Tag: Atlanta (Ga.)

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The Sam Massell Papers Collection and the Living Atlanta Oral History Collection

Inaugural address, 1970. Sam Massell papers, MSS 695, Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center.
Inaugural address, 1970. Sam Massell papers, MSS 695, Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center.

We would like to welcome two new collections from our partners at the Atlanta History Center:  the Sam Massell Papers Collection and the Living Atlanta Oral History Collection.

The Sam Massell Papers collection contains a diverse set of materials representing the life and career of Sam Massell, Jr., who served as mayor of Atlanta from 1970 to 1974. These resources provide an excellent perspective of Massell’s career as a politician and businessman, and contain information relating to the many civic, political, and business organizations in which Sam Massell was involved.

Paul Crater, Vice President, Research Services at the Atlanta History Center remarks on the significance of the Sam Massell Papers collection:  “Very few of Atlanta’s mayors left their papers to archival institutions and the Sam Massell papers are uniquely positioned to offer researchers insights into his time in office and of Atlanta politics and social conditions in general.”

The Living Atlanta oral history collection includes oral history interviews of Atlantans discussing race relations, social life, customs, economic conditions, politics, and government during the twentieth century.

Crater notes that the Living Atlanta oral history collection “presents a diverse group of interviewees on a wide range of (still) relevant topics and offer many examples of commentary and reminiscences that I believe our audiences will find compelling.” He recommends listening to an interview conducted with  Alice Adams, an African American domestic worker who began working in the 1930s: “She talks about the reality of working 12-14 hour days for very low pay and having to endure riding on segregated trolleys and street cars to and from her job. She muses on the irony of how she could serve food, clean houses, change babies, make beds, and do laundry for whites and yet was not allowed to sit next to a white person on a street car. Her ability to clearly illustrate the absurdity of the custom of segregation is riveting.”

We hope that you enjoy these two newest resources from the Atlanta History Center!

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New collections from Atlanta University Center, Robert W. Woodruff Library

Chemistry Class-women's, Atlanta University Photographs, Robert W. Woodruff Library, presented in the Digital Library of Georgia.
Chemistry Class-women’s, Atlanta University Photographs, Robert W. Woodruff Library, presented in the Digital Library of Georgia.

We are excited to announce a new partnership with Atlanta University Center, Robert W. Woodruff Library, and the arrival of three new collections that provide us with documentation of the history of the largest consortium of African American private institutions of higher education:

  • Atlanta University Photographs (Late nineteenth and early twentieth century photograph collection that documents the history of Atlanta University, its students, alumni, and friends)
  • Clark College Photographs (Late nineteenth and early twentieth century photograph collection that documents the history of Clark College, its students, and alumni)
  • Interdenominational Theological Center- Gammon Photographs (Late nineteenth and early twentieth century photograph collection that documents the history of the Interdenominational Theological Center with items representing Gammon Theological Seminary)

Christine Wiseman, Unit Head, Digital Services and Derek Mosley, Assistant Head, Archives Research Center at the Atlanta University Center, Robert W. Woodruff Library hope that an international audience will view these new collections and plan to come to Atlanta to do more research. With the online availability of these collections, Wiseman and Mosely note:

“New researchers will have the opportunity to begin their research even before they come to the physical archives. The newly digitized photographs document individuals, events, athletics and buildings, enabling new users to acquaint themselves with the historic campuses of what is presently known as the Atlanta University Center. Current users can view historic photographs of the Atlanta University schools as they research specific periods and possibly find images of students, faculty, and staff that they may not have been able to uncover prior to digitization.”

These collections represent the customs and culture of institutions of higher learning in the nineteenth and early twentieth century. Wiseman and Mosley recommend looking through the photographs in these collections that relate to student activities: “You can see how differently students dressed as compared to today, and the images showcase how formal education and even extracurricular activities were during that time period.”

We hope that you spend some time with these new collections, and welcome the Atlanta University Center, Robert W. Woodruff Library as our new partner.

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