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Henderson Institute graduation programs from 1924 onward

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memorabilia underrepresented

A student’s photograph taped into a commencement booklet from 1933

Graduation programs and invitations from the Henderson Institute, provided by the Henderson Institute Historical Museum, are now available on DigitalNC. the Henderson Institute was a high school started in 1887 by the Freedmen’s Mission Board of the United Presbyterian Church. It was closed after the 1969-1970 school year due to integration. Through the years that the school was open, it was the only secondary school open to African Americans in Vance County. Part of the original school building now houses the Henderson Institute Historical Museum.

The collection of 19 graduation programs and invitations date from 1924 through the school’s final 1970 graduation. Although each program is structured differently, many include the full names of the members of the senior graduating class along with a schedule of events.

Also in this collection are five theater programs from the Henderson Institute. These include programs for student productions of The People Versus Maxine Lowe, Rest Assured, and Once in a Lifetime.

Click here to browse through the programs. To learn more about the Henderson Institute Historical Museum, visit their partner page, or take a look at their website.

Boy Scout Memories Saved in Scrapbook from Wilson County

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memorabilia scrapbooks

A scout making a fire in 1925 as seen on page 17

Boy Scout troop on page 78

A scrapbook provided by the Wilson County Public Library documents the adventures of Boy Scouts in Wilson County from 1925-1932. This scrapbook contains images of swimming, hiking, tent life, boating, troop portraits, and more. Many images contain handwritten identifications noting the date, activity, location, or individuals in the images.

The Boy Scouts of America was founded in 1910, so this scrapbook documents early BSA groups in Wilson County. Boys of all ages seem to have taken part, with many activities looking similar to Scouting that takes place today. One image from 1929 shows boys swimming using the “buddy system” where each camper is in charge of monitoring the swimming of their buddy. This system is a safety protocol still advocated by the Boy Scouts today.

To take a look at the scrapbook click here. To see more materials from Wilson County Public Library visit their partner page, or take a look at their website.

Scouts swimming using the “buddy system” in 1929 as seen on page 76

New additions to the R. Kelly Bryant Obituary Collection

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memorabilia underrepresented

An image from the funeral program of Margaret Rozzetta Stephens Fuller

More funeral programs and obituaries from Durham County Library are now online. These are part of the R. Kelly Bryant Obituary Collection and cover funerals in and around Durham County from 1934-2013. R. Kelly Bryant (1917-2015) was a Durham historian and active community member who collected the stories of African-American Durham residents via obituaries and funeral programs.

The newly digitized additions cover the last names Cobb through Furtick. These join the first batch from this collection which cover the names Adams through Coachman. The obituaries and funeral programs are fully text searchable, and are a great source of genealogical information. Birth and death dates, names of family members, and biographical information are often included.

You can browse or search the digitized items in the collection by visiting the R. Kelly Bryant Obituary Collection exhibit page on DigitalNC. More information is also available through the collection’s finding aid on the Durham County Library’s website.

To learn more about Durham County Library, visit their DigitalNC partner page or take a look at their website.

A Local History of the Civil War from Mauney Memorial Library

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The latest from the genealogy shelves of our partner institution Mauney Memorial Library can be found online at DigitalNC.  In his book, White Plains Goes to War: The Civil War Saga of Edward and Benjamin F. Dixon, David C. Neisler chronicles the Civil War experiences of his ancestors, brothers Edward and Benjamin F. Dixon.

Letter written by Edward Dixon

The first half of the book focuses upon the lives and experiences of the Dixon brothers as Confederate soldiers in the Civil War. Neisler’s research is based upon personal correspondence and a few other documents found in a relative’s attic. Copies of these materials and photos of the Dixon brothers are provided in the book.

 

The second part of the book looks at Company D of the Fourteenth Regiment of the North Carolina Troops, or the Cleveland Blues as they were known. Lead by Edward Dixon, the Cleveland Blues were primarily from White Plains, N.C. Following a brief historical sketch about the Cleveland Blues, Neisler provides an annotated roster of all 68 volunteers who enlisted at the White Plains Post Office on April 26, 1861.

