HIS301: Historical Writing: Black & African American-centered collections
Navigating the University Archives for students in HIS301
Last Updated: Nov 8, 2023 3:57 PM
Black and African American-Centered Collections - An Introduction
Collections in the University Archives by or about Black and African American people and organizations in Western New York can be categorized into fours types. Please click on the collection types below to reveal examples.
E.g., Lydia T. Wright papers - Records of Dr. Lydia T. Wright, first black member of the Buffalo Board of Education, concerning desegregation of the Buffalo Public Schools, 1883-1968
E.g., Frank P. Besag papers - Interviews of individuals who witnessed the civil unrest in Buffalo during the summer of 1967
E.g., Department of African American Studies records - Departmental correspondence, reports, and clippings, 1967-1998
E.g., The Black Student Union Periodical Collection - Digitized BSU periodicals, 1969-1979
Images
Dr. Joseph Robert Love, the first known black graduate of the School of Medicine, circa 1880. Taken from biographical file.
Malcolm X debating with Rev. Clarence Hillard to a UB audience, April 24, 1963. #AVC_D91_44_001
Angela Davis' Distinguished Speakers Series and Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration address, February 27, 2019. #RG 11-6-1410
Michigan Avenue Y.M.C.A. Certificate of Award to Arthur O. Eve, circa 1967. #MS-0004
Dr. Lydia T. Wright at an event. #MS-0015
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at Kleinhans Music Hall, November 9, 1967 #UA015-martin-luther-king-01
Spectrum article about activist Martin Sostre, March 1, 1972. Spectrum Vol 22. No. 60., page 1.
Online Resources
Use the following resources to supplement your primary source research.
- Black and African American Collections in the University Archives guide - Highlights some of the collections by or about Black and African American people and organizations in Western New York
- Finding Aids database
- Finding aids are documents that describe/list the items in archival collections
- Navigate to the link to conduct a search for a subject or topic to reveal relevant collections in the University Archives
- If you see the description of an item you would like to view, contact lib-archives@buffalo.edu
- Digital Collections
- UB Spectrum (1955-1979) via NYS Historic Newspapers
- Full-text searchable database, allowing you browse issues of the Spectrum, 1955-1979 (missing a couple years in the '60s)
- Navigate to search bar to conduct an advanced search
- See other years, 1950-1952 and 1952-1955 here
- After 1979, you can browse the Spectrum via Digital Collections, but this does not have a search feature
Recommended Collections
Please use these recommend resources to identify a collection or primary source of interest for your project. You can also conduct your own keyword search via our Finding Aids Database. If you see the description of an item you would like to view, contact lib-archives@buffalo.edu.
- MS-144: Uncrowned Queens Digital Oral History project
- MS-21: Buffalo Urban League reports
- MS-4: Michigan Avenue Y.M.C.A. records
- 17-F-146: Frank P. Besag papers
- MS-244: Manhattan Hotel photographs
- MS-269: St. Philip's Episcopal Church records
- MS-264: Georgia Burnette papers
- 48-F-1354: Frank J. Corbett papers
- MS-125: Eva Noles papers
- MS-15 Lydia T. Wright papers
- 9-5-1366: Black Student Union collection
- 22-15-1023: Department of African American Studies records
- 9-12-191: Joseph E. Nechasek collection on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
- MS-116: Sigma Pi Phi Alpha Kappa Boule records
- MS-182: Attica Prison uprising printed materials
- MS-220: Artwork by incarcerated people at Monroe County Jail and 40 Years After the Attica Uprising: Looking Back, Moving Forward conference displays
- 11-6-1392: Office of University Events, William J. Regan papers
- 11-6-1410: Office of University Events Distinguishes Speakers Series images [also includes digital content]
- Black Student Union periodical collection [digital collection]
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at Buffalo [digital collection]