William Saxon Wilson papers

Series 1: Holds Wilson's biographical materials including correspondence, cards, invitations, and event programs pertaining to his violin and band performances at Avery Institute, Carpenter, Harleston and Dart Halls, among other venues. Includes letters, event programs, and certificates regarding Wilson's involvement with Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church, the Knights of Pythias, and as a notary public.

Series 2: The Sax Print Shop series contains photographs of Wilson in his print shop; broadsides from various Charleston African-American businesses and churches; wedding, birthday, party and social invitations; business cards from various Charleston establishments and institutions including The Harleston Studio (photographic, 1922). The series also holds an extensive collection of invitational cards and raffle tickets from Charleston area churches, social and women's clubs, sororities and civic associations; and financial cards and booklets from fraternal orders, societies and praying bands.

Items of note include the Pulpit Aid Society of Central Baptist Church (1915), and Ebenezer Baptist Church materials (1945); programs and booklets from Morris Street Baptist Church, including an Eva Jessye Choir performance (1935); Centenary Methodist Church materials, some featuring Wilson as violinist (1916); and concert programs from Plymouth Congregational Church (1957, 1957). Programs from benevolent and fraternal organizations include the Sons and Daughters of Brotherly Love Society (1945); Queen Vashti Tent Number 28 (1952), and the Gridiron Benevolent Association and Ladies Auxiliary (1963), and a 1922 broadside from the Mourners Band of Eastern Star Number 1. Sax Print Shop materials on Charleston educational institutions and organizations include scattered commencement programs, invitations, cards and programs from student plays and activities (1917-1954, and undated) from Avery Normal Institute; items pertaining to Jenkins Orphanage include a broadside (1910s) regarding a benefit at the New Tabernacle Fourth Baptist Church featuring W.E.B. DuBois and Wilson's Lyceum Orchestra and booklet History of Jenkins Orphanage (1954); documents from various Charleston African-American elementary and high schools including programs and booklets from Immaculate Conception High School (1930-1955); commencement programs and invitations from the Colored Industrial School (1916); the Poro School of Charleston, an African-American cosmetology school (1937), and The Hospital and Training School for Nurses (1923, 1927). Organizational materials include programs from the Fraser Field USO Club (1944-1946); the Cosmopolitan Civic League of Charleston (1944-1945) regarding President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and broadsides and programs from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (N.A.A.C.P.) regarding "mass meetings" (1944, 1956), and the organization's "Charleston Movement" (1963) with a "Black List" broadside containing names of stores and business not employing African-Americans to be boycotted; and "A Day of Mourning for the Children Murdered in Birmingham, Alabama."