Preservation Services, within UVA Library’s Edgar Shannon Library, is providing an internship for a rising 2nd, 3rd, or 4th year Studio or Art History declared undergraduate major who is interested in the conservation/preservation of cultural heritage. The opportunity will be presented as a 6 or 8-week long internship offered between May 25-July 2026, with precise dates to be determined when the intern is selected. The intern will learn about the tools, techniques, and ethical considerations of library and archives conservation, and they will work primarily with Sue Donovan, the Conservator for Special Collections. The internship will be structured around treatment and housing of both circulating and special collections items.
The intern will be expected to participate in the following projects:
Database work: input information regarding historical conservation treatments into a spreadsheet.
Complete training on the lab’s XRF analytical device and conduct testing on books suspected to contain arsenic in the cloth.
Mend damaged paper bindings from the Ma Kiam Library of Chinese classic works.
Create custom housings for special collections as well as circulating books.
Work on Capstone project: Mend and stabilize an important ledger from the Wingfield papers that provides invaluable historical information about African Americans in the 1900s in Albemarle County.
Other projects as needed by the department.
At the end of the internship, the intern is expected to write a blog post about their capstone project, and they will create a 5-8 minute presentation for the UVA Department of Art on August 7.
Qualifications:
Preservation Services is looking for interns who can demonstrate:
Time management skills, reliability, courteousness, and teamwork
An interest in conservation and preservation
Ability to focus on tasks that require precise handskills and mental focus
Ability to communicate effectively about their interests and projects in both verbal and written forms
A strong work ethic and availability to work 240 hours at Shannon Library during the internship period
Application Process:
Please submit a CV, contact information for two references, a cover letter discussing how you meet the qualifications listed above and how the internship will help you meet your own goals, and a maximum of three images of recent projects (knitting, painting, drawing, 3-D objects, etc.) that showcase your handskills by April 3rd, 2026. The applicant will be awarded $3600, with half paid by May 31st and half by June 30th. Please submit all application material to Sue Donovan at suedonovan@virginia.edu. Applicants will be notified of decisions by April 24.
This post was contributed by Manuscript and Archives Processor Ellen Welch.
Introduction to the Herbert Friedman Holocaust Materials (MSS 16906)
Herbert Friedman at age 20, in 1944. Herbert Friedman Holocaust Materials (MSS 16906)
The collection featured in this article, Herbert Friedman Holocaust Materials (MSS 16906), was donated by Herbert Friedman’s son, University of Virginia alumnus Mark Friedman, to the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library in 2024. The collection is centered on Herbert Friedman and his family in occupied Vienna before World War II. It includes family letters with descriptions of their life living apart, and in fear, with pleas for financial help and affidavits to help them leave Austria, as well as newspaper articles depicting Hitler’s greed and ephemera from their experiences. (The title of this blog post, “Lieber Herbert!”, comes from the salutation written on many letters from Herbert’s mother and other family and friends to thirteen-year-old Herbert after their family was separated.) The collection documents the desperation of one family under Nazi occupation from 1938 to 1940.
On March 12, 1938, German troops crossed the Austrian border unopposed, and, the following day, Austria was officially incorporated into Nazi Germany, including Vienna, the Friedmans’ hometown where they resided as Polish and Jewish immigrants. The Friedman family included Nusyn David Frdman/Friedman; his wife, Ida Muszkatblit Friedman; and their three children, Bernhard, Herbert and Lilli; along with Ida’s mother Golda Blatter Muszkatblit and Ida’s brother Bencjan Muszkatblit. After Vienna came under the Nazi rule, the Friedmans realized they were no longer safe in their home. By November 1938, the persecution of Jewish populations in Germany, Austria, and Poland forced the Friedman family’s exit from Vienna to scatter across France, Italy, Israel, Poland, England, and the United States to avoid arrest and deportation to a concentration camp.
David Friedman (Vater) and his eldest son, Bernhard, left Vienna on December 18, 1938, for America by borrowing money to travel by ship and live in Baltimore, Maryland, where they had relatives.Their hope was to bring the rest of the family over as soon as they could afford to send money and documentation. Shortly before the invasion, young Herbert, age 13, and his friend Ernst Fleisher, age 15, had jumped into the river in Vienna to save a drowning woman who tried to commit suicide. This brave action was reported by several Jewish newspapers and led to Herbert becoming a candidate for passage to England. He was one of the children slated for Kindertransport, a pre-World War II rescue mission (1938-1940) that brought nearly 10,000 predominantly Jewish children from Nazi-controlled territories to safety in Great Britain. He sailed with the children on December 10, 1938. None of his family were allowed to see him off, which, according to Herbert, was a terrifying experience that he remembered his entire life. During his two years in England, he attended numerous schools near and outside London, where he may have also resided; the majority were soon closed due to bombing by the German Luftwaffe.
Herbert’s life changed, and his childhood came to an end as he left his home to live in a foreign country that was bombed during World War II. His focus was on his own survival as well as helping his mother and younger sister escape Vienna. His grandmother (Omam) Golda Blatter Muszkatblit fled to France where she was briefly arrested and lived in Paris with other family members. Herbert’s mother, Ida Friedman, was left stranded in Vienna with her youngest daughter, Lilli. Ida tried for almost a year to join her husband David and eldest son Bernhard, who were learning English and working low paying jobs as tailors and shoemakers in Baltimore. They hardly made enough money to bring Ida or anyone else to America, and Ida could not get an affidavit or money to leave. She was frantic that, after barely surviving the First World War, she would be left alone in Austria during another war and would not be able to survive it. For eight terrifying months, no one could help her to get the right paperwork to leave. She was feeling desperate to get herself and Lilli to safety in the United States before the Gestapo could knock on her door and deport them to a concentration camp, at any moment, day or night.
With the help of many benefactors including Dr. Alvin and Fannie Thalheimer, Julie Myers Strauss, the National Refugee Service, the Baltimore Section National Council of Jewish Women, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, and the Refugee Children’s Movement, Herbert sailed from England to New York and joined his family in Baltimore on November 14, 1940.
Despite his early traumatic years, Herbert Friedman became a successful pharmacist and lived with his wife and sons in Norfolk, Virginia. Throughout his life, he traveled and shared his experiences with many people so that they could know the terror of living in a totalitarian state under Adolph Hitler and the Nazi party, a dictatorship that dismantled democracy, enforced a rigid cult of personality, and used terror via the Gestapo and SS (Schutzstaffel). It controlled all aspects of public and private life, pushing a racist, expansionist ideology, based on racial purity (Aryan supremacy) and anti-semitism. It led to the systematic genocide of six million Jewish people—in addition to many Roma and Sinti people, Polish and Soviet civilians, political opponents, Blacks, gays, people with disabilities, and others.
The Herbert Friedman Holocaust Materials have been digitized so that even more people can have access to his story.
Selected Letters
Ida Friedman letter (digitized) to her son Herbert Friedman at school in England about her efforts to get safely out of Vienna and envelope with Deutsch Reich stamp, February 22, 1939. Herbert Friedman Holocaust Materials (MSS 16906)
English translation
Dear Herbert,
I received your letter yesterday and have read it with joy. I was glad to hear how you pass the day. We thank you for your concern about us. It is for us high time to get out of this hell. Many days I am without hope. I have such longing for you and the others and start to cry when I think how dispursed we are. It is not a bad idea from you that Lilly and I should come to England. But as you say I don’t know if I could last as a domestic. I have heard that to be a maid in England is not so easy. I am unable to know what is the best advise for us to do. Vater left Dec. 18 and so far I haven’t seen a penny. For the time being Uncle Carl hasn’t sent anything and if things go on like this we’ll be in sad shape. Vater himself has nothing and he would feel ashamed to ask Uncle. So far as I see it’s going to be a long wait before I can go to America. As you write Vater and Bernhard are going to school. The Messiah is likely to come before Vater is going to be able to help us. Just imagine first they have to earn some money and only then will Uncle Carl help to bring us to America.
Now dear child be careful do not write to Uncle, Vater or Bernhard what I write to you. Vater wrote me that Uncle Carl has quite an ego, is very reach [rich] and demands respect. When you write to them you will have to consider at least times whatever you say. You must always write a thoughtful and thankful letter. G-d forbid do not ask for anything and do not complain. You wrote that Uncle Carl wrote to you to be a brave English man. You could reply that your duty is to be a good son, to help your parents have a new home and that you have great worry about your mother and sister having been left behind in such hell in the hands off such an evil. Do not write to Uncle that you are trying to get us to England as domestics. He will then think let them go to England and I won’t have to bother myself.
Now dear Herbert you ask if you should become a farmer, I would advise you to learn a good trade you could always go to farming. It would be better if you would endeavor to be with a nice family. I have heard that only after two years they will teach you a trade. I absolutely do not want you to become a tailor or shoemaker. Write how you are doing. Be brave of good behavior and diligent in learning English. Uncle Bencjan is still with us here. I suppose he waits for the glass eyed Messiah. I already wrote to Omama all about you. I enclose the picture you asked for.
