Ruby Pendergrass Cornwell papers

This collection is divided into five series consisting of Biographical Papers, Correspondence with the Warings, Additional Waring Documents, General Correspondence, and Visual Materials and General Materials. The first series contains a small amount of Biographical documents regarding Cornwell. The majority of the collection reflects Cornwell’s close friendship with Elizabeth and Judge J. Waites Waring, a U.S. District Judge from Charleston (1942-1952), who designated segregation of public facilities unconstitutional.

The second series consists of Correspondence from Judge Waites Waring and Elizabeth Waring, mostly authored by Elizabeth Waring, relating their life in Charleston and New York. The couple also sent Cornwell carbon copies of their public approval letters and correspondence to public officials regarding their stance on civil rights. The Waring’s correspondence reflects their extensive social connections with influential African Americans and Whites involved in Civil Rights, politicians and the performing arts, along with fellow judges and writers. The letters are arranged chronologically from 1950-1963, the bulk 1950-57. Topics include the Briggs v. Elliott Clarendon County school case, (eventually incorporated into the Brown vs. the Board of Education court cases); white supremacists; gradualism; school segregation; race relations; communism; American Civil Liberties Union; the Madison Square Garden Civil Rights Rally (1956); Republicans and the “Negro Vote;” the Highlander Folk School; the Charleston organizations of the NAACP, and the League of Women Voters; and personal matters. The clippings are included with sent letters unless otherwise noted on finding aid.

The third series holds Additional Waring Documents including certified copies of judgment and dissenting opinion filed by Judge Waring in the Briggs v. Elliott case (1951) which upheld “separate but equal” segregation in Clarendon County, SC schools; typescripts of speeches including Waring’s talk to a naturalization class (1951); student Francis Sturcken’s oratorical contest entry entitled, “The Liquid South,” regarding challenging the College of Charleston’s segregation policy (1951); and typescripts by Dr. Kenneth Clark and Marion A. Wright regarding integration (1955).

Series four contains General Correspondence to Cornwell, including letters from Hubert T. Delany from the NY Court of Domestic Relations and Miriam DeCosta (1951) regarding misunderstandings from Elizabeth Waring; correspondence with South African writer, Alan Paton (1954-56) regarding his Charleston visit, which was subsequently written about in Collier’s magazine, with mention of the Cornwells; and letters from Zilphia Horton co-founder of Highlander Folk Center (1954); writer Dorothy Sterling regarding Cornwell’s writing assignment (1964); and from Judge Waring’s daughter, Anne Waring Warren, regarding the Waring’s funerals and family updates (1968-75).

The final series of Visual Materials and General Documents holds several group black and white photographs (c. 1957) of Cornwell with unidentified friends; scattered programs and invitations; and memorabilia from tour of Europe (1967).