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A Guide to the Dale F. Harter Compilation of Undocumented Deeds:
An Exhibit on the History of Harrisonburg's African-American Community, 1930-1985.

Collection Number SC # 2085

Edited by Kayla Payne, June 2012

Descriptive Summary

Repository: Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University

Title: A Guide to the Dale F. Harter Compilation of Undocumented Deeds: An Exhibit on the History of Harrisonburg's African-American Community, 1930-1985.

Collection No.: SC# 2085

Creator:  unknown

Extent: four folders

Language:  English

Abstract: These four folders contain items and information used in the exhibit "Undocumented Deeds: an exhibit on the history of Harrisonburg's African-American Community." The exhibit was compiled by Dale F. Harter and held in the Warren-Sipe Museum of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society in the autumn of 1991.

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions:  none

Use Restrictions: none

Preferred Citation: [item], Dale F. Harter Compilation of Undocumented Deeds: An Exhibit on the History of Harrisonburg's African-American Community, 1930-1985, SC#2085, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va.

Acquisition Information: Purchased from Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society in 1992.

Other Formats Available: none

Provenance: Copies of texts and photographs mounted in the display were purchased from the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society in 1992.

Processing Information: Existing order of photocopies was retained.

Bio/Historical Note:  Some (but not all) of the people or groups mentioned in the collection:

• Ebony Players
• Effinger Street School
• Harris, W. N. P.
• Harrisonburg-Adjacent Community Choir
• Lucy Simms School
• Non-sectarian Chorus
• Sampson, Ralph (Sr. and Jr.)
• Shades of Ebony
• Simms, Lucy F.
• Webb, Roberta

Scope and Content:  This collection consists of photocopies of news clippings, school reunion programs, portions of church histories, scrapbooks, newsletters, photographs, and other items displayed in the exhibit "Undocumented Deeds: an exhibit on the history of Harrisonburg's African-American community" compiled by Dale F. Harter and held in the Warren-Sipe Museum of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society in the autumn of 1991. Information pertains largely to the time period 1930-1985. Most items were loaned for the display, and the collection includes copies of the loan contracts. Also included is a 3-page chronology of African-American history in Harrisonburg by Dale Harter.

Arrangement: The collection is arranged in folders. Folder One contains items relating to the exhibit and the Harrisonburg Rockingham Historical Society, such as fliers, newspaper clippings, and donor gift/loan contracts between Dale Harter and H-RHS.  Folder Two contains an account of Bethel A.M.E. Church History and other church newsletters. Folder Three contains information for the 4^th reunion of the Lucy Simms - Effinger Street School in 1991 and other documents related to the school. Folder Four contains miscellaneous information about local area interests.

Contents:

Box: Folder

              Undocumented Deeds Paperwork                                                        1:1

              Harrisonburg Churches and Choirs                                                       1:2

              Lucy Simms and Effinger Street School                                               1:3

              Local Human Interest and Miscellaneous                                              1:4