Clippings file of the James Weldon Johnson Memorial Collection
Scope and Contents
The Clippings File of the James Weldon Johnson Memorial Collection include pamphlets and clippings documenting various aspects of the African American experience in the twentieth century. The collection especially highlights the achievements of individual African Americans, the work of community and education organizations, and areas such as film, theater, music, sports, politics, and civil rights. The clippings were collected primarily by Langston Hughes, James Weldon and Grace Nail Johnson, Ollie Jewel Simms Okala (a friend and close associate of the Johnsons), and Carl Van Vechten, with some additional materials added by others. Clippings in the collection are drawn from national and regional news sources as well as newspapers and magazines with an African American focus. The majority of clippings are from New York, Ohio, Arkansas, Illinois, and Pennsylvania newspapers. The collection also includes pamphlets and ephemera.
Dates
- circa 1920-1993
Creator
- James Weldon Johnson Memorial Collection of Negro Arts and Letters (Yale University)
- Hughes, Langston, 1902-1967
- Johnson, Grace Nail, 1885-1976
- Okala, Ollie Jewell Sims, 1908-2001
- Van Vechten, Carl, 1880-1964
Conditions Governing Access
The materials are open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
The Clippings File of the James Weldon Johnson Memorial Collection is the physical property of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University. Literary rights, including copyright, belong to the authors or their legal heirs and assigns. For further information, consult the appropriate curator.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Collection of documents acquired by gift and purchase from various sources. Source information is recorded on some items. For further information, consult the appropriate curator.
Arrangement
Organized into three series: Series I. Pamphlets. Series II. Personal/Corporate Names. Series III. General Subjects.
Extent
122.36 Linear Feet (295 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Catalog Record
A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog
Persistent URL
Abstract
The Clippings File of the James Weldon Johnson Memorial Collection includes pamphlets and clippings documenting the African American experience in the twentieth century. The collection especially highlights the achievements of individual African Americans, the work of community and education organizations, and areas such as film, theater, music, sports, politics, and civil rights. The clippings were collected primarily by Langston Hughes, James Weldon and Grace Nail Johnson, Ollie Jewel Simms Okala (a friend and close associate of the Johnsons), and Carl Van Vechten, with some additional materials added by others. Clippings in the collection are drawn from general news sources as well as national and regional newspapers and magazines with an African American focus. The majority of clippings are from New York, Ohio, Arkansas, Illinois, and Pennsylvania newspapers. The collection also includes pamphlets and ephemera.
Processing Information
The finding aid for this collection was created by transcribing file titles from the folders and boxes in the collection; contents were not verified against the titles. The clippings file has not been maintained as an active file (added to) since circa 1985.
An updated listing for the pamphlets series was created by Eleanor Pritchett, 2018. This listing was incorporated into the online description in 2022.
Former call numbers: JWJ 1, JWJ 2, JWJ 2X.
- African American athletes
- African American entertainers
- African American politicians
- African Americans -- Civil rights
- African Americans -- Education
- African Americans -- Societies, etc.
- Clippings (information artifacts)
- Ephemera (general object genre)
- James Weldon Johnson Memorial Collection of Negro Arts and Letters (Yale University)
- Pamphlets
- United States -- Race relations
- Title
- Guide to the Clippings File of the James Weldon Johnson Memorial Collection
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- by Clayton McGahee and Ellen Doon
- Date
- 2011
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Revision Statements
- 2022: The pamphlets series was updated to include a title-level listing, which was created by Eleanor Pritchett in 2018.
Part of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library Repository
Location
121 Wall Street
New Haven, CT 06511
Opening Hours
Access Information
The Beinecke Library is open to all Yale University students and faculty, and visiting researchers whose work requires use of its special collections. You will need to bring appropriate photo ID the first time you register. Beinecke is a non-circulating, closed stack library. Paging is done by library staff during business hours. You can request collection material online at least two business days in advance of your visit, using the request links in Archives at Yale. For more information, please see Planning Your Research Visit and consult the Reading Room Policies prior to visiting the library.