Collections : [Virginia Union University]

Most of the school's early records have not survived. This is most likely a result of storage problems such as fires and floods on campus. Others were possibly removed by departing administrators and faculty who viewed them as personal documents. The records described here constitute the extant records of the school from its founding in 1867 until its merger in 1899.

Papers from Baptist General Convention of Virginia, mostly programs, meeting minutes and correspondence.

The Delver Woman's Club Collection documents the activities of the organization which consists of consists of Christian women who are registered voters and dedicated to providing civic and social interventions in the Richmond community. It has seven interest groups which include Art, Drama, Economic, International Relations, Music, Youth Conservation, and Social and Civic Affairs. Materials in this collection comprise meeting agendas, Anniversary year books, Annual Luncheon and Dinner meeting, Annual prayer breakfast, Biographies and obituaries, Committees, Constitution and bylaws, Correspondence, Directories. Financial records, Foundation, History, Interest group programs, Meeting and program schedules, Membership rolls, Minutes, Miss Future Delver, News clippings, Newsletters, Photographs, Vesper Service, Awards, certificates, plaques, programs, Trophy plate, NAACP Corp member, Four small containers of slides, 50th anniversary scrapbook, Art Interest Group minutes, Art Interest Group minutes and Art Interest Group – miscellaneous.

The collection consists primarily of typewritten manuscripts – some with editing marks – for four books and a number of sermons by Dr. Henry H. Mitchell.

These papers document Goode's involvement with the Women's Auxiliary or Deaconess' group, comprising meeting minutes and committee reports from the early 1980s to the mid 1990s. Mostly paper records, there are 13 audiocassette tapes with meetings recorded on them from the early 1990s.

This small collection contains the following inventory: 1. 5 snapshots ca. 1927
2. Junior Senior Banquet program, 1927
3. Class Exercise program, 1927
4. Graduation Exercises program (2), 1927
5.Union-Hartshorn Bulletin, HMC catalog, 1927
6. Composite graduation photo, 1927
7. Photo Mary Booker, 1928
8. HMC advertising brochure, ca. 1928
9. 1956 Reunion letter, program, photo, table namecard
10. 1977 Reunion program, Who's Who, questionnaire
11. 1979 Reunion photo, program, Who's Who
12. HMC Alma Mater, mimeograph copy, n.d.

Materials in this collection are congratulatory letters, greeting cards, photographs, miscellaneous scrapbook items, annual reports, teaching materials and oversized pages of laminated clippings. Materials reveal the activities of the Southern Regional Council and Tuskegee Institute. The congratulatory letters are from friends and colleagues on the occasion of Dr. Hancock’s 20th anniversary as pastor of Moore Street Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia. The miscellaneous scrapbook items are mostly paper clippings, postcards and photographs. Dr. Hancock’s teaching materials include course outlines and teaching notes from Virginia Union University in the early 1950s. The oversized pages of laminated clippings are mostly photocopies of Dr. Hancock’s syndicated news column, “Between the Lines.”

The collection consists mainly of correspondence and minutes of meetings regarding the planning of two reunions of Hartshorn alumnae. The bulk of the collection covers the years 1977 to 1979. The reunion organizers seemed to be concerned not only with seeing former classmates and old friends, but with arranging an elegant and special event to remember. Like many of her fellow alumnae, Dr. Brown took pride in Hartshorn's history and donated these materials to the library at Virginia Union with the hope that "they will be helpful for anyone doing research on Hartshorn or Union."

The collection contains photographs of the largest homecoming of Prairie View A. & M. College of Texas in November 1966 and postcards of Prairie View in 1926, Virginia Union University Alumni Banquet in 1969, Virginia Union University Alumni Association in 1960 and Henry Boyd Hucles personal photographs. It also contains program and tickets for the Virginia Union Alumni Banquet in 1969. These materials reveal Mr. Hucles’ active participation in these organizations.

This collection contains the administrative and personal records of John Malcus Ellison as president of Virginia Union University (1941-1955), chancellor (1955-79), minister, teacher, author and editor. The bulk of the collection is from the early years of his presidency, 1941-1945, with very few materials from the later years or during his tenure as chancellor. Although most of the collection is correspondence conducted in his official capacity as president, because these materials were received from his family, the Ellison Papers are organized as a manuscript collection.