Library.

Rebecca Emerson Papers. Includes approximately 20 photographs of backyard gardens from the 1930s and 1940s.

Tarea Hall and William Pittman Papers. Includes at least 7 photographs of gardens, including 2 with the caption of “Garden cabbage,” from the 1920s and 1970s

Montjoy Family Photograph Collection. Includes at least 2 photographs of backyard gardens from the 1920s.

Sellers Family Papers. Includes at least 6 photographs of gardens, including 1 of a container garden, from the 1920s, 1940s and 1950s. 

Justitia Davis Papers. Includes approximately 7 family photographs of backyard gardens from the 1930s to the 1950s.

James E. Brackett Papers. Includes 2 photograph negatives of greenhouse gardens from the 1960s.

Sandra Bean Home Movie Collection. Includes at least 4 segments of 3 films from the 1950s with footage of people in gardens.

Backyard container garden
Backyard container garden, circa 1940s, Sellers family papers, MS 71, African American Museum & Library at Oakland, Oakland Public Library.
Men and women talking at backyard garden party
Men and women talking at backyard garden party, circa 1970s, Royal E. Towns papers, MS 26, African American Museum and Library at Oakland, Oakland Public Library.
Backyard garden
Backyard garden, circa 1940s, Rebecca Emerson papers, MS 43, African American Museum and Library at Oakland, Oakland Public Library.
Four women standing on garden pathway
Four women standing on garden pathway, undated, Tarea Hall and William Pittman papers, MS 46, African American Museum & Library at Oakland, Oakland Public Library.

Additional Information

Search the library using the catalog.

Consult AAMLO's finding aids in the Online Archive of California.

We are working to create new resource guides. Have an idea for a new guide? Contact us at aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org.