Francis B. Hays tells the story of Hurricane Hazel

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memorabilia scrapbooks

Included in the latest batch of Francis B. Hays scrapbooks from Granville County Public Library is one entirely about North Carolina’s devastation from Hurricane Hazel which struck in October 1954.  The scrapbook mostly contains newspaper clippings from the aftermath of the storm, which is still one of the biggest hurricanes to ever hit the state.  The focus of the clippings are not only on the Oxford area, where Hays lived, but across the state, particularly the Raleigh area and the coast, which were especially hard hit.  

To see more scrapbooks from Francis B. Hays, visit the exhibit page here and learn more about them in previous blog posts here, here, and here.  To see other Hurricane Hazel related materials on DigitalNC, visit here.  

Additional scrapbooks continue the story of Central Piedmont Community College

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memorabilia scrapbooks

A student worker is shown operating DOLLY on page 6 of the Jan – June 1977 scrapbook.

Scrapbooks documenting goings on at Central Piedmont Community College from 1969-1978 are now on DigitalNC. These scrapbooks join previously digitized scrapbooks that cover the founding and first few years of CPCC. Included in these newest additions are newspaper clippings, newsletters, photographs, and other memorabilia that offer a glimpse into life at CPCC.

One project documented in several articles throughout the scrapbooks from the late ’70s is “DOLLY” which stands for Dial Our Listening Library Yourself. This listening library was started in 1975, and allowed students and local residents to call into a phone system where they could listen to different audio programs. The first programs to be added were old radio programs, but eventually callers could listen to course materials, such as a mini course in spelling. According to an article in the Jan – June 1977 scrapbook, almost 100,000 callers heard programs on DOLLY during its first year of operation.

To read more about happenings at Central Piedmont Community College in the ‘6os and ’70s, browse the scrapbook collection here. To learn more about CPCC visit their partner page, or take a look at their website.

In the Jan – April 1978 scrapbook, a page from a student newsletter shows that some aspects of college life never change.

New minute books, scrapbooks, objects, and more from Grand Lodge of North Carolina

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memorabilia scrapbooks

Gavel made from the wood of the Council Oak.

A photo of Cecil Liverman from the scrapbook documenting his time as Grand Master of North Carolina.

New materials from our partner, The Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of North Carolina are now up on DigitalNC. This batch features minute books, scrapbooks, resolutions, and proceedings, along with images of a historic gavel. The gavel was made circa 1900 from the wood of the Council Oak at Quaker Meadows in Burke County, NC, where the leaders of the patriot forces met on September 30, 1780 to plan their attack on British and Loyalist forces at Kings Mountain.

Two scrapbooks focus on the Grand Lodge career of Cecil Liverman. The first documents his time as a Mason Officer from 1976-1983, and the second documents his year as the Grand Master of Masons in North Carolina from 1982-1983. The scrapbooks include photographs, letters of correspondence, news clippings, event programs, and more.

Lodge officers at the cornerstone laying for Selma Lodge #320 on June 2, 1983.

To view these new items, click the links below:

To see more materials from The Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of North Carolina, visit their partner page or take a look at their website.

Sail back to the 1800s with materials from our new partner, Beaufort Historical Association

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Today we are highlighting the great materials from our new partner, Beaufort Historical Association.  

Two items were especially exciting in the first batch of materials, which were prioritized for their fragile condition.

One is the account book of Dr. William Cramer, a physician who ran the Apothecary Shop in Beaufort in the 1850s.  The account book lists the medicinal items that Dr. Cramer sold to the citizens of Beaufort.  

The other is the account of Mr. Cecil G. Buckman, a 19 year old local carpenter’s son who was on the schooner Ogeechee to Baltimore from Beaufort in 1873 when it ran into a storm and the ship ran aground on Hatteras Island for several days before the ship’s passengers were able to continue along their way to Baltimore.  A great account about the travails and uncertainties of ocean travel even late in the 19th century.

To learn more about our partner Beaufort Historical Association visit their partner page here. 

New Materials Tell Powerful Stories from Alamance County Public Libraries

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memorabilia photos underrepresented

Alamance County Prison Farm Inmates use Bookmobile

Alamance County Prison Farm Inmates use Bookmobile

More than 30 new objects are now available on DigitalNC thanks to our partner, Alamance County Public Libraries. Items in this collection are more additions within the 6 month in-depth digitization effort documenting underrepresented communities in North Carolina.

Charles Richard Drew: Alamance County Memorial, page 3

Charles Richard Drew: Alamance County Memorial, page 3

This batch of materials tells important and powerful stories from Black communities in Burlington, Graham, and other townships in Alamance County. Below are highlights from the batch.

Several documents in the batch tell the story of Dr. Charles Richard Drew and his tragic connection to Alamance County. Drew was an internationally-renowned Black physician credited for developing improved blood storage techniques, which was important for establishing large-scale blood banks during World War II. He was considered to be the most prominent African American in his field and actively protested racial segregation in blood donation as it lacked any scientific foundation.

Tragically, Drew was killed in a car accident, while driving through the Haw River area of Alamance County in 1950. Many myths surrounded his death, all of which are covered in some of the materials in this batch. Learn more about Dr. Drew, his life, death and memory through the links below:

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 affected many communities in North Carolina ,especially with regard to school integration. This batch also includes several primary and secondary sources relating to the desegregation in Alamance county. Linked below, you can find a copy of the letter sent to parents of students in Burlington City Schools, announcing the upcoming change. In addition, there are several newspaper articles that document some of the lasting reactions. These items could be excellent tools for teachers who are looking for documents to support curriculum goals. Learn more about integration in Alamance County at the links below:

Black Youth Killed in Night of Violence, page 1

Black Youth Killed in Night of Violence, page 1

Responses to change are not always peaceful, as was the case in Burlington after integration. This batch also includes a selection of newspaper clippings that document the violence that occurred in May, 1969. A night of riots resulted in the death of 15 year old Leon Mebane, which is documented in several of the articles below. Material like these and others from this batch tell the important stories of many community members who are often underrepresented in mainstream formats. These items and all of the new additions are full-text searchable and available for research and teaching. Learn more about Leon Mebane, his family, and the Burlington race riots below:

Other highlights from this batch also include information about Alamance County Bookmobiles, Alex Haley’s Roots and connections to the county, genealogy in the African American community, and the legacies of segregated high schools in the area. Browse these materials at the links below:

New Memorabilia, Assorted Records added to the Rockingham County Legacy Digital Exhibit

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Madison-Mayodan Charm Bracelet

Madison-Mayodan Charm Bracelet

A new batch of materials from Rockingham County Public Library is now available on DigitalNC!

This batch includes several 3-dimensional, physical objects, which are always interesting to digitize. DigitalNC has digitized everything from full size quilts to wedding dresses, but not everything requires that much work. Rockingham County Public Library’s pins, brooches, hair barrette, and charm bracelet are small enough to scan using the same workflow as larger scrapbooks and newspapers (see the documentation about our Phase One Camera), which are more common on the site. To see examples of larger items that must be shot in a studio, follow this link.

Brownie Scout Hair Barrette

Brownie Scout Hair Barrette

North Carolina Tar Heel Girl State Pin

North Carolina Tar Heel Girl State Pin

In addition to the physical objects, this batch also includes several other items that may be of interest to researchers or genealogists. The Speedwell Presbyterian Churchyard Graves booklet documents the names and locations of all of those buried in the historic cemetery between 1739-1969. The Stoneville Patron Registration books records the names and locations of those who used this branch library between 1959 and 1982.

See the lists below for all of the material digitized in this batch.

Physical Objects:

Booklets:

Other Digitized Memorabilia:

These items and more than 1500 more are all available at the digital exhibit, Rockingham County Legacy: A Digital Heritage Project. To learn more about Rockingham County Public Library and to see even more interesting Memorabilia, visit the contributor page or the website. To see more digitized physical objects available on DigitalNC, please use the following link.

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This blog is maintained by the staff of the North Carolina Digital Heritage Center and features the latest news and highlights from the collections at DigitalNC, an online library of primary sources from organizations across North Carolina.

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