This is all the news, be well and happy with heartiest regards and kisses- Mamma and Lilli, Benjan, Frau Wadichka, Wahs, Baumgarten, Schneider, Frau Krumenacher, Family Kupfer, Family Rojach and especially Fritzl and Bertie.
Post script: Dear Herbert- I am happy to hear all is well with you. You know how it is with us. I now go to Wahringer school. The Malzgasse school is shut down. I have to travel a long way to go to school. A teacher comes to the house to teach me English. Lilli
Ida Friedman letter (digitized) to her son Herbert pleading for help in leaving Vienna, April 23, 1939. Herbert Friedman Holocaust Materials (MSS 16906)
English translation
April 23, 1939
Dear Herbert:
Write to Uncle Carl and tell him that you have no peace thinking about us. That your worries will make you sick. You can’t eat or sleep thinking about us and for him to have pity to send an affidavit for us quickly. He should not take his time because each day something could happen. Beg him and write nicely. Write to him as I am telling you. From father we have not gotten anything and I don’t know when they’ll do anything and when they do it may be too late. Father is already five months in America and still has done nothing. He writes I should ask for a visa. Instead of letters I would have had our medical exam at the Consul if they had sent an affidavit. I’m sick of worrying. We hear so many things. If G’d forbid something terrible breaks out, (war) we will not live through it. I have suffered through one war already and am still sick and weak from those times. The American people don’t know what it’s like and Father thinks that they won’t do anything to women. So write to Uncle Carl and inform him that your mother suffered through one war already and then she was still young. I will not last through a second war and you write the same to Father.
This is all, stay well, your mother.
Write to me what answer you receive to your letter.
Ida Friedman letter (digitized) from Baltimore to Herbert Friedman about her escape from Vienna. Herbert Friedman Holocaust Materials (MSS 16906) Lilli Friedman letter (digitized) to Herbert Friedman about her new life in Baltimore, Maryland after leaving Nazi-occupied Vienna. Herbert Friedman Holocaust Materials (MSS 16906)
Envelope of Ida and Lilli Friedman letters to Herbert Friedman showing the forwarding address of Herbert who had to change residences frequently due to the bombing of schools in England, October 24, 1939. Herbert Friedman Holocaust Materials (MSS 16906)
English translation
Baltimore, October 24, 1939 (Ida to Herbert)
Dear Herbert,
This is my first letter to you from Baltimore. You probably will be surprised to learn that I was even able to get out of Vienna at this time. I can’t describe to you what ordeal we underwent before departure. Once again in Vienna we suffered another repeat of Nov. 10, 1938. Some 6,000 Jews were arrested and taken to Dachau and Buchenwald concentration camps. Among the unlucky to be arrested was the father of Hershel Halperin, they kept him for two weeks and then let him go. He is a very sick man. When you see Hershel tell him about his father and let him know his parents send their regards. You can tell him how lucky he is to be in England for if he had been in Vienna he would have been among those arrested. All Stateless and Polish citizens were forced out and taken away. Dear child, I can’t imagine that I succeeded in saving myself from such criminals. I was able to leave on an Italian ship and spent 10 days at sea. I was seasick the whole time and couldn’t eat anything. Vater awaited us in New York and we then spent three days with Vater’s cousins in NY Today is our first day in Baltimore and we’re staying with the Goldberg’s.
For the time being we don’t have our own place where to stay. Uncle Carl will be in Baltimore within 8 to 10 days. In the meantime I wander around and don’t miss Hitler and Wiener Schnitzel. write how you are. I think about you and am always anxious as to how you are especially since we could not write to you. I have no news from Paris. Even before we left from Vienna we were forced out of our apartment. Alex and Berti came one Sunday and just put out our bedroom furniture and we were left with no place and no money. It was lucky for us that there was an Italian ship going to America otherwise it would have been our demise. Vater sent us two ship tickets which cost $400.00. In Vienna the ship agency would not accept German Marks. As soon as I got the ship tickets I left everything behind and just ran. You cannot imagine what life is like now in Vienna for Jews. There is much hunger for Jewish people, for 4 weeks we lived on bread and tea. The Gestapo confiscated all assets from the Kultusgemeinde. Since the Kutusgemeinde has no money and one can be sent in from abroad and all borders are closed it is impossible to leave. Tell all the people in England to take an interest on the unfortunate persecuted Jews in Austria
This is all the news, stay health. The next time I”ll write more. Many regards and kisses from your Mama.
Dear Herbert, Now I am in America and I can write you that I am sorry because I have left Hitler alone. I fear he won’t last since I left him behind. The poor Hitler I feel sorry for him. (This is said as a joke.) Now to substance, I had a good journey. I liked Genoa in Italy and the Italian people. I did not get seasick on the ship but Mama was very sick. The captain of ship and waiter spoke with me in English and I understood very well. They were very friendly. I like New York but it can’t be compared to Vienna. I like Baltimore with single homes much more. Because I don’t know what else to write I shut the letter with many regards and kisses from your sister. Lilli Many regards and Kisses from Vater.
Lilli Friedman letter (digitized) with envelope to her brother Herbert Friedman describing her and her mother’s passage to America, November 22, 1939. Herbert Friedman Holocaust Materials (MSS 16906)
English translation
Baltimore, November 22, 1939
Dear Herbert,
We received your dear letter and were glad to hear from you. Now we are able to write all about us. However, not in English, you have slightly overestimated our acquaintance with English. We are responding in German lest you forget it. Now, I’ll tell you everything from the beginning.
As you may know, we were supposed to leave Austria via a German shipt the “Bremen” sailing from Cherbourg, France to the US. With the outbreak of war all sailing of passenger ships were canceled. We had lost all hope of ever leaving the prison we felt to be in. We indeed had nothing to eat and generally what little seemed available went to Aryans. If this wasn’t enough for us we also forced from our apartment. We had no news from anyone and in a desperate situation. Then, with G’ds help we learned that Dutch and Italian ships still sailed. However, a fortune in money was required to book a fare. In addition there was a new requirement that all payments had to be in US dollars. Payment in German marks was not accepted. Dutch and Italian shiplines were able to sail because their country was neutral. How could Jews in the German Reich have US dollars? Nobody had it. We sent a cable to Vater asking to get us two tickets for an Italian ship. Cable messages sent back and forth and three long weeks passed before with luck we received the tickets. Now the circumstance was that many people had visas and some had ship tickets yet were unable to leave because the ships were fully booked for months in advance. We had lost all hope when the Germans passed a new Law that all persons who wanted to ravel out of Germany had to have also an exit visa and that was only available to German citizens. Stateless and Polish Jews were not allowed to leave this was followed by another terrible act in that non-citizen men were then arrested and taken to Dachau and Buchenwald concentration camps, no longer to return. Thereby, many people who had ship tickets were unable to leave and ship space was again available. We left at once, within four days of our booking. We took a train for Genoa, Italy. Surely, you know that Uncle Bencjan had gone to Italy before us. In the beginning he stayed in Milan and he was being helped by the Jewish Relief Committee but it was shut down and he was left with nothing. When walking out from the Committee building he was taken into custody by the Italian police. Since he had no proof of any source of income he was ordered out of Italy. He was on his way back to Vienna when reconsidered and decided to to go to Genoa which is another city in Italy. By coincidence our ship left from Genoa and thus we were able to spend two days together. He met us at the train station and he looked in a terrible state. He had no money. there is no relief help, each night he sleeps somewhere else. We thought we could give him the 8 dollars we had with us but couldn’t give him much since we had to pay for 2 nights stay and to eat. You can imagine the sadness and how he cried as we embarked our ship. He has nothing to wear. He had sent all things to Paris thinking of crossing the border into France and now he has nothing. We brought him a few things, but I tell you he is in terrible shape. His only hope is for us to get him an affidavit.
Now as to our ship, the first 3 days of sailing were very nice. We did not even feel we were on an ocean. On the 4th day the problems began. We were on route to Algiers in French Africa when the ship was ordered to halt by a French warship. After a long back and forth discussion and just as we thought they would let us go, the French in contact with the British issued an order that all men with German passports and between the ages of 18 to 50 would be removed for internment in Algiers. You can well imagine the upset and crying that went on among their families. If Vater had been with us then he too would now be interned in French Africa. The following day the sea became very rough and many people became very seasick and stayed in bed. Just a few it seemed were alright. Mama could not eat anything. vomited the whole time and stayed in bed. I however felt fine and enjoyed the ship the rougher the ocean got to be. I organized my time and always found something to do. If I stopped by to see Mama she told me to leave the cabin lest I too get sick. I went to explore the 1st and 2nd class of ship and went to the cinema. Though, I don’t understand Italian I could understand those in English a little bit. When I really had nothing to do, I conversed with the Captain, waiters and sailors and understood them very well since I had studied English for six months. It took 10 days for the ship to arrive in NY. Vater, an Aunt and cousin from Vater’s side of relatives met us. We stayed in NY for 3 days. Mama was weak and this allowed her to rest before proceeding to Baltimore. We arrived here at night with no place of our own to stay. Vater and Mama stayed in a room and I went to stay with a family who were friends of Vater. The next day we were invited to dinner at cousin Goldbergs and I have stayed with till now. While in NY we called Uncle Muszkat and he told us he would shortly see us in Baltimore. So far 4 weeks have passed and we haven’t seen him. The 600.00 $ we had have been spent. The ship tickets cost 400.00$ the rest was for Bernhard at 10.00$ per week, a dentist and cables. In short the $600.00 is gone.
