Ability, "Too Late to Die Young: Nearly True Tales from a Life" excerpt, 2005

The collection consists of the papers of Harriet McBryde Johnson from 1971 to 2010 and document Johnson's disability rights advocacy and activism, her career as an author and an attorney, and her participation in Charleston city and county politics. The collection includes writings, working files, awards, memorials and tributes, photographs, and audiovisual materials. Writings include Johnson's typescript for her young adult novel Accidents of Nature, and published short stories, memoir excerpts, profiles, interviews, and articles for various disability press, legal, and newspaper periodicals on such topics as living with a disability, disability advocacy and civil rights, and accessibility issues. A large portion of the collection is made up of Johnson's working files comprised of correspondence, faxes, clippings, photocopies, printed materials, handwritten notes, and other ephemera relating to her accessibility lawsuit against the Ashley Hall Foundation, her political activities as the City Party Chair and Secretary of the City of Charleston Democratic Party, her county council campaign, and her annual Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon demonstrations, including protest signage and a "Dump Jerry Lewis" button. Her working files also contain correspondence between Johnson and Joseph P. Riley, Strom Thurman, and Ernest F. Hollings regarding accessibility issues in downtown Charleston and her support or opposition to various bills and political nominations as well as other assorted professional correspondence, requests for article contributions for local and national journals and newspapers, and thank you letters and notes. Also included are files relating to Johnson's literary career, including speech notes, fan mail, and publicity materials, and scattered legal files. The arrangement scheme for Johnson's working files was imposed during processing. There are also diplomas, awards, and recognitions awarded to Johnson including her college diplomas from the Charleston Southern University and the University of South Carolina, certificates of appreciation, a city resolution for Harriet McBryde Johnson day, and Senate and House resolutions passed on her death. Also included are memorial materials and audiovisual materials including radio interviews on the topic of living with a disability and her memoir as well as videocassette recordings of her county council campaign commercial, professional training workshops, speeches, and conference presentations.