Auburn Avenue Research Library Digital Exhibits

Items

• Photograph: Asa G. Yancey's Daughters Caren & Carolyn, undated
  Photograph of a group of young girls gathered indoors with two adult women, taken around the 1950s. In the front row, center, are Caren and Carolyn Yancey, daughters of Asa G. Yancey Sr.. The girls are identified as members of “Jack and Jill of America,” a national organization that supports leadership development, cultural awareness, and social engagement for African American children. The children sit and stand closely together on a sofa and floor, smiling toward the camera, some holding dolls or toys. Two adult women stand behind them, likely supervising the gathering. The setting appears to be a living room, suggesting a social or educational activity organized through the Jack and Jill chapter. The image captures the importance of community networks that nurtured friendship, cultural pride, and leadership among African American youth during the mid-twentieth century.
• Two Atlanta Links Members at Benjiman E. Mays Banquet
  Photograph of two members of The Links, Incorporated, Atlanta Chapter, speaking together at a podium during the Benjamin E. Mays Banquet in the 1950s. The women stand close to a microphone, appearing to exchange remarks or present an award. Floral arrangements and banquet tables are visible in the foreground, while other attendees sit nearby. The event honored Benjamin E. Mays, a prominent leader in African American education and civil rights. The image reflects the role of The Links in supporting educational initiatives, civic engagement, and community leadership within Atlanta’s Black professional community during the mid-twentieth century.
• Elliot Travis's Twins, Laura & Louise at Delta Pro [Delta Sigma Theta Sorority], West Virginia State College
  Outdoor photograph of twins Laura and Louise Travis, students at West Virginia State College, standing side by side during Delta Pro activities in 1936. The young women are dressed in long coats over light-colored dresses and each holds a small bouquet of flowers, indicating their participation as new probationary members (“Delta Pro”) of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. The sisters pose together on the campus lawn with college buildings and hills visible in the distance. Their matching posture and similar attire highlight both their twin relationship and the sense of unity associated with sorority initiation traditions. The photograph reflects moments of friendship, sisterhood, and collegiate life among African American women during the 1930s.
• Miss West Virginia & Court
  Outdoor portrait of three young African American women seated together on a stone bench in front of a brick school building in 1936. The women are identified as members of the Miss West Virginia court: Eddie Mae Stubbs (left), Dot Bradshaw (center, Miss West Virginia), and Violet Burks (right). They sit close together, smiling toward the camera, dressed in fashionable mid-1930s dresses with softly waved hairstyles typical of the period. The photograph captures a moment of camaraderie and pride among the young women during a community pageant event. Informal yet composed, the image reflects the social networks and celebratory traditions that brought young Black women together through school, community events, and local recognition.
• Nell Thomas & Anne Braxton
  Hand-tinted studio portrait of an African American family group taken around 1930. Nell Thomas sits in the center, surrounded by four young women, including her daughter Anne Braxton, who stands third from the left. The women wear light-colored dresses typical of the late 1920s and early 1930s, and the photograph has been delicately hand-colored to highlight their clothing and skin tones. The carefully posed composition and decorative studio mount reflect the importance of family portraiture within African American communities. Images like this celebrated kinship, pride, and generational connection, preserving moments of unity and affection across mothers and daughters.
• Margaret Bowen with other Alpha Kappa Alpha Members, University of Cincinnati, 1922
  Group portrait of African American women affiliated with the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. at the University of Cincinnati in 1922. The photograph includes Margaret Bowen (front row, left) seated among fellow members of the Omicron Chapter. The women are arranged in a studio setting, seated and standing around a small table, dressed in fashionable early-1920s attire including tailored dresses, necklaces, and carefully styled hair. The portrait reflects the importance of Black sororities as spaces of sisterhood, scholarship, and leadership for African American women in higher education during the early twentieth century. Through organizations like Alpha Kappa Alpha, college-educated Black women built networks of mutual support while advancing academic achievement, civic engagement, and community uplift.
• Lugenia Burns Hope and Georgia Club Women
  Group portrait of African American clubwomen gathered outside a building in the 1920s. The photograph includes prominent civic leaders Lugenia Burns Hope, seated in the front row center, and Selena Sloan Butler standing to her right. The women are dressed in tailored dresses, coats, and hats typical of the period, reflecting the dignity and professionalism of Black women engaged in community leadership. Images like this document the powerful networks of African American clubwomen who organized for education, social reform, and community uplift during the early twentieth century. Their collective efforts shaped civic institutions, expanded opportunities for Black families, and strengthened movements for racial advancement across the United States.
• Young Woman on Stairs
  Portrait of a young African American woman standing on a staircase, photographed around 1943. She smiles warmly toward the camera while resting one hand on the banister. The woman wears a belted dress with long sleeves, a decorative necklace, bracelets, and a stylish feathered hat. Her confident pose and fashionable attire highlight the elegance and self-expression of African American women during the 1940s, capturing a moment of everyday sophistication within a domestic setting.
• Young girl dressed up and sitting on decorated chair, undated
  Portrait of a young African American girl seated on a decorated chair, photographed around the 1950s. The child is dressed in a frilly formal dress with lace trim, white socks, and Mary Jane shoes. A headband adorns her hair, and she smiles gently toward the camera. The carefully arranged outfit and decorative chair suggest the photograph was taken for a special occasion or formal portrait. The image reflects the pride families took in presenting their children with care, elegance, and celebration during mid-twentieth-century African American family life.
• Woman standing, wearing feather and jeweled hat and dress, undated
  Studio portrait of an African American woman standing in an elaborately styled outfit, photographed in the mid-1920s by James Van Der Zee. The woman wears a dramatic feathered headdress and a jeweled headpiece, paired with a richly decorated dress adorned with beads, chains, and metallic embellishments. She poses confidently with one hand on her hip against a painted studio backdrop. The striking costume and theatrical styling reflect the glamour, creativity, and expressive fashion associated with the Harlem Renaissance era, a period when portrait photography celebrated individuality, elegance, and cultural pride.
• Woman reading
  Studio portrait of an African American woman seated and reading a document, photographed in the early 1910s by James Van Der Zee. The woman wears an elaborately decorated dress with lace details, gloves, and a pendant necklace. She sits within a carefully arranged interior featuring patterned wallpaper, framed landscape paintings, and decorative plants. Her composed posture and refined surroundings emphasize dignity, education, and social status. Van Der Zee’s attention to interior design and personal presentation reflects the aspirations and cultural sophistication of African American communities during the early twentieth century.
• Woman Playing Piano
  Black-and-white portrait of an African American woman seated at a piano, photographed around 1943. The woman is shown in profile, her hands poised on the keys as she plays. She wears a sleeveless dress and small earrings, her hair styled neatly back from her face. The photograph captures a quiet moment of concentration and artistry, highlighting the role of music, cultural expression, and refinement in African American life during the mid-twentieth century.
• Unidentified woman, undated
  Studio portrait of an African American woman seated beside a small table, photographed between approximately 1912 and 1916. She rests her head lightly on her hand while an open book sits on the table beside her, suggesting a quiet moment of reading or reflection. The woman wears a light-colored dress, lace gloves, and a textured cloche-style hat adorned with a flower. A delicate handbag hangs from her wrist. Her composed posture and fashionable attire reflect the grace, intellect, and self-presentation of African American women in the early twentieth century.
• Unidentified Woman in Shawl, 1926
  Sepia studio portrait of an African American woman standing in a doorway wearing a shawl and a fringed dress, photographed in Atlanta in 1926. The inscription on the photograph reads, “To our son from your devoted mother, November 1, 1926.” The woman may be Selena Sloan Butler, though this identification is not confirmed. The portrait reflects the dignity, style, and familial devotion expressed through formal portrait photography in early twentieth-century African American communities.
• Unidentified school pageant group, undated
  Photograph of a group of African American teenage girls participating in a school pageant, circa 1960s. The young women wear formal gowns, gloves, and pageant sashes while holding bouquets. At center, a crowned participant sits wearing a cape and holding flowers, surrounded by other contestants. The image reflects the pageantry, celebration of beauty, and ceremonial traditions that highlighted confidence, accomplishment, and community pride among African American youth during the mid-twentieth century.
• Unidentified Girl Next to Chair, undated
  Cabinet card studio portrait of an unidentified young African American girl standing beside an upholstered chair, photographed in Atlanta in the 1890s. The child wears a long, lace-trimmed dress and holds a small bouquet, posed formally against a studio backdrop. The image reflects the traditions of childhood portraiture and the importance of documenting family life and respectability in African American communities in the late nineteenth century. The child may possibly be Selena Sloan Butler as a young girl, though this identification is not confirmed.
• Unidentified Girl in Formal Attire, undated
  Cabinet card studio portrait of an unidentified young African American girl dressed in formal attire, circa 1880s. The child wears a long, decorative dress with lace details and holds a small bouquet, posed before a painted studio backdrop. The photograph reflects the importance of portraiture and formal dress in documenting family pride, childhood, and social presentation within African American communities during the late nineteenth century.
• Sigma Gamma Rho, Debutante Ball, undated
  Photograph of a debutante presentation ceremony hosted by Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, circa 1960. Young African American debutantes in formal gowns are seated in the foreground holding bouquets, while their escorts stand behind them in tuxedos and white gloves. The ceremony takes place before a large audience, reflecting the pageantry, mentorship, and community celebration associated with debutante traditions within African American social and civic organizations.
• Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Debs, 1964
  Group photograph of members of the Eta Sigma Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority posing with debutantes during the 1964 Debutante Ball. The women are arranged on a decorated stage beneath a banner reading “Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Debs 1964,” dressed in formal evening gowns and gloves. Soror Evelyn Hood stands in the front row (left) beside a debutante and her mother. The image reflects the ceremonial elegance and mentorship traditions through which African American women’s organizations supported the presentation and development of young women.
• Ruby Blackburn, undated
  Studio portrait of Ruby Blackburn taken in the early 1930s. Blackburn stands beside a small table arranging flowers in a vase, wearing a fashionable dress with layered fabric and styled hair typical of the era. The staged studio backdrop and elegant pose highlight the grace, style, and self-presentation of African American women during the early twentieth century.
• Ruby Blackburn (2nd from left) and group on steps
  Group portrait of five African American women standing on the steps of a public building, photographed in 1955. From left to right are Mrs. Lula Cornelius, Mrs. Lillie Sanders, Mrs. John Taylor, Mrs. Mamie Render, and Ruby Blackburn. The women are dressed in fashionable coats, fur stoles, and heeled shoes, reflecting the style, dignity, and social presence of Black women in mid-twentieth-century community and civic life.
• Rosemary Braxton's High School Prom, c. 1950
  Photograph of Rosemary Braxton seated with her prom date at a decorated high school prom, circa 1950. Braxton wears a formal gown and tiara, seated at a table beneath a large parasol centerpiece while a band performs in the background. The image captures a moment of celebration and elegance among African American youth, reflecting the importance of school dances and social rituals in mid-twentieth-century Black community life.
• Miss Black Teenage America Contestants, undated
  Group portrait of contestants in the Miss Black Teenage America pageant, photographed by Harmon Perry in the 1970s. The young African American women stand together wearing pageant sashes and fashionable gowns, smiling during what appears to be a stage presentation. Their hairstyles and clothing reflect the beauty, confidence, and cultural expression of Black teenage women during the era of the Black Power and natural hair movements.
• Los Angeles Chapter, Links, Inc. 1970 Cotillionettes
  Group portrait of the 1970 Cotillionettes presented by the Los Angeles Chapter of Links, Inc., shown in a formal page from the 20th Annual Cotillion booklet. The young African American participants are dressed in white debutante gowns and gloves, seated and standing in a staged arrangement that reflects the elegance, discipline, and ceremonial traditions of cotillion culture. The event introduced twenty-six young women in a program celebrating refinement, education, and community leadership.
• Julia Bond & Dr. Horace Mann Bond, 1973
  Portrait of Julia Bond standing with Dr. Horace Mann Bond in formal evening attire, circa 1973. Julia Bond wears a long, elegant gown and headpiece, while Dr. Bond stands beside her in a tuxedo. The photograph captures a moment of formality and refinement within an African American family, reflecting traditions of celebration, presentation, and social distinction.