Collections : [Virginia Union University]

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.

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.

These records reflect the growth and development of the Library at Virginia Union University. The bulk of the collection is the annual reports for which there is a virtually complete run from 1927 through 1992, including semi-annual reports and quarterly reports. The Administrative file contains papers created in the day-to-day business such as limited correspondence, floor plans and library objectives and statistics. The Events file contains announcements for library sponsored events such as guest speakers. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is an accreditation committee on which Mrs. Bradley served.

These records reflect the performances and activities of the Music Department at Virginia Union University. The bulk of the collection is performance programs for the various performance groups, especially the University Choir and the Concert Choir, and departmental correspondence. The correspondence is almost entirely that of Dr. Hobbs. The Administrative file contains the 1979-1980 Year End Report, a few department faculty meeting minutes, press releases and course outlines. The Miscellaneous file includes programs for opera and alumni concerts.

Collection is made up of 276 photo images, some original, many either copy photos or publicity photos or news wire photos with captions. Theme is African Americans and relates mostly to Atlanta, Georgia. In 1996, Dr. Vonita Foster compiled an item-level catalogue of the images as part of the library's bibliography series.

The collection consists mainly of materials related to her role as officer in Hartshorn Memorial College and Virginia Union University alumni associations. The bulk of the collection covers the years 1921 to 1947, when Hartshorn considered becoming a women's college and then merged with Virginia Union (1932). Ms. Whiting was concerned with the role of Hartshorn women in Virginia Union's co-educational atmosphere and alumni association. These materials reveal her efforts to keep the memory of Hartshorn alive after the merger through a scholarship, memorial stone marker, and a "museum" in the basement of the dormitory Hartshorn Hall.

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.

These records reflect the status and activities of Storer College, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Storer was founded in 1867 by the Home Mission Society of the Free Baptist Church, and named in honor of the late Mr. John Storer, a prosperous businessman of Sanford, Maine. Storer College was the first higher educational institution for African Americans in West Virginia.

These records reflect the performances and activities of the Fine Arts Festivals held at Virginia Union University. In 1953, Dr. Mary Elizabeth Johnson, head of the Department of Humanities, proposed to the Administration the idea of a Fine Arts Festival. Although there were no funds available, the administration encouraged the idea and lent such support as was possible. It quickly became a tradition of the college and the community. For more than three decades, the Festivals showcased poetry, drama, painting, sculpture and music produced by the students and visiting artists.

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.