Maria K. Robinson Scrapbook

Access and use

Location of collection:
University of Virginia, Special Collections Dept.
Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library
University of Virginia
P.O. Box 400110
160 McCormick Rd
Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4110
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Brenda Gunn
Phone: (434) 924-1037
Phone: (434) 243-1776
Fax: (434) 924-4968

Summary

Extent:
.6 Cubic Feet 1 medium flat box
Creator:
Robinson, Maria Kathleen
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

Scrapbook assembled by African-American woman, Maria Kathleen Robinson while she was attending historically-Black college Prairie View A&M University in Texas. Maria graduated high school in 1970 and briefly attended junior college in Temple, Texas. She majored in Business Education (accounting) at Prairie View A&M in the early 1970's, pledged to the Zeta Phi Beta sorority, whose Greek letters decorate the cover of the scrapbook. Maria participated in the Blue Dynamics dance line, and more, much of which is captured in the present album.

The photographs are of Robinson and her friends on campus, posing with their cars, alone or in groups showing off the fashions of the day, attending a wedding, standing behind the bench at a football game, hanging out with her sorority sisters, at home with friends, at parties, and more. Some of the photographs feature African American soldiers, numerous children, a Black student posed with their presentation on "Black Awareness," and more.

Of interest is a graduation certificate with "An American Creed" pledging her commitment to do her best, have the freedom to fail or succeed, and to say "I shall never acknowledge any mortal master."

There is also an invitation from the Black Student Fund to attend an evening of Jazz with Wynton Marsalis at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday October 24, 1999. The invitation contains information about the history of the Black Student Fund which was founded in 1964 following the Martin Luther King march on Washington D. C. in 1963.

Biographical / historical:

Maria Kathleen Robinson, daughter of Mrs. Ernestyne Robinson graduated high school in 1970 and briefly attended junior college in Temple, Texas. She attended a historically-Black college Prairie View A&M University in Texas. She majored in Business Education (and accounting), pledged to the Zeta Phi Beta sorority, was a debutante at a cotillion, a member of the business leadership program, was part of the Blue Dynamics Dance line, and kept a scrapbook of these activities and her friends.

Acquisition information:
This collection was purchased from McBride Rare Books by the Small Special Collections Library at the University of Virginia Library on 21 February 2024.
Physical facet:
needs Preservation consult and to be housed in a smaller box. Sending to Preservation. (June 7, 2024). On truck in stacks. Returned from Preservation 5/27/25
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard