The Nevada Black History Project was organized in 1989 to bring to light more of the history of the Black presence in this state. It was co-sponsored by the Northern Nevada Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Committee and the Northern Nevada Black Cultural Awareness Society. 

Funding was provided by those two organizations and by the Nevada Humanities Committee, Nevada's 125th Anniversary Commission, the Hawkins Foundation, and private contributions especially from Maya Miller, William C. Thornton, and Nancy Williams.  Dr. Elmer Rusco was project director, Nancy Peppin was project executive, and Leonard Woods was the fiscal agent.  They were assisted by two advisory committees in southern and northern Nevada.

Four products were produced by the project: a traveling exhibit with an historical thrust, available for showing throughout Nevada; a 20-minute videotape on the subject, available for borrowing without charge or which may be purchased; a publication, in newspaper/tabloid form, which focused on the achievements of Black Nevadans today and which was issued in two editions (1992 and 1997); and an archives of research materials. The Project collected more than 1,000 photographs, either copy prints or originals, which were deposited in the Special Collections Department, along with the administrative records of the Project.

The Project focused on Nevada individuals and collected a significant amount of biographical information. Nevadans included in the publication were nominated by the two advisory committees and in almost all cases, the data were provided by individuals, supplemented from other sources.

Those wishing information about the traveling exhibit or the videotape should contact:

The Nevada Humanities Committee
Box 8029
Reno, NV 89507
775-784-6587 or
800-382-5023

The preceding information was abstracted from the Project's publication, Nevada Black History: Yesterday and Today.

Scope and Content

The archival records of the Nevada Black History Project were donated to the Special Collections Department by Dr. Elmer Rusco in 1997 on behalf of the Nevada Black History Project. The collection dates from 1982-1997 and consist of two cubic feet of textual materials, just over 1,000 photographs, and a video tape. The photographs and video were transferred to the photographic archives of the Department and cataloged as photo collection P97-56. There are no restrictions on access and use of the archives of the Project.

An earlier gift of the Project's records was accessioned as manuscript collection 96-47; a separate collection guide provides information about that portion of the collection.

The contents of collection 98-33 include administrative records of the project, biographical files, records of the publication of the second edition of the newspaper publication, materials documenting the effort to have the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., declared a holiday in Nevada, records associated with an essay and a book written by Dr. Elmer Rusco on Black history, print sources for the history of blacks (outside of Nevada), and photographs.

The administrative records include correspondence, some financial materials, and drafts of the text for the exhibit and the publication(s) Nevada Black History: Yesterday and Today. There are folders with information about Black music and poetry by Nevadans, some photocopies of photographs from Utah, and copies of some newspaper sources on Black history in Nevada.

The biographical files contain information about Black Nevadans selected to be included in either the video or the publications about Blacks in Nevada. These individual files usually contain a standard form which the Project used to elicit basic biographical information, supplemented with correspondence or newspaper clippings. Additional information about many of the individuals in this series is contained in Series III, Second Edition, in the folders labeled "Individual Files." Series III also contains some administrative information, primarily about financing the publication.

Series IV contains information about the Nevada effort to have Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday declared a holiday. Included are correspondence, clippings, speeches and essays, research notes from Dr. Rusco, newsletters from the Reno-Sparks Branch of the NAACP, a Freedom Fund Banquet program, and assorted printed material related to the topic.

Dr. Elmer Rusco's writings about Nevada Black history are represented in two folders. A copy of his essay for the Encyclopedia of African American Culture and History appears in Series V, as does administrative records related to photographs for the book, Good Time Coming: Black Nevadans in the 19th Century.

As part of the Nevada Black History Project, Dr Rusco collected many examples of Black publications not related to Nevada, as well as catalogs from which such materials could be obtained. Those publications make up Series VI. Also included in this series are three books which have been kept with the collection, rather than removed and cataloged separately.

The last series consists of photographs, which have been transferred to the photo archives of the Special Collections Department as photo collection P97-56. Although there are some historical images, most of the photographs and the video tape focus on the achievements of Black Nevadans in the last half of the twentieth century. Most of the photographs were taken by professional photographers for this project; others are from public archives and from individuals. Reproductions of photographs from other repositories must be obtained from the agency which holds the original photo. Subjects include individuals (identified and not), groups, events, ceremonies, meetings, parades, historic sites associated with Blacks, cemeteries, buildings, churches, libraries, and neighborhoods.

The Nevada Black History Project has been arranged into the following series:

I.	Administrative Files
II.	Biographical Files
III.	Second Edition of Nevada Black History: Yesterday and Today
IV.	Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday
V.	Elmer Rusco's Writings on Black History
VI.	Non-Nevada Print Sources for Black History
VII.	Photographs

 

98-33/I Series I. Administrative Files. 1989-1994.   .3 cu. ft.

 

Box 1

I/1-3	Black history exhibit. 1989-1994.
I/4	Photo and people sources for exhibit.
I/5	Blacks in Utah photographs.
I/6	Project sample forms.
I/7	Financial records. 1993.
I/8	Nevada school publication sources.
I/9	Nevada Black poets.
I/10	Music - Jesse Hall.
I/11	Music - The Wynn Sisters in Concert [tape]. n.d.
I/12	Misc.
I/13	Edwin Engram correspondence. 1993-1994.
I/14	Correspondence about Theodore Miller.
I/15	Louise Patterson/Margaret Wilkerson correspondence.
I/16	Cortez Williams Correspondence.
I/17	Newspaper and print sources for information about Blacks in Nevada history.
I/18	Oasis Magazine (Las Vegas). 1989-1990.

 

98-33/II     Series II. Biographical Files . 1 cu. ft. ca 1990-1994.

This series contains folders on contemporary Black Nevadans who were proposed for inclusion in either the project's video or publication. The files include a biographical data sheet, compiled by the subject and sometimes newspaper clippings or other materials. Dr. Rusco solicited updated information for the second edition of the publication and those contributions were filed separately in Series III.

This series is arranged alphabetically. They were originally arranged according to whether the subjects were the resident of northern or southern Nevada but Special Collections staff thought the files would be easier to use if they were integrated. An "N" following the name indicates the subject is from northern Nevada; an "S" indicates the subject lives in southern Nevada.

II/1	Carla M. Alston. S
II/2	Rev. Carey Anderson. N
II/3	Greg Anthony. S
II/4	Morse Arberry. S
II/5	J. Holmes Armstead, Jr. N
II/6	Andras F. Babero,III. S
II/7	Russell Barker. S
II/8	Harrison Lee Bass, Jr. S
II/9	Marion D. Bennett. S
II/10	Will D. Bennett. N
II/11	Ondra L. Berry. N
II/12	Verita Black. N
II/13	Larry C. Bolden. S
II/14	Frederick T. Boulware, Jr. S
II/15	Ed & Betty Brown. S
II/16	Tim Buckhaulter. N
II/17	Jimi S. Bufkin. N
II/18	George Burns. S
II/19	Don C. Butler, Sr. N
II/20	Deborah Campbell. S
II/21	Lonie Chaney. S
II/22	Gregory A. Claiborne. N
II/23	Louis A. Conner, Sr. S
II/24	Onie Cooper. N
II/25	Michael Coray. N
II/26	Leon D. Cowan. N
II/27	Cranford L. Crawford, Jr. S
II/28	Ken Dalton. N
II/29	Verlia M. Davis. S
II/30	Ruby Duncan. S
II/31	John J. Edmond. S
II/32	Darryl Feemster. N
II/33	Debra A. Feemster. N
II/34	Dolores Feemster. N
II/35	Lonnie C. Feemster. N
II/36	H.P. Fitzgerald. S
II/37	Brother Ignatius Foster. N
II/38	Lee A. Gates. S
II/39	Yvonne Atkinson Gates. S
II/40	James A. Gay III. S
II/41	Sam Gibson. N
II/42	Don Givens. S
II/43	Theron H. Goynes. S
II/44	Gemma Greene. N
II/45	Addeliar D. Guy, III. S
II/46	Jesse J. Hall. N
II/47	Nancy T. Hall. N
II/48	George A. Hardaway. N
II/49	Kenneth R. Harvey. N
II/50	Lizzie R. Hatcher. S
II/51	Frank Hawkins. S
II/52	J. David Hoggard. S
II/53	Jerry Holloway. N
II/54	Wayne G. Home, Jr. N
II/55	Robert E. Houston. N
II/56	Ken Howard. N
II/57	Lucille Hughes. S
II/58	Lonnie Jackson, Jr. N
II/59	Sarita Jenson. S
II/60	Marie Jordan. S
II/61	Charles L. Kellar. S
II/62	Alice Key. S
II/63	James R. Kitchen. S
II/64	Billie Jo Knight. S
II/65	Amos P. Knight. S
II/66	Esther J. Longston. S
II/67	Kiah Lumpkin. N
II/68	Luther Mack. N
II/69	Number not assigned.
II/70	James B. McMillan. S
II/71	Bernice Martin. N
II/72	Paul E. Meacham. S
II/73	David B. Meadows. N
II/74	William Moon. N
II/75	Robert Morgan, Jr. S
II/76	Evelyn B. Long-Mount. N
II/77	Bertha Mullins. N
II/78	Beverly Neyland. S
II/79	Wayne B. Nunnely. S
II/80	Al H. O'Neal. S
II/81	Erma O'Neal. S
II/82	Cecil Pearson. N
II/83	William U. Pearson. S
II/84	Claude Perkins. S
II/85	Floyd Phillips. N
II/86	Maxine Porter. S
II/87	James O. Porter. S
II/88	Sarann Knight Preddy. S
II/89	James L. Pughsley. S
II/90	Muj ahid Ramadan. S
II/91	Hazel Ralston. N
II/92	Johnnie B. Rawlinson. S
II/93	Clarence Ray. S
II/94	William E. Robinson. S
II/95	Jesse D. Scott. S
II/96	Rupert Seals. N
II/97	Simba [Professional Dance Company]. S
II/98	Connie Sisson. S
II/99	Alice Smith. N
II/100	Fred Snyder. S
II/101	Earl Tatum. N
II/102	Ada Taylor. N

 

Box 2

II/103	Angela D. Taylor. N
II/104	Coni Anthony Taylor. N
II/105	Glenn E. Taylor, Sr. N
II/106	Vince Thompson. N I
II/107	Tony Trigg. S
II/108	Divine Ruth Turner. N
II/109	James W. Tyree. S
II/110	David C. Washington. S
II/111	Maurice Washington. N
II/112	Norma J. Washington. N
II/113	Bishop Earnest N. Webb. S
II/114	Nancy Ellen-Webb Williams. S
II/115	William C. Webb. N
II/116	Charles I. West, Jr. S
II/117	John P. West. S
II/118	Helen and Ollie Westbrook. N
II/119	Earle W. White, Jr. S
II/120	June F. Whitley. S
II/121	Hershel L. Williams. S
II/122	Larry R. Williams. N
II/123	Melvin B. Williams. N
II/124	Raye Willis. S
II/125	Woodrow Wilson. S
II/126	Lee Winston. S
II/127	Richard A. Witherspoon. N
II/128	Bertha Woodard. N
II/129	Ulysses Woodard. N
II/130	Leonard D. Woods. N
II/131	Charles E. Wright. N
II/132	Richard E. Wyett. N

 

98-33/III Series III. Second Edition of Nevada Black History: Yesterday and Today. 1995­- 1997. 6 folders.

The first edition of the publication, Nevada Black History: Yesterday and Today was quickly distributed. The Project decided to issue a second edition in 1997 with updated information. This series contains text revisions, a copy of the 2nd edition, administrative information, primarily financial in nature, and new data for the biographical files.

III/1	Finances.
III/2a&b	Revisions and 2nd edition.
III/3-4	Biographical files updates. North.
III/5-6	Biographical files updates. South.

 

98-33/IV Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday. 1982-1994.   6 folders.

The Nevada Legislature passed a bill in 1987 that declared Martin Luther King's (MLK) birthday a state holiday. Many individuals and organizations, such as the Dr. Martin Luther King Holiday Committee, worked long and hard to achieve this goal. This series includes correspondence, clippings, petitions, newsletters, essays, programs, and postcards imprinted with sayings of Dr. King, all related to the goal of a King Birthday Holiday in Nevada.

IV/1	Martin Luther King, Jr., Hall. 1988.
IV/2	MLK holiday. 1889-1990.
IV/3	MLK sayings. n.d.
IV/4	Effort to establish MLK holiday. 1987.
IV/5	NAACP, Reno-Sparks Branch. 1982-1994.
IV/6	"Connect" [event]. 1989/90.

 

98-33/V Series V. Elmer Rusco's Writings on Black History. 1974-1993. 2 folders.

Dr. Elmer Rusco has written a number of articles and a book on Black history in Nevada and two items are represented in this series. In 1975 his book, "Good Time Coming? ": Black Nevadans in the Nineteenth Century was published. One folder of this series contains materials related to graphics for that book. A second folder contains correspondence and a draft of his article on Blacks in Nevada for The Encyclopedia of African American Culture and History.

Box 2

V/1	Encyclopedia of African American Culture and History materials. 1992-1993.
V/2	"Good Time Coming? " materials. 1974.

 

98-33/VI Series VI. Print Sources for Non-Nevada Black History. n.d. .5 cu. ft.

Dr. Rusco collected a number of publications which either are or provide references for printed sources for the history of Blacks in the United States. They include newsletters, catalogs, brochures and flyers. They are arranged in the order in which they were placed by Dr. Rusco. Also included are three books.

Box 2

VI/1	Fort Mose, Florida, Project. 1989.
VI/2-6	Miscellaneous publications.
VI/7	Books: Them Gospel Songs: Lore of the Black Church Experience by Big Mama. Aurora, Co: The National Writers Press, 1990. Copyright by Nancy Ellen-Webb Williams of Las Vegas. Dinah 's Pain and Other Poems of the Black Life Experience by Big Mama. Emeryville, CA: The Albany Press, 1988. Copyright by Nancy Ellen-Webb Williams of Las Vegas. Mother Lode Race Incident: Letters Between Two Lodges of the I.O.O.F. Regarding Alleged Misconduct on the Part of a Member, edited by Theron Fox. San Jose, Calif.: Harlan-Young Press, 1966.

 

98-33/VII Series VII. Photographs. ca 1,000 photographs and 1 video tape.

The Nevada Black History Project collected over 1,000 photographs, many of which were used in the video tape and two editions of Nevada Black History: Yesterday and Today. The photographs have been transferred to the photo archives of the Special Collections Department; their photo catalog number is P97-56. Although there are some historical images, most of the photographs and the video tape focus on the achievements of Black Nevadans in the last half of the twentieth century. Most of the photographs were taken by professional photographers for this project; others are from public archives and from individuals. Reproductions of photographs from other repositories must be obtained from the agency which holds the original photo. Subjects include individuals (identified and not), groups, events, ceremonies, meetings, parades, historic sites associated with Blacks, cemeteries, buildings, churches, libraries, and neighborhoods.  

The photographs have been photocopied and those copies are available for use in the Special Collections reading room, along with a printed inventory of the contents.

Manuscripts | Special Collections

Please direct questions to Jacquelyn Sundstrand
Updated August 11, 2008