Ethelyn Murray Parker papers

The Ethelyn Murray Parker collection consists of her early writings, correspondence, and photocopied newspaper clippings from periodicals such as the The Lighthouse and Informer and The Charleston Chronicle. The material include booklets, ephemera, awards and plaques, and a host photographs throughout various series.

Series 1. Writings, 1947-1987, and undated includes various poems and newspaper columns written by Parker; invitations, certificates and brochures from her disassembled scrapbook along with her honorable mention for Talent-Songwriters and Poets from Haven Press of New York. This series also contains Parker’s notification of acceptance into the Poetry Digest Annual Anthology of Verse and newspaper clippings of her “Letters to the Editor” and an article by the Charleston YWCA.

Series 2. Correspondence, 1927-1965, and undated is comprised of professional correspondence from newspapers regarding payments for her writings, the issuing of her 1964 press card, and the announcement of Harpers Weekly newspaper auction. This series also contains a response to her consumer dissatisfaction letter, and numerous personal greeting cards and postcards from Parkers relatives and friends.

Series 3. Affiliations, 1837-1988, and undated consists of five subseries that detail Parker’s involvement with local and national organizations. The subseries are categorized by affiliation with the first being her institutional related materials from Tuskegee University, Voorhees Institute and local Charleston Schools. Subseries two focuses on her involvement with the National Council of Negro Women including a historical sketch, programs and a local financial ledger of the organization. The next subseries highlights her work with the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs that contains photographic material and tax forms from the local and national level. Subseries four spotlights her work with the South Carolina Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs, which contains a historical sketch, financial reports, newsletters, and photographic materials. Lastly, the fifth subseries contains reports, minutes, programs and photographic materials of her religious involvement with Central Baptist Church and related organizations.

Series 4. Family Papers, 1931-1987 includes obituaries, programs, newspaper clippings and invitations regarding her immediate family. This series contains a photocopied newspaper obituary of her husband, as well as an original leather bound program from Morehouse College 1931 commencement.

Series 5. Visual Materials, 1899-1989, and undated is comprised of identified and unidentified photographic material that spans nine decades of history. This series of colored and black & white photographs includes images of Parker’s family and friends, organizations, programs, historic buildings in Charleston, SC, and rare photographs of an African American regiment from the Spanish American war.

Series 6. General Material, 1948-1989 consists of Parker’s various certificates, invitations and ephemera. This series also contains programs from numerous events including the 26th Anniversary Freedom House dinner honoring President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1966.

Series 7. Artifacts, 1972-1992 this series contains nine plaques and statuettes Parker was honored with from organizations such as the Black Press and Charleston Chronicle, Central Baptist Church, and the South Carolina Coastal Association of Black Journalist.