Josie Brown Childs papers

This series relates to Josie Brown Childs’ professional life in politics in Chicago. The bulk of the series consists of materials from her 1983 5th ward aldermanic campaign, her role as a Democratic delegate at the 1980 Democratic National Convention in New York City, and as Program Coordinator of the Mayor’s Office of Special Events. Included in this series are numerous newspaper clippings about Mayor Washington, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Chicago politics.

The Correspondence series contains materials both from Childs’ professional and personal life. It includes letters, invitations, office memos, and personal cards.

This series documents Josie Brown Childs’ work in event planning. It includes materials from political events from her time in the Mayor’s Office of Special Events, her involvement with the Congregational Church of Park Manor, and other community organizations. The bulk of the materials included are event programs and invitations.

This series consists of materials from the planning and execution of the 16th Annual Duke Ellington Conference hosted by the Congregational Church of Park Manor in 1998. The conference highlighted Ellington’s musical contributions and relationship to Chicago. Events included the re-creation of his musical My People and the presentation of scholarly papers, seminars, and workshops at the Ramada Congress Hotel. The series is comprised largely of programs and planning materials. The series is arranged alphabetically by folder title.

The papers, programs, and notes in this series relate to the Great Lakes Experience Reunion Weekend in 2003. The Great Lakes Experience was an African American Navy band specializing in jazz at the Great Lakes Training Center. The group performed abroad in areas of conflict during World War II. They also performed stateside for fundraising events. The reunion weekend in 2003 featured concerts held in their honor with the purpose of educating the public about their service. The series also contains one program from the World War II Black Navy Veterans of Great Lakes 50th Celebration in 1992.

The Harold Washington series concerns the mayor’s activities, especially while Josie Childs worked in the Mayor’s Office of Special Events (1983-1987). The series includes administrative documents, event invitations, materials from Mayor Washington’s re-election campaign, newspaper clippings, and an official report.

This series reflects Childs’ membership at the Congressional Church of Park Manor. It includes information on Reverend William J. Faulkner, a yearbook, programs, and correspondence.

This series consists of funeral programs collected by Childs.

The newspaper clippings in this series largely consist of articles pertaining to Childs’ interest in politics and in activism, also general events in Chicago.

This series includes oversized materials described in the preceding series in the collection.

The photographs in this series encompass Childs’ professional and family life. They consist largely of political events, including her aldermanic campaign, and the Great Lakes Experience Reunion Weekend. The personal photographs include the wedding of Caledonia Green, family photos, and the Brown family at a funeral in Mississippi.