George Family Photograph Collection, 1941-1968

Summary

Abstract:
A collection of candid family photographs, most from the Georges, reflecting African-American life in the mid-twentieth century. The collection includes family members, friends, and colleagues spanning several states including Texas, Georgia, Illinois, California, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Tennessee, and Kansas
Extent:
0.25 linear ft.
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

George Family Photograph Collection,

Background

Scope and content:

The George Family Photograph Collection is a collection of photographs and postcards featuring members of an African-American family, their friends and relatives, including several who served in the U.S military.

Photographs contains 186 photographs, five photographic post-cards, and one funeral procession program. There are a few formal portrait photographs, but the majority are candid photos taken at home or at various events, such as graduation, school performances, teacher's dances, and community and family gatherings. There are several photographs of young children.

There are photos of several unidentified African American men in military uniform, including the Marines, Air Force, and Army. There is also a series of photographs of a U.S. Army Recruiting Officer captioned "to Pop from son Joseph". Though many of the individuals in the photographs have not been identified, a few individuals are prominently featured, one of whom is the Joseph mentioned above. He also appears in a few photographs with Japanese men and women; it is not known when or where these photos were taken. Several predominately or exclusively African American schools appear in the collection, with one labeled as a teacher's dance and another showing several graduates standing in front of a "Carver High" sign. Some of the photographs include references to, or identifable locations in, Texas, California, Georgia, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Delaware, Tennessee, and Kansas.

The photos range in size from 1" x 1" to 8" x 7.5". Many of the photographs are undated and one distinctly appears to be a copy of a 19th century photograph based on the attire the individuals are wearing. Those photographs that are dated range from 1941-1968. Some of the photographs have creases and tears but most are in good condition.

Biographical / historical:

Very little information is present in the collection, but one of the postcards has a name and home address. From that, and based on extensive research in Ancestry.com, the US census, Findagrave.com, and information from curators of related collections (see Related Material below), the collection appears to be that of the George family. Very few of the photographs are labeled, however; while a few more were identifed through the abovementioned research, the identities of most are unknown. Dates were also inferred through research as only a portion of the photographs are dated. Copies of the familial records as uncovered through research by SCRC staff have been placed in departmental files.

The Georges were an African American family from Atlanta, Georgia. They had a tradition of scholarly achievements and community membership wherever they went. Between 1920 and 1960 the family moved several times for education, employment, and military deployment. They also had numerous friends and colleagues throughout the United States, including Texas, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Illinois, Georgia, California, Tennessee, and Kansas.

Claude Clarence George Sr. was a graduate of the Tuskegee Institute (1912) who went on to become an educator and later an insurance agent. He married Claudia Johnson George in 1917. She was a graduate of Howard University and later became an educator for Howard herself. Together they had seven children: four sons (Bennie Johnson, Wilbur Green, Claude C. Jr., and John), and three daughters (Laurel, Evelyn, and Cora).

Bennie Johnson George enlisted in the army and later attended Delaware State University. After a few years he returned to Delaware State where he was Physical Education Professor and head football coach. He married Dorothy Luella Poole, with whom he had three daughters, Peggy Ann Nealy, Rosemarie Heflin, and Stacie Lynn Bratten; and a son, Theo Braunskill.

Wilbur Green George married Louise Victoria Yelverton and together they had a son, James Wendell George, and a daughter, Claudia George-Washington.

Claude C. George, Jr. became a doctor and married Gwendolyn Lampkin. They had two daughters, Yvette G. George and Colette George Scott.

John George went on to become an attorney in Oakland ,California and was the first African American elected to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors.

Laurel George married Alfred Mouton and Cora George married Dr. James Greene Sr. Cora and William had two sons Michael Greene and James C. Greene Jr.

Evelyn George married William Castille. Evelyn and William had seven daughters: Valorie Jacquet, Tracey Castille, Kristy Castille, Eva Young, Dorothy Castille, Dorthea Castille, and Debra Castille-Hall.

Acquisition information:
Purchased, 2020.
Arrangement:

Photographs are foldered, organized by like size, and when possible recognizable or identifiable individuals appearing in several photos have been grouped together.

Access and use

Restrictions:

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advance notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Terms of access:

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

Preferred citation:

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

George Family Photograph Collection,

Location of this collection:
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries
Bird Library, Room 600
Syracuse, NY 13244, United States
Link to repository site
Contact:
315.443.2697
scrc@syr.edu