Ardra Whitney: Week 24 @ Avery Research Center

 

(♪ ♪ ♪... They're EAD encoded, lol!)

Monday, February 11^th:

I continued drafting the finding aid for the Friendly Union Society Records by editing the collection’s arrangement and establishing series and corresponding folder lists. Near the 11 o’clock hour I met with Visiting Scholar, Dwana Waugh and learned how to operate the digital recorder in preparation for my oral history interview with Cynthia McCottry-Smith. Also throughout the day I revised the image(s) request form for the BIL: Digital Photo Archive Project and edited the project’s Tumblr page.

Tuesday, February 12^th - Thursday, February 14^th:

 Processing Archivist, Georgette Mayo was kind enough to provide me with a book on performing oral histories entitled, Recording Oral History: A Practical Guide for Social Scientists by Valerie Raleigh Yow. It was very helpful and I used it to draft a release form for the oral history interview with Cynthia McCottry-Smith. On Thursday I attended the weekly Avery staff meeting, where we discussed: an oral history project in collaboration with the Lowcountry Digital Library; our new scanner and digitization intern; processing the Phillip Simons Papers; Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation monies; upcoming programs, events and exhibits; scheduling Saturday tours at Avery the 2013 NEH Summer Institute and fundraising for a state of the art storage facilities and the continuation of public programs.

At 3 p.m. I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Cynthia McCottry-Smith about her membership in the black women’s club: Phillis Wheatley Literary and Social Club. She explained that Jeanette Keeble Cox, wife of the principal of Avery Normal School, Benjamin F. Cox, formed the club in 1916 and that at first it was called the Phillis Wheatley Literary and Civic Club. The club’s chief aim was to promote culture and self-improvement among its members and within the Charleston community. Its activities included reading and performing plays, like Salome and Lady Windemers Fan by Oscar Wilde; going on field trips; and working with organizations such as the NAACP and Anti-Lynching Campaign to advocate for African American’s civil and political rights.

Friday, February 15^th:

In the morning I posted a photo submissions announcement for the Black in the Lowcountry: Digital Photo Archive on Tumblr. I also sent out the e-mail and image(s) request form to Phoebe and Susan Williams at Trident Technical College regarding use of scanned images from C.A. Brown High School’s yearbooks and newspapers for the project. Then I spent the rest of the day wrapping up work on my interview evaluation for Dr. Julia Purnell and posting pertinent online articles to Avery’s Facebook and Twitter pages.