Phillis Wheatley Literary and Social Club papers
Collection Overview
Minutes, literary productions, correspondence, printed materials, and financial records (1916-2011) document the history of the Phillis Wheatley Literary and Social Club. The records are arranged in two series. The first series, Minutes and History, contains a history of the club produced by the club's founder Jeannette Cox (1934), as well as four bound volumes of the club's minute books (1916-1984). The minutes detail authors read and discussed by the club, dues from members, and donations given to various organizations throughout Charleston. The second series, General Materials, is a chronological arrangement of letters sent and received by the club from members, other individuals (including copies of letters from W.E.B. DuBois and Mary McLeod Bethune), and organizations, and includes programs, member manuals, brief member profiles, and clippings regarding the club.
Dates
- Creation: 1916-2011
Creator
- Phillis Wheatley Literary and Social Club (Charleston, S.C.) (Organization)
Access Restrictions
No restrictions.
Copyright Notice
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Historical Note
The Phillis Wheatley Literary and Social Club was formed in 1916 under the direction of Jeannette Cox, wife of Avery Normal Institute principal Benjamin Cox. The club consisted of nineteen women members meeting to discuss literary works by such authors as W.E.B DuBois, Carter G. Woodson and others. The club women also helped fulfill their mission to "lift as we climb" by taking an active role in Charleston's African American community by donating funds to such organizations as the YWCA, NAACP, Avery Normal Institute, and the Jenkins Orphanage, and the Fairwold Home for Neglected Colored Girls, Cayce, SC. The organization also sponsored lectures, art shows, musical offerings and staged plays. The club is still active.
Extent
0.75 linear feet (2 archival boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Phillis Wheatley Literary and Social Club was formed in 1916 under the direction of Jeannette Cox, wife of Avery Normal Institute principal Benjamin Cox. The club consisted of nineteen women members meeting to discuss literary works by such authors as W.E.B. DuBois, Carter G. Woodson and others. The club women also helped fulfill their mission to "lift as we climb" by taking an active role in Charleston's African American community by donating funds to such organizations as the YWCA, NAACP, Avery Normal Institute, and the Jenkins Orphanage. The club is still active.
The records of the Phillis Wheatley Club are arranged in two series. The first series contains a history of the club produced by the club's founder Jeannette Cox, as well as four bound volumes of the club's minute books. The minutes detail authors read and discussed by the club, dues from members, and donations given to various organizations throughout Charleston. The second series is a chronological arrangement of letters sent and received by the club from members, other individuals (including copies of letters from W.E.B. DuBois and Mary McLeod Bethune), and organizations, and includes programs, member manuals, brief member profiles, and clippings regarding the club.
Collection Arrangement
1. Minutes and History
2. General Materials
Acquisitions Information
Materials were donated in two separate accessions in 1983 and 1992 by the Phillis Wheatley Literary and Social Club.
Processing Information
Edited by Aaron Spelbring, 10, 2012
Encoded by Aaron Spelbring, 10, 2012
Subject
- Avery Normal Institute (Organization)
- Phillis Wheatley Literary and Social Club (Charleston, S.C.) -- Records and correspondence (Organization)
- Wheatley, Phillis, 1753-1784 (Person)
Source
- Phillis Wheatley Literary and Social Club (Charleston, S.C.) (Donor, Organization)
Geographic
Topical
- African American women -- South Carolina -- Charleston -- Intellectual life
- African American women -- South Carolina -- Charleston -- Social life and customs
- African American women -- South Carolina -- Charleston -- Societies and clubs
- African Americans -- South Carolina -- Charleston -- History
- Social service -- South Carolina -- Charleston
- Women -- South Carolina -- Charleston -- Societies and clubs
- Title
- Inventory of the Phillis Wheatley Literary and Social Club, 1916 - 2011 AMN 1031
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Edited by: Aaron Spelbring; machine-readable finding aid created by: Aaron Spelbring
- Description rules
- Dacs
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Description is in English
Repository Details
Part of the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture Repository
125 Bull Street
Charleston South Carolina 29424 United States
843-953-7608
averyresearchcenter@cofc.edu