The relatives don’t want to do anything for us. I have no good wishes for Uncle Yitzchak and wife. In particular his wife who was against helping our family to come her. Not even once has he come to see us and has no interest in us. Whenever we need help he stands to the side. As it is. G’d has punished him for his wife’s bad behavior as his wife needs to be hospitalized. On our own we found a place to stay and now have 2 rooms and a kitchen for $ 23.00/month which includes heat and light. Not a cent has been contributed by our relatives. We have a place where to stay but no furniture. Every little item we gave away in Vienna we now have to buy anew. Vater hasn’t had much work but now it is a little better. Bernhard works but so far hasn’t given us anything. He lives by himself and pays for his own upkeep. He is going to live with us and hope that he will contribute in paying the rent.
We received a letter from Uncle Carl and he wrote that he won’t come this month but the next. He also tells us to go to Uncle Yitzchak and ask to give us $50.00 which he will refund and that Yitzchak should on his own add something as well as cousin Goldberg. to enable us to buy some furniture. Yitzchak old us to ask Uncle Carl to send us a check, he is not giving us anything. He is a bad person. Mama sent a letter to Uncle Carl who is now in New York.
As for me, as yet I’m not going to school because of where I live. I’m staying with cousins Goldberg and twice a week go to English clas. I would like to write more but my hand is beginning to hurt. I’m amazed to see I’ve written 8 pages. I conclude this letter with many regards and kisses from Vater, Mama and Bernhard. I have a picture of you of where you went with a family for tea and am not satisfied as to how you look. You should eat more and not worry so much. A wait a long letter from you. Your loving sister.
Ida, David, and Lilli Friedman letter (digitized) to Herbert Friedman about Herbert finally coming to live with them in Baltimore, Maryland, October 8, 1940. Herbert Friedman Holocaust Materials (MSS 16906)
English translation
Baltimore, October 8, 1940
Dear Herbert,
You cannot imagine the joy we felt upon receiving your last letter. For almost four weeks we had not heard from you. You had promised us to write every week and you have not kept your promise. We know that all is going on in London and the tragic sinking by the Nazis of a ship with 83 children aboard. We cried day and night. When I think that you too will go by ship my heart beats with freight [fright]. When you sail do not sleep at night for the first few days and always wear your life preserver belt.
We wish for the moment of your arrival in New York. Take good care of all your things as I know you are very forgetful. From whom did you get the $10.00 for the Visa? Your ship’s ticket of $137.00 was paid by the person who sponsored the affidavit and was sent to the American Consul. Don’t forget to bring with you a small gift for Mrs. Strauss of the Hias Committee. She did a lot for you. Also, bring something for the man who gave the affidavit, something like a lighter for cigarettes. If you don’t have the money then borough a few dollars and I will reimburse with great appreciation. Do not bring me any stockings. You don’t know what kind I could use because I have small feet. Do not forget your ring and watch. Many people already await your coming with great impatience. When you arrive in New York a member of the Committee will meet you and if they inquire if you have any money, say no and they’ll give you the busfare to Baltimore. Perhaps we’ll be at the port when your ship docks.
This is all the news. We are in good health. We hope you have received all the letters we mailed to you. We greet and kiss you and eagerly await the moment of your arrival.
Your parents
Interesting quotes and information from letters in the archive:
Ida wrote to Herbert, “You know dear child, how we are now all dispersed in a different land. Therefore, you must try to bring the family together again. You know very well that I am helpless about our situation.” (December 21, 1938)
Ida wrote to Herbert that children were required to change their names to Jewish first names. She and Lilli were called Sarah. Her brother, Benjcan was called Israel. Ida advised Herbert that he was too young to go to Palestine. “You must be 15 or 16 years old or be part of Zionist organizations to go to Palestine.” (December 26, 1938)
Ida wrote to Herbert that it was better for him to be in England, “Be thankful to be free of the murderer’s hands. I am desperate and still in this hell of life. Don’t be homesick; you have no home. Try to live with a family in England and learn a trade.” (December 30, 1938)
Ida wrote to Herbert, “I wanted to send 10 Reichsmark to Grandfather in Poland but this is not allowed. It is against the law to send any money out of the country.” (January 3, 1939)
Ida mentioned a newspaper article about a new Nazi requirement. “We have to turn in all jewelry. I don’t know what to do with my pearls, Lilli’s watch and other things. Now they are taking away whatever we have.” Ida also wrote that she was waiting for an affidavit from the American Embassy. Herbert wanted her to come to England. She was conflicted about it. “In Vienna it costs 52 Reich Marks for 2 visas. In England it is 20 US dollars. Where am I going to get that money. Who would give it to me? Now I don’t know what I should do. If I could be sure we could leave in a short time we would stay here… but I fear it may be a long time before we can leave.” (March 7, 1939)
Bernhard Friedman wrote to his brother Herbert, “The newspapers here are full of news about Hitler and what he is doing in Germany. Last Sunday 70,000 people demonstrated against Hitler. They demolished the German Consulate and German businesses, in short, it was a riot and took place in New York.” (March 27, 1939)
David Friedman wrote to his son, Herbert that he was trying to get an affidavit from Uncle Carl Muskavit so Ida could come to the United States. “It is very nice that you are trying to help Mama through your Refugee Committee. However I want her soon to come to America rather than England. I am doing everything I can for Mama.” (March 27, 1939)
Bernhard Friedman wrote to Herbert, “It is bitter that Mama has been thrown out of her home. I believe Vater cannot get a weekly income statement because his job is not permanent. You must understand we can only do so much.” (April 7, 1939)
Ida wrote to Herbert about her concern for her Omama (mother) and her brother Bencjan. “Omama has not written for a long time. Her permit to stay in Paris expired on May 10th. I don’t know what will happen next. Later Herbert added notes to the letters explaining that Omama (Golda Muzskotlblit) died in Paris shortly after her arrest and Bencjan hid in Italy where he was arrested and deported to Austria. He escaped to France and was arrested again. He died at the concentration camp, Auschwitz. (May 28, 1939)
Ida wrote to Herbert “The newspapers announced yesterday that Jewish people who became Austrian citizens within the past eighteen years will be stripped of their citizenship.” (July 17, 1939) She also wrote, “I read in the papers today that entry into the United States will be closing for five years.” “Write to Vater and ask him what he has done.”“Everyone is leaving and I am still here. Only for me is such a sad fate.” (July 18, 1939)
In a letter to Herbert, from his cousin Marthe Rozencwadj, she referred to French film star Francoise Rosay, who was awarded the French Legion of Honour for her radio broadcasts against Nazi Germany. Marthe quoted Rosay as saying on Radio Algiers, “I wish that for all times (forever) the regimes of dictatorships such as Hitler’s be abolished; That the whole world touch hands; we are all human beings; we all have a home, children, a family.” (October 5, 1939)
Ida wrote to Herbert, “Once again in Vienna we suffered through another repeat of November 10, 1938. Some 6000 Jews were arrested and taken to Dachau and Buechenwald concentration camps. (October 24, 1939)
At the height of her despair, Ida received good news: “Now dear child I can report with great joy that I received notification to come to the America Consulate…for our physical exam.” (July 26, 1939) On October 24, 1939 she was able to write Herbert, “Dear child, I can’t imagine that I succeeded in saving myself from such criminals. I was able to leave on an Italian ship R.M.S. Samaria and spent 10 days at sea.”
For more information about Herbert Friedman:
Rasmussen, Frederick N. “Herbert Friedman, who escaped the Holocaust and later became a successful pharmacist, dies.” Baltimore Sun (Baltimore, IN), October 10, 2020.
This post was contributed by Small Special Collections Library Curator George Riser.
Carol Henning met John Steinbeck in June 1928 at Lake Tahoe, where Steinbeck was working at a fish hatchery. They fell “instantly” in love; Carol’s friend Idell, who introduced them, wrote in a letter to a friend, “John fell upon Carol like a bear coming out of hibernation would fall upon a fresh beef steak.” They married in January 1930, and Carol and John began scratching out a living while Steinbeck (with Carol’s inestimable assistance) went about with his writing.
In an early short story entitled “Saint Katy the Virgin” (PS3537.T3234 S2 1936) Steinbeck writes of a medieval time where two brothers from a monastery approach a farmer for his mandatory tithe. The farmer, angry at being forced to tithe, gives the brothers Katy, his most disagreeable pig—a pig so ornery, he soon chases the two brothers up a tree. One of the brothers dangles his iron crucifix over the pig, exorcising the devil that was presumed to be making Katy so violent. Immediately, the pig is calmed and goes willingly to the monastery, where they face the angry Father who explains that, as Katy is now a Christian, she cannot be eaten. The Father notes, “There are plenty of Christians. This year there’s a great shortage of pigs.” Katy goes on to live a contemplative existence, and crowds come from afar to seek her benedictions.
The story was published in December 1936 by Covici-Friede in a fine press edition of 199 copies. A presentation copy to Carol is held in the Clifton Waller Barrett Library in the University of Virginia Special Collections Library. The inscription reads: “To Carol pig beautiful sowie from J. Ernst Pig.”
Throughout their marriage, Steinbeck acknowledged Carol’s inspiration and assistance in writing his stories and novels. His masterpiece The Grapes of Wrath (PS3537 .T3234 G8 1939), a title chosen by Carol, published in 1939, is dedicated “To Carol who willed it.” The Clifton Waller Barrett Library holds the presentation copy of the first printing of The Grapes of Wrath with a holograph inscription to Carol in the private language they used for purposes of intimacy.
Our best interpretation of that inscription, with the help of AI:
One Carol equal one everything The cycle and equal misery So love and stay around One Carol equal and equal.
Sog [Steinbeck’s nickname] John Steinbeck Los Gatos in the evening.
The holograph manuscript for The Grapes of Wrath is also held in the Barrett Library. The first leaf has the heading, “New Start, Big Writing.” Carol had agreed to make a typescript from the manuscript copy if Steinbeck would make his hand more legible in the final draft. One can see from the first leaf to the fourth that Steinbeck’s best intentions at “big writing” did not last beyond the third leaf.
Trouble inevitably follows great success, and John and Carol divorced in 1943. (For further reading, see Susan Shillinglaw, Carol & John Steinbeck: Portrait of a Marriage (University of Nevada Press, 2013). (PS3537.T3234 Z8664 2013))
Section I of “Live Oak with Moss” manuscript in Walt Whitman’s hand, n.d. (Photo courtesy of Lathan Goumas, University Communications)
This post was contributed by Small Special Collections Library Curator George Riser.
Walt Whitman self-published Leaves of Grass in 1855 in a collection of twelve poems. Encouraged by a letter from Ralph Waldo Emerson, Whitman released a second edition a year later in 1856; this edition included thirty-two poems. A third edition followed in 1860, and the book now boasted 156 poems. The poems added to the 1860 edition exist in Whitman’s hand, and these edited manuscript poems (part of MSS 3829) are housed in the Clifton Waller Barrett Library of American Literature at the University of Virginia Special Collections Library.
In 1956, Fredson Bowers, a University of Virginia English professor, examined the manuscript poems and noted that scattered throughout the “Calamus” section was a set of twelve numbered poems, all written on the same white-wove paper and obviously fair copies (final versions after all corrections and revisions have been made). Placing the poems in numerical order for the first time since the 1860 edition was published, Bowers saw that these twelve poems made a single long poem entitled “Live Oak with Moss,” and that Whitman’s intent in these poems was to express his feeling about “the manly love of comrades.”
Here, the twelve manuscript sections have been digitally stitched together. Notice the “IX” that was sliced in half when pages 12 and 13 were cut. Walt Whitman, “Live Oak with Moss” manuscript sections, n.d. (MSS 3829)
In Bower’s 1956 article in Studies in Bibliography, “Whitman’s Manuscript for the original ‘Calamus Poems,’” Bowers noted that Whitman’s first symbol of “manly love” was the live oak. Bowers described the poems in their original sequence as appearing deeply personal and candid and having been written about love and disappointment in a relationship between two men—an insight that had been much speculated upon, but, as Bower concludes, “here in these manuscripts is the proof.”
As Whitman had much to fear in his lifetime when making clear his feelings about homosexual love, he made the decision to scatter the twelve sections throughout the “Calamus” cluster to obscure his original intent.
Shown below are images of the original “Live Oak with Moss” manuscript poem in Whitman’s original sequence.
Not heat flames up and consumes, Not sea-waves hurry in and out, Not the air, delicious and dry, the air of the ripe summer, bears lightly along white down-balls of myriads of seeds, wafted, sailing gracefully, to drop where they may, Not these—O none of these, more than the flames of me, consuming, burning for his love whom I love! O none, more than I, hurrying in and out; Does the tide hurry, seeking something, and never give up? O I the same; O nor down-balls, nor perfumes, nor the high rain- emitting clouds, are borne through the open air, Any more than my Soul is borne through the open air, Wafted in all directions, O love, for friendship, for you.
2
I saw in Louisiana a live-oak growing, All alone stood it, and the moss hung down from the branches, Without any companion it grew there, uttering joyous leaves of dark green, And its look, rude, unbending, lusty, made me think of myself, But I wondered how it could utter joyous leaves, standing alone there, without its friend, its lover near—for I knew I could not, And I broke off a twig with a certain number of leaves upon it, and twined around it a little moss, And brought it away—and I have placed it in sight in my room, It is not needed to remind me as of my own dear friends, (For I believe lately I think of little else than of them,) Yet it remains to me a curious token—it makes me think of manly love; For all that, and though the live-oak glistens there in Louisiana, solitary, in a wide flat space, Uttering joyous leaves all its life, without a friend, a lover, near, I know very well I could not.
3
When I heard at the close of the day how my name had been received with plaudits in the capitol, still it was not a happy night for me that followed; And else, when I caroused, or when my plans were accomplished, still I was not happy; But the day when I rose at dawn from the bed of perfect health, refreshed, singing, inhaling the ripe breath of autumn, When I saw the full moon in the west grow pale and disappear in the morning light, When I wandered alone over the beach, and, undressing, bathed, laughing with the cool waters, and saw the sun rise, And when I thought how my dear friend, my lover, was on his way coming, O then I was happy; O then each breath tasted sweeter—and all that day my food nourished me more—And the beautiful day passed well, And the next came with equal joy—And with the next, at evening, came my friend; And that night, while all was still, I heard the waters roll slowly continually up the shores, I heard the hissing rustle of the liquid and sands, as directed to me, whispering, to congratulate me, For the one I love most lay sleeping by me under the same cover in the cool night, In the stillness, in the autumn moonbeams, his face was inclined toward me, And his arm lay lightly around my breast—And that night I was happy.
4
This moment as I sit alone, yearning and thoughtful, it seems to me there are other men in other lands, yearning and thoughtful; It seems to me I can look over and behold them, in Germany, Italy, France, Spain—Or far, far away, in China, or in Russia or India—talking other dialects; And it seems to me if I could know those men better, I should become attached to them, as I do to men in my own lands, It seems to me they are as wise, beautiful, benevolent, as any in my own lands; O I know we should be brethren and lovers, I know I should be happy with them.
5
Long I thought that knowledge alone would suffice me—O if I could but obtain knowledge! Then my lands engrossed me—Lands of the prairies, Ohio’s land, the southern savannas, engrossed me— For them I would live—I would be their orator; Then I met the examples of old and new heroes—I heard of warriors, sailors, and all dauntless persons— And it seemed to me that I too had it in me to be as dauntless as any—and would be so; And then, to enclose all, it came to me to strike up the songs of the New World—And then I believed my life must be spent in singing; But now take notice, land of the prairies, land of the south savannas, Ohio’s land, Take notice, you Kanuck woods—and you Lake Huron—and all that with you roll toward Niagara— and you Niagara also, And you, Californian mountains—That you each and all find somebody else to be your singer of songs, For I can be your singer of songs no longer—One who loves me is jealous of me, and withdraws me from all but love, With the rest I dispense—I sever from what I thought would suffice me, for it does not—it is now empty and tasteless to me, I heed knowledge, and the grandeur of The States, and the example of heroes, no more, I am indifferent to my own songs—I will go with him I love, It is to be enough for us that we are together—We never separate again.
6
What think you I take my pen in hand to record? The battle-ship, perfect-model’d, majestic, that I saw pass the offing to-day under full sail? The splendors of the past day? Or the splendor of the night that envelops me? Or the vaunted glory and growth of the great city spread around me?—No; But I record of two simple men I saw to-day, on the pier, in the midst of the crowd, parting the parting of dear friends, The one to remain hung on the other’s neck, and passionately kissed him, While the one to depart, tightly prest the one to remain in his arms.
7
You bards of ages hence! when you refer to me, mind not so much my poems, Nor speak of me that I prophesied of The States, and led them the way of their glories; But come, I will take you down underneath this impassive exterior—I will tell you what to say of me: Publish my name and hang up my picture as that of the tenderest lover The friend, the lover’s portrait, of whom his friend, his lover, was fondest, Who was not proud of his songs, but of the measureless ocean of love within him—and freely poured it forth, Who often walked lonesome walks, thinking of his dear friends, his lovers, Who pensive, away from one he loved, often lay sleepless and dissatisfied at night, Who knew too well the sick, sick dread lest the one he loved might secretly be indifferent to him, Whose happiest days were far away, through fields, in woods, on hills, he and another, wandering hand in hand, they twain, apart from other men, Who oft as he sauntered the streets, curved with his arm the shoulder of his friend—while the arm of his friend rested upon him also.
8
Hours continuing long, sore and heavy-hearted, Hours of the dusk, when I withdraw to a lonesome and unfrequented spot, seating myself, leaning my face in my hands; Hours sleepless, deep in the night, when I go forth, speeding swiftly the country roads, or through the city streets, or pacing miles and miles, stifling plaintive cries; Hours discouraged, distracted—for the one I cannot content myself without, soon I saw him content himself without me; Hours when I am forgotten, (O weeks and months are passing, but I believe I am never to forget!) Sullen and suffering hours! (I am ashamed—but it is useless—I am what I am;) Hours of my torment—I wonder if other men ever have the like, out of the like feelings? Is there even one other like me—distracted—his friend, his lover, lost to him? Is he too as I am now? Does he still rise in the morning, dejected, thinking who is lost to him? and at night, awaking, think who is lost? Does he too harbor his friendship silent and endless? harbor his anguish and passion? Does some stray reminder, or the casual mention of a name, bring the fit back upon him, taciturn and deprest? Does he see himself reflected in me? In these hours, does he see the face of his hours reflected?
9
I dreamed in a dream, I saw a city invincible to the attacks of the whole of the rest of the earth, I dreamed that was the new City of Friends, Nothing was greater there than the quality of robust love—it led the rest, It was seen every hour in the actions of the men of that city, And in all their looks and words.
10
O you whom I often and silently come where you are, that I may be with you, As I walk by your side, or sit near, or remain in the same room with you, Little you know the subtle electric fire that for your sake is playing within me.
11
Earth! my likeness! Though you look so impassive, ample and spheric there, I now suspect that is not all; I now suspect there is something fierce in you, eligible to burst forth; For an athlete is enamoured of me—and I of him, But toward him there is something fierce and terrible in me, eligible to burst forth, I dare not tell it in words—not even in these songs.
12
To the young man, many things to absorb, to engraft, to develop, I teach, to help him become élève of mine, But if blood like mine circle not in his veins, If he be not silently selected by lovers, and do not silently select lovers, Of what use is it that he seek to become élève of mine?
Content Warning Note: The blog about this collection contains racial terminology and imagery typical for the time that contemporary viewers may find offensive. The purpose of this note is to give users the opportunity to decide whether they need or want to view these materials, or at least, to mentally or emotionally prepare themselves to view the materials.
This post by Manuscripts and Archives Processor Ellen Welch introduces a recent acquisition: a scrapbook labeled “Negro History” (MSS 16835) compiled by Bernard Proctor, a celebrated World War II captain in the Tuskegee Airmen and a descendant of the West Indies. (See this oral history video series by the Visionary Project for more about Proctor and his life.) The scrapbook consists of cartoons detailing historical vignettes about Black history from a weekly newspaper series—”Your History” published by the Pittsburgh Courier, an African American newspaper and edited by Robert L. Vann. The series was written by Jamaican American journalist Joel Augustus Rogers (1880-1966) and illustrated by Samuel Milai during the years 1940-1950 and then by George Lee from 1934-1937. Proctor collected, cut out, and pasted the cartoons on paper and placed them in a 3-ring binder. The series in this archive includes the dates 1948-1950; the newspaper ran the series from 1934-1966.
While working as aPullman porter in Chicago, Joel Augustus Rogers travelled across the country before he launched his career as one of the leading Black journalists of his generation. [1] He wrote regularly for many newspapers including the Pittsburgh Courier (1921-1966) and the New York Amsterdam News (1920-1935). Moving to New York in 1921, Rogers wrote and published at least sixteen different books and pamphlets, “a significant body of work that covered the global African community from ancient to modern times and the diaspora.” [2]
Dr. William E.B. DuBois (1868-1963), a scholar in American history, wrote, “No man living has revealed so many important facts about the Negro race as has Rogers. He traveled to sixty different nations, studying civilizations, highlighting achievements of ethnic Africans, and challenging prevailing ideas about the social construction of race.” [2, 3]
The illustrations and descriptive texts in “Your History” span the history and achievements of Black figures in many key events, such as the birth of Buddha, the birth of Christ, the United States Civil War, Antebellum, and American Reconstruction. Rogers states that Black people were rulers of Africa and were revered as Gods (before the transatlantic slave trade began in the sixteenth century). His historical vignettes are mostly true facts, but some are embellished because he used extremes to counter the severe racism embedded in Western culture. The text of Rogers’s cartoons frequently begins with superlatives like “one of the most honored,” “one of the best known,” “one of the greatest,” or “one of the first.” Scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. asserts, “J. A. Rogers was as serious a researcher as they come, as serious as W.E.B. Du Bois and Carter G. Woodson.” He explained that, even though Rogers embellished some of the stories, he raised questions that would stimulate other researchers to dig deeper into Black history. [3] Gates characterized Rogers’s work as an invaluable resource:
“[Rogers was] a major—in many cases the only—source for the ordinary Black person to learn of their history from the 1920s through the ’70s. They certainly did not get it in their schools and universities or find out about it in mainstream newspapers and books. Rogers brought the idea of Black history to the fore, maintaining that the conventional scholars had a blind spot…” [4]
The series depicts Black men and women as leaders of every field: doctors, nurses, preachers, teachers, lawyers, property owners, politicians, planters, farmers, athletes (Olympians), artists, scientists, mathematicians, archeologists, dentists, musicians, and astronomers. The historical vignettes are patterned after Robert Ripley’s “Believe it Or Not” style of cartoons. They are brief, easy to read, and designed to capture attention.
Included in the collection are articles from the Chicago Defender about Black people in history and another series written in the Pittsburgh Courier by James M. Rosbrow (also illustrated by Samuel Milai) titled “Negroes in the Halls of Congress.” This column is about Black men who were born into enslavement and became United States senators and congressmen in the Republican Party during Reconstruction (1865-1877). They championed legislation to further civil rights and improve conditions for Indigenous people until the southern white Democrats regained their political platforms and ousted them. However, their efforts greatly contributed to the civil rights movement by establishing racial equality and citizenship in the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments.
This description of the Pittsburgh Courier characterizes the importance of this archive:
“Through thirty years of persistence, Vann’s paper ultimately helped change the moral tone of American race relations for future generations. Dozens of editorial campaigns and thousands of newspaper articles, features, and cartoons slowly chipped away at the edifice of white supremacy and affected the way people discussed race, rights, and human dignity. This collective effort pushed multiculturalism closer to the mainstream of American political culture outside the South and helped make possible the formation of powerful interracial coalitions during the civil rights years.” [5]
Explore some of Rogers’s cartoons in the collection below. There are hundreds more of the cartoons, too many to mention and yet too fascinating to omit. This archive is a must see! In the words of Dr. John Henrik Clarke (1915–1998), a prominent African American historian, professor, and pioneer in Afrocentrism and Pan-African studies, Rogers “looked at the history of people of African origin and showed how their history is an inseparable part of the history of mankind.” [2]
Elizabeth “Lizzie” Keckley, businesswoman and philanthropist. (J.A. Rogers, illus. by A. S. Milai, “Elizabeth Keckley,” Your History, c. 1949.)“Elizabeth Keckley” transcription
Elizabeth Keckley (1818-1907). One of the ablest women, though but an employee, who ever lived in the White House. Closest friend and confidante of Mary Todd, wife of Abraham Lincoln, She had been born a slave and had bought her freedom. A skilled dressmaker, she had worked in the South for Jefferson Davis and coming to Washingtonshe worked for rich families until she came to Mrs. Lincoln, who became extremely attached to her. She was tall, stately, cultured, one writer said, “She would have been an outstanding personality at the court of Louis XIV.” Her book, “Behind the Scenes,” dealing principally with Mrs. Lincoln, was the literary sensation of 1868. Later, she taught domestic science at Wilberforce University and prepared the Negro exhibit for the Columbian Exposition…….
Keckley wrote a popular book about her experiences with Mary Todd Lincoln at the White House, featuring anecdotes such as the one below:
“In 1863 the Confederates were flushed with victory, and sometimes it looked as if the proud flag of the Union, the glorious old Stars and Stripes, must yield half its nationality to the tri-barred flag that floated grandly over long columns of gray. These were sad, anxious days to Mr. Lincoln, and those who saw the man in privacy only could tell how much he suffered. One day he came into the room where I was fitting a dress on Mrs. Lincoln. His step wasslow and heavy, and his face sad. Like a tired child he threw himself upon a sofa and shaded his eyes with his hands. He was a complete picture of dejection. Mrs. Lincoln, observing his troubled look, asked:
“Where have you been, father!”
“To the War Department,” was the brief, almost sullen answer,
” Any news!”
“Yes, plenty of news, but no good news. It is dark, dark everywhere.”
— Excerpt from Elizabeth Keckley, Behind the Scenes, or, Thirty Years a Slave and Four Years in the White House (New York: G.W. Carleton & Co, 1868). (A1868.K42)
J.A. Rogers, illustrated by A. S. Milai, “Africa,” Your History, July 9, 1949.
“Africa” transcription
Africa:Mother of Western Culture… Home of religion, medicine, art, science, and music… First to discover and use iron. Its temples, pyramids, and wealth of its pharoahsuneclipsed after 5000 years. Led in world culture for the first 6000 years … Its people invaded Europe several times improving it… They also contributed immensely to the development of nearly all the countries of the New World. Africa is today the world’s greatest region of untapped wealth… (This reproduction is from a drawing of the Middle Ages.)
J.A. Rogers, illus. by A. S. Milai, “Henry O. Flipper,” Your History, February 5, 1949. “Henry O. Flipper” transcription
Henry O. Flipper. First Negro graduate of West Point Military Academy… During the four years he spent there (1873-1877) he was socially ostracised [sic] by the other cadets because of color. He sat beside them in the same classes and ate and marched with them, but none spoke to him all that time… Should a white student have spoken to him, he too would have been ostracised [sic] … At the last day, however, (June 14), when he passed creditably and got his diploma, some classmates, no longer afraid, came up and shook his hand warmly… The Northern Press praised him for his “pluck and gentlemanly qualities.” One wrote, “Honor to the African; shame to the Anglo-Saxon.” He is the author of “Colored Cadet at Westpoint,” (1878).
Excerpt from Henry Ossian Flipper, The Colored Cadet at West Point: Autobiography of Lieut. Henry Ossian Flipper, U. S. A., First Graduate of Color From the U. S. Military Academy (New York: Lee, 1878). (U410.P1 F6 1878):
CHAPTER X: TREATMENT
“A brave and honorable and courteous man Will not insult me; and none other can.”—Cowper.
“How do they treat you?” “How do you get along?” and multitudes of analogous questions have been asked me over and over again. Many have asked them for mere curiosity’s sake, and to all such my answers have been as short and abrupt as was consistent with common politeness. I have observed that it is this class of people who start rumors, sometimes harmless, but more often the cause of needless trouble and ill-feeling. I have considered such a class dangerous, and have therefore avoided them as much as it was possible. I will mention a single instance where such danger has been made manifest.
A Democratic newspaper, published I know not where, in summing up the faults of the Republican party, took occasion to advert to West Point. It asserted in bold characters that I had stolen a number of articles from two cadets, had by them been detected in the very act, had been seen by several other cadets who had been summoned for the purpose that they might testify against me, had beenreported to the proper authorities, the affair had been thoroughly investigated by them, my guilt established beyond the possibility of doubt, and yet my accusers had actually been dismissed while I was retained.* This is cited as an example of Republican rule; and the writer had the effrontery to ask, “How long shall such things be?” I did not reply to it then, nor do I intend to do so now. Such assertions from such sources need no replies. I merely mention the incident to show how wholly given to party prejudices some men can be. They seem to have no thought of right and justice, but favor whatever promotes the aims and interests of their own party, a party not Democratic but hellish.
African American troops won the war for the Union according to Abraham Lincoln. [11] (J.A. Rogers, illus. by A. S. Milai, “Banner of the 3rd U.S. Colored Troops,” Your History, August 13, 1949.)
“Banner of the 3rd U.S. Colored Troops” transcription
Banner of the 3rd U.S. Colored troops (Feb. 3, 1863) which won great distinction in the Civil War. They came mostly from Philadelphia whose white inhabitants at first objected to them but later praised them highly. Lincoln said in effectthat without the Negro the North could nothave won but so great was hostility at first that New York City warned Massachusetts that if it sent its Negro troops through there, it would not be responsible for their safety…The Negroes passed New York City in ships…..
Alfred Wood, a formerly enslaved man and later a trooper in the 3rd U.S. Colored Cavalry, served as a Union spy and scout during the Civil War. Wood was originally from Vicksburg, Mississippi, and emancipated himself to join the Union Army. [12] (J.A. Rogers, illus. by A. S. Milai, “Alfred Wood,” Your History, January 1, 1949.)
“Alfred Wood” transcription
Alfred Wood (Old Alf), of the 3rd U.S. Colored Cavalry was one of the greatest scouts of the Union Army in the Civil War… Was of mixed Negro, white and Indian stock..Operated chiefly around Vicksburg, Miss… Once, captured, he imitated so well the talk and manner of a plantation slave, that when he claimed he had shot a union soldier and was running away, he was allowed to go… Thanks to his light skin and long hair, he once joined the TexasRangers and learnt their plans… He is credited with withmuch of the success of the Union Army in Mississippi…..
While the U.S. Navy was integrated, many Black sailors were given roles as cooks and stewards. It is possible that some Black gunners were aboard the U.S.S. Monitor. There were at least eight African American men aboard the vessel, identified as William Nichols (officer’s steward), Siah Carter (born Josiah Hulett who successfully ran away from Shirley Plantation, Virginia), William Scott, Robert Howard, Robert Cook, Edward Cann, Daniel Moore and William Jeffrey. [13, 14] (J.A. Rogers, illus. by A. S. Milai, “Negro Gunners,” Your History, June 11, 1949.)
Crew of USS Monitor with Lieutenant Siah Hulett Carter (seated front right), July 9, 1862. (Courtesy of The Mariners’ Museum and Park.)
“Negro Gunners” transcription
Negro Gunners fought in what was one of the most celebrated naval battles of all times—that between the Confederate ship, “Merrimac” and the Union “Monitor” in the Civil War… This was the first clash between iron-clad vessels in history…These expert Negro gunners are shown on the deck of the monitor with its battle-scarred turrets…(This sketch was made from a reproduction of a navy photograph of that time…)
J.A. Rogers, illus. by A. S. Milai, “Les Pionniers Noirs,” Your History, c. 1949.
“Les Pionieers Noirs” transcription
Les Pionniers Noirs, or Black pioneers, was one of Napoleon’s crack Negro regiments… They fought in the great battles of the Napoleonic Wars. In Italy they served under Victor Hugo’sfather and captured Fra Diavolo… Another famous regiment was Corps d’ Afrique, which was mounted … Negro soldiers were also in the white regiments as privates and officers, the most famous of which was General Dumas, commander of all cavalry, white and Black … ( Sketched from a drawing of a Black pioneer in a print dated 1803.)
Cuba (Couba) was an expert healer and Obeah woman from the Ashanti tribe. Her relationship with Cornwallis enabled her to secure her freedom from enslavement. Renowned as the Queen of Kingston, Cuba opened a small hospital/convalesce home to practice medicine and purchased property in Port Royal. [6, 7] (J.A. Rogers, illus. by A. S. Milai, “Couba Cornwallis,” Your History, April 30, 1949.) “Couba Cornwallis” transcription
An African Negro girl of Jamaica, West Indies is credited with saving the life of Lord Nelson, naval hero who did most to save England from Napoleon… In 1780, when he was stricken with fever and dysentery in Nicaragua, and brought ashore at Port Royal, Jamaica, at death’s door she gave him an African remedy that checked the disease… She was the common-law wife of Admiral Sir William Cornwallis, whose guest Nelson was…England gave her a pension for this and other services… She died in 1848…
J.A. Rogers, illus. by A. S. Milai, “Buddha,” Your History, October 17, 1949. “Buddha” transcription
According to Buddhist writings which are 1300 years older than the oldest Christian ones, the first Buddha, Ies Christna, was born 1366 B.C. in India. He was jet-Black. Christ-na, or Krishna, means “the Black one.” His hair was woolly, or peppercorn, like this one. He was born of a virgin, and though he came to save mankind, he was persecuted and crucified at the age of 33. He spent three days and nights in hell then ascended to heaven. He had ten disciples, and his symbols were the cross and swastika. Most noted Buddha was Gautama of the 6th century B.C. Though there are now Chinese, Japanese and European-looking Buddhas, the first ones appear as unmixed negroes … Southern India, at least, was originally inhabited by Negroes, and the black skin of most Indians is a Negro inheritance. Buddhism, after 3,300 years is still one of the world’s great religions, being the principal one in the East….
J.A. Rogers, illus. by A. S. Milai, “Balthasar,” Your History, December 25, 1948. “Balthasar” transcription
Transcription: Balthasar, one of the Three Wise Men from the East said to have been at the “Birth of Christ.” The wise men not only came from the East,but the legend originated there … The first Christ was born in India about 1366 B.C. He is described as “coal black, wooly haired.” ……. A later Indian Christ born 1330 B.C. was also coal-black, wooly-haired, and worshipped by wise men. He was crucified in his 33rd year. All Christs were Black, including the one worshipped by the West, until the whites rose to power and painted him as being white. The New World also had its Black Christs long before Columbus, the most famous being in Guatemala, which is still worshipped by the Indians … Originally there were probably no whites among the Wise Men, but white European painters made two of them white. Anatole France noted French writer [,] has a story in which a white queen falls in love with Balthasar. The legend of Christ throughout the Ages is intended to make man kindlier to his fellowman…… The subjects who posed for Balthasar were usually Negro favorites of kings, queens and great lords of Europe. These characters were sketched from a reproduction of a painting by Hieronymus Bosch (1450-1516), the famous Flemish painter ….
In the Middle Ages, so many Slavic people were taken captive and sold into slavery by Germanic people that contemporary writers used the Latin word Sclavus (“Slav”) to mean “a personal slave.” This became slave in modern English. [8] (J.A. Rogers, illus. by A. S. Milai, “Slave,” Your History, c. 1949) “Slave” transcription
The word “slave” was originally applied to white people. It comes from “Slav” a Russian people captured by the Germans. —Milai—
Rogers, J.A. “J.A Rogers: Selected Writings” Edited by Louis J. Parascandola. The University of Tennessee Press. 2023. JSTOR https://www.jstor.org/stable/jj.9669490
Main, Edwin M. “The Story of the Marches, Battles, and Incidents of the Third U.S. Colored Cavalry- A Fighting Regiment in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865″ Volume 2 1837. Free Download. Internet Archive. Louisville, Kentucky. Globe Print Company. 1908 https://archive.org/details/storyofmarchesba02main/page/38/mode/2up
Fleming, Hannah. “Meet (a few) Monitor Crew” February 15, 2017. The Mariners Museum and Park. https://www.marinersmuseum.org/2017/02/meet-monitor-crew/
O’Gan, Patri. “Duty, Honor, Country: Breaking Racial Barriers at WestPoint and Beyond” National Museum of African American History & Culture. Smithsonian. https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/west-point
This post is contributed by Kim Cull, McGehee Rare Book Librarian.
Today, we share a look into the life of a book wizard (cataloger) here in Special Collections. Cataloging is a very important job within all libraries because without catalogers, we would have a difficult time discovering what the library has available on their shelves. Cataloging is essentially the process of creating and maintaining bibliographic and authority records in the library catalog. Cataloger work with metadata, i.e. data about data. Here within Special Collections, our catalogers describe printed items from Gutenberg’s time all the way to the present. They see a lot of very interesting materials which anyone is welcome to come and use.
We will be spending the day with cataloger Kim Cull, but she is a tad camera shy. Because of this, she will be represented by one of our favorite American Girl dolls in miniature, Molly McIntire. If you did not know, Kim is primary cataloger for the McGehee Miniature Book Collection, hence the need for a miniature doll.
A miniature Molly McIntire standing in front of miscellaneous rare books.
Today, we have caught Kim in the middle of cataloging a collection of children’s books given to us by Josephine Iselin. This collection is quite fun to catalog because first books have to be unboxed; plus, the illustrations are amazing! Each book is a delightful surprise and a mystery waiting to be discovered. Today, we get to look at A toad for Tuesday by Russell E. Erickson, Lothrop, Lee, & Shepard Co., New York, 1974. Step one in the cataloging process is making sure the book is supported in one of our book supports – yes, even staff have to use them.
Molly McIntire looking at, “A Toad for Tuesday,” by Russell E. Erickson.
Next step in the cataloging process is to review the title page and then check to see if a copy already exists in the library. In the past, catalogers would check large filing cabinets filled with card catalogs. Today, catalogers do all of their cataloging and reference work with the computer using our online catalog. If there is an existing record in our local library, all that needs to be done is adding another call number for the Special Collections copy and then describing the item. If a record does not already exist, then the cataloger must search the wider, international catalog first and then create or download a record.
Molly McIntire looking at the computer screen.
Cataloging is similar to coding or programming in the sense that we have specific numbered fields that correspond with different elements of a item being described. For instance, the title of the book gets transcribed into the 245 field, the publisher’s statement in the 264 field, and a description of the books binding in the 590 field. The more fields we add, the longer and hopefully better the record will be. We try to add tracings or subject headings in the 600 fields that can be used in searches to help patrons find what they are looking for.
Screen shot of the bibliographic record for, “A Toad for Tuesday.”
Once cataloging is completed, it is time to make the book shelf ready. In Special Collections, this means writing out the call number on a special bookplate and pasting it in the book. Then, we write the call number on a paper slip, add a barcode, and then send the book to the stacks for our students to shelve. Sometimes, the book gets boxed and sent to off-site storage, but never fear! All materials sent off-site can be retrieved within 72 hours.
The most important part in a cataloger’s day is their tea (or coffee) break. Catalogers are fueled by caffeine. It is also good to take a break from staring at computer screens. Once recharged, the cataloger begins the process all over again with another book.
Molly McIntire enjoying a cup of Earl Grey tea.
Thank you for taking the time to read about our catalogers’ work. If you have any questions, they are happy to speak about their work.
This post was contributed by Stacey Evans, senior imaging specialist and project coordinator in the Digital Production Group at the University of Virginia Library.
Introduction
Visions of Progress: Portraits of Dignity, Style and Racial Uplift catalog cover featuring featuring a black-and-white photograph of an African American woman in a high-necked lace blouse and a floral hat, set against a dark background.
“Can we re-digitize a set of glass plate negatives of African American portraits from the Holsinger Studio Collection?” That question came from Curator of Exhibitions Holly Robertson as the Visions of Progress: Portraits of Dignity, Style and Racial Uplift exhibition approached in 2022.
The UVA Library’s Holsinger Studio Collection (MSS 9862) consists of approximately 10,000 wet-plate glass negatives and 500 celluloid negatives from the commercial studio of Rufus W. Holsinger—and later his son, Ralph—based in Charlottesville, Virginia. The unique collection includes 600 portraits of Africans Americans in central Virginia and offers insights into life in central Virginia from the late 19th century to the early twentieth century.
I have known John Edwin Mason, the exhibition’s chief curator, since the early days of my freelance photography career in Charlottesville. I first encountered photographs from the Holsinger Studio Collection soon after moving to Charlottesville in 1996. Holsinger’s landscape photographs appear throughout the city, and, for Virginia Magazine assignments, I retraced his steps—pairing my contemporary images with his early twentieth-century views.
In more recent years, I noticed Holsinger’s portraits reproduced on vinyl across Charlottesville on buildings and construction fences—a striking reminder of his enduring visual legacy. Joining the University Library in 2020, I was delighted to be in a position to revisit this collection in a new context. So, when the question of re-digitization arose, my answer was yes. As someone new to cultural heritage imaging and the process of digitizing glass plates, I began my research.
The Holsinger Studio Collection was first digitized in the 1990s using flatbed scanners. Advances in digital imaging now allow us to capture significantly greater pixel detail and a wider tonal range. Re-digitizing the plates would not only enhance image quality but also provide researchers access to un-cropped versions that include portrait numbers corresponding to sitters’ names recorded in two fragile business ledgers held in the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library.
2022 installation of the Visions of Progress exhibition in the Small Special Collections Library
Research & Production
The primary sources for my research included the Federal Agencies Digitization Guidelines Initiative (FADGI), the Digital Transitions Transmissive Digitization Guide, and a blog post by TownsWeb Archiving. I hold a BFA in Photography from the Savannah College of Art and Design, earned in 1995. My early professional experience included positions as a newspaper lab technician and as a first assistant to an architectural photographer. During that time, I gained extensive experience converting slides and film negatives into digital files using drum and desktop film scanners. However, before this re-digitization, I had no prior experience working with glass plate negatives or using a digital camera system as the capture device—now the preferred approach in cultural heritage imaging.
A screenshot from working with Capture One software showing a 4”x5” black-and-white film target and object, content, and speculative artist’s intent versions of two plates featuring African American women.
From the equipment available in our studio, I selected an XF Phase One camera with an 80-megapixel digital back and a 120mm macro lens, paired with Capture One Cultural Heritage software, a DT Film Stage table, a lightbox, and a sheet of glass to stabilize the plates. I began the workflow by creating a Lens Cast Correction (LCC) profile for the session, capturing the film stage and glass in position to ensure even illumination across the frame. Next, I photographed an Image Science Associates 4”x5” black-and-white film target to establish a baseline for exposure, white balance, and resolution. This target served as a reference for tonal consistency and system performance throughout the session.
Once the setup was calibrated, we proceeded to photograph each plate (emulsion side up), adjusting the shutter speed as needed to compensate for the varying densities and contrast levels among the negatives. My objective was to produce an uncropped primary file that faithfully represented the full tonal range of each plate—retaining both highlight and shadow detail. In my research, I learned that there are typically three “versions” to consider when digitizing for archival purposes: object, content, and speculative artist’s intent. We decided to preserve both the object and speculative artist’s intent versions.
The two preservation formats of the Bill Hurley glass plate negative and associated metadata as shown in the UVA Library’s internal tracking system.
Interpreting artistic intent can be challenging when working with glass plates from a studio more than a century old. Fortunately, John had several original prints from the Holsinger Studio, and, when it came time to finalize the digital renderings, he joined me at the workstation as I fine-tuned images. I tend to prefer flatter tonal curves that preserve subtle detail giving printers more to work with, while John advocated for a bit more contrast based on his Holsinger prints in hand. We met in the middle, taking into consideration both our professional perspectives.
The re-digitized glass plate of Jessie White, accessible through Virgo, shows two images of White, an African American woman, sitting slightly diagonal on a chair with print publications on her lap. Her hair is just below the ears and might be tied back. She wears a full-length white skirt with a white three-quarter length sleeve blouse. The blouse is embroidered with a pin, and a black rectangular shaped bow on toward the collar. Her left gaze is slightly off camera to the right, and the right image holds a more straightforward gaze.
A detail from the Holsinger Studio Ledger which tracks customers and their portrait purchases. From left to right is the date, the sitter’s name, identification number, and cost.
Each glass plate negative has an identification number etched into the emulsion of the plate. These numbers enabled us to identify portrait sitters based upon a ledger in the Holsinger Studio Collection that included the name of the sitter and how much they paid. For example, Jessie White (X02319) paid $1.00 for her photograph on May 25, 1914.
Imaging Specialist Stacey Evans working at a camera station photographing the glass plates and Exhibitions Coordinator Jacquelyn Kim working on a laptop with the item list spreadsheet to handle the re-digitization of the Holsinger glass plates.
During the quality assurance process, the title and caption metadata were embedded in the file and double-checked against the item spreadsheet.
Working alongside me was Exhibitions Coordinator Jacquelyn Kim. She worked closely with John and Holly to select which portraits would be included and created a spreadsheet to record the corresponding metadata for each plate. During the digitization sessions, she handled the plates with care, allowing me to focus entirely on image capture and adding the identification number to the metadata.
Outcome
A two-page catalog spread with text describing Bill Hurley’s life in Charlottesville and the speculative artist’s intent reproduction of Hurley’s glass plate, originally photographed in 1909 at the Holsinger Studio. Hurley is seated with a slight diagonal holding a lit match gazing directly at the camera with a cigarette in his mouth. He wears a hat, suit, vest, white shirt and tie and long pants.
The resulting images are beautifully reproduced in the exhibition catalog. We maintained the full frame of each plate, leaving a thin black border to assure researchers that no detail was omitted. The delicate textures of lace, the richness of skin tones, and the soft transitions in shadow and light all contribute to the dignity and depth of these portraits. Beyond their technical achievement, these re-digitized images strengthen the connection between the glass plates and the people they represent—linking descendants today with the stories of their ancestors’ portraits of dignity, style, and racial uplift.
Although the exhibition has come and gone, the new files are accessible through the University of Virginia Library’s Virgo catalog. Forty portraits are featured in an exquisite catalog along with essays and descriptions of the plates.
The re-digitization of the Holsinger Studio glass plates reflects the University of Virginia Library’s ongoing commitment to advancing cultural heritage imaging and digital preservation. I am grateful to have contributed to this work alongside dedicated colleagues who share a passion for both technical excellence and historical storytelling.
A two-page catalog spread featuring photos and descriptions of the lives of Susie Smith and Harvey Foster. Smith is seated in a long coat and hat. Foster, dressed formally, stands beside a seated companion.
This post was written by Small Special Collections Library Curator George Riser.
At the age of 22, after leading a peripatetic existence, Langston Hughes moved to Washington, D.C., and took a job as a busboy at the Wardman Park Hotel. One day, he saw a notice announcing renowned poet Vachel Lindsay would be giving a reading in the hotel theater that evening. Hughes writes in his autobiography, The Big Sea (PS3515.U274 Z464 1940), “I very much wanted to hear him read his poems, but I knew they did not admit colored people to the auditorium.”
That afternoon, Hughes wrote out three of his poems—“The Weary Blues,” “Jazzonia,” and “Negro Dancers”—and placed them in the pocket of his busboy uniform. Again, from The Big Sea:
“In the evening when Mr. Lindsay came down to dinner, quickly I laid them beside his plate and went away, afraid to say anything to so famous a poet, except to tell him I like his poems and that these were poems of mine. The next morning on the way to work, as usual I bought a paper—and there I read that Vachel Lindsay had discovered a Negro bus boy poet! At the hotel the reporters were already waiting for me. They interviewed me. And they took my picture, holding up a tray of dirty dishes in the middle of the dining room. The picture, copyrighted by Underwood and Underwood, appeared in lots of newspapers throughout the country.”
Josephine Tighe Williams, “Discovery of a New Writer of Poetry Among Workers at a Washington Hotel,” Star, December 13, 1925. Papers of Vachel Lindsay (MSS 6259)
Josephine Tighe Williams, “Discovery of a New Writer of Poetry Among Workers at a Washington Hotel,” Star, December 13, 1925. Papers of Vachel Lindsay (MSS 6259)
Lindsay’s “discovery” of Hughes introduced his works to a broader audience and helped him garner wider literary acclaim. However, by the time they first met in 1925, Hughes had already begun establishing his own reputation.
In fact, Hughes had published several poems in popular Black journals—such as Crisis, Opportunity, and Alain Locke’s guest-edited issue of Survey Graphic—and had signed a contract for his first book. It was through his acquaintance with Locke that Hughes met Georgia Douglas Johnson, who hosted the S Street Salon in her home—a weekly gathering of celebrated poets, writers, and artists. There, Hughes met, among others, Zora Neale Hurston, Richard Bruce Nugent, and Carl Van Vechten, who sent some of Hughes’ poems to his publisher, Alfred A. Knopf. Not long after, Hughes received a letter from Blanche Knopf, Alfred’s wife and business partner, saying his poems had been accepted for publication.
Dust jacket designed by Miguel Covarrubias. Langston Hughes, The Weary Blues (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1926). Clifton Waller Barrett Library (PS3515.U274 W4 1926)
The Weary Blues (PS3515.U274 W4 1926), Hughes’ first published book of poetry, came out the following year in 1926. It would not be long before Langston Hughes would become one of the most influential and celebrated poets of the Harlem Renaissance and beyond, eclipsing the fame of his early advocate, Vachel Lindsay.
Shown here are five typed and signed poems Langston Hughes sent to Vachel Lindsay at his address in Spokane, Washington. Marks made by Lindsay in black ink are visible on the pages. These poems are found in Box 65 of the Papers of Nicholas Vachel Lindsay (MSS 6259) in the Clifton Waller Barrett Collection of American Literature.
“The Weary Blues” became the titular poem of Hughes’ first published book of poetry. Hughes inscribed this typescript version, “For Vachel Lindsay, whose poetry I much admire, these jazz poems of mine.” Lindsay writes somewhat pompously below Hughes’ signature, “This is to certify I think these five poems are poetry.”
Here, Lindsay has modified the title of the poem from “Negro Dancers” to “Buck Dancers.”
“Jazzonia”
On the back of “Jazzonia,” Hughes addressed this set of poems to “Nicholas Vachel Lindsay[,] Davenport Hotel[,] Spokane[,] Washington.”
“Poem For the portrait of an African boy after the manner of Gauguin”
By: Sue Donovan, Conservator for Special Collections.
Sue Donovan, Conservator for Special Collections, is currently engaged in a long-term, intricate treatment that you might be able to see as you walk past the Special Collections Conservation Lab in Shannon Library for the next few months. On the bench is the Philip Slaughter Daybook (MSS 6556), dating from 1808-1816, which is a manuscript written in iron gall ink. A daybook is a recording of daily information for a given location, and the term is often seen for a plantation logbook in the 1800s. The Slaughter Daybook is such a manuscript and recounts the day-to-day purchases and events of a plantation in Culpeper County, Va. One of Sue’s favorite entries is the recipe for soothing rheumatism: it involves placing earthworms inside a stoppered vial within bread dough and then cooking it all together. This results in steamed earthworm juice that you can rub on your aching knees, and a fresh loaf of bread! A true two-birds-one-stone situation.
The Philip Slaughter Daybook, before treatment.
The daybook was acquired by UVA Library Special Collections in 2018 and was brought to the attention of Preservation Services in 2023/24. Because the book was written in iron gall ink and was bound with a sewing method that put severe strain on the paper, the manuscript was in poor shape. Iron gall ink is a type of writing media that was in widespread use from the Middle Ages up until the early 20th century. It is made with three main components: iron (metal salts), tannic acid, and gum arabic. Other ingredients could be (and were) added, and proportions and recipes for ink were highly variable. Iron gall ink had originally been made for use with parchment, a durable and relatively alkaline writing surface made from animal skins, for which it was beneficial for the ink to “bite” into the parchment. When paper started to be used as a writing surface hundreds of years later, that ink’s capacity to bite became a slow-motion tragedy for many manuscripts.
Over time, iron gall ink can actually eat through the paper, causing letters to drop out or whole lines of text to crack. The Philip Slaughter Daybook was unfortunately a victim of what conservators call “inherent vice,” due to the iron and acids in the ink, and every page of the manuscript had instances of drop through.
A letter that has “dropped through.”
In addition, the paper used for the manuscript, while it was originally a relatively good quality paper, had degraded over time and was discolored and acidic. Acidic environments can speed up the degradation of iron gall ink, and metal ions can accelerate the deterioration of paper, so the manuscript needed an intervention that would arrest deterioration and allow researchers and staff members to use the daybook safely.
Calcium phