Booker T. Washington Progressive Club album
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Booker T. Washington Progressive Club album
- Identifier
- BMRC.LAKE.BTWASH
- Repository
- Lake County Discovery Museum
- Language
- English
- Size
- 0.5 Linear feet
- Predominant Dates
- Bulk, 1950-1959
- Dates
- 1935-1986
- Creator
- Booker T. Washington Progressive Club
Acknowledgements and Access
The Lake County Discovery Museum's name was changed to the Bess Bower Dunn Museum. The Museum houses the Lake County History Archives and is open for research.
This collection was part of the Black Metropolis Research Consortium's Survey Initiative, 2009-2011. For current information about the collection and its status, please email or call the collections staff at LCHA@LCFPD.org or 847-968-3400.
Biographical/Historical note
Richard Henry Williamson (1865 - 1953) was a retired railroad porter who founded the Booker T. Washington Progressive Club in 1936 based on a dream of promoting equality and goodwill between all people in the North Shore area. The Zion civic and social organization, named for the founder of the Tuskegee Institute, was a primarily black organization that was active in Zion and extended even beyond Lake County. Naomi Williamson Marshall, the daughter of Richard Henry Williamson and first female president of the club, assembled this album to reflect the activities and history of the club.
Scope and Contents note
The Booker T. Washington Progressive Club album consists of .5 linear feet and spans the club’s activities from 1936 to 1986. The album contains club letters and documents, photographs, cards, tickets and programs and news clippings. The album documents both the philanthropic actions of the club and the club’s events and community involvement.
Custodial History note
Gift of Ghele Mack, daughter of Naomi Marshall and granddaughter of club founder Richard Henry Williamson
Processing Information note
This collection was surveyed as part of the Black Metropolis Research Consortium's Survey Initiative on 2010 June 21 by Lauren Kalal and Andrew Steadham.
Indexed Terms
- Dodge, Henry
- Marshall, Naomi Williamson, 1895-1968
- Piney Woods School
- Thomas, Robert, Rev.
- Trinity African Methodist Episcopal Church (Waukegan, Ill.)
- Tuskegee Institute
- Williamson, Richard Henry, 1865-1953
- African Americans--Social life and customs
- African Americans--Societies, etc.
- Community organization--Illinois--Zion
- North Shore (Ill. : Region)--Race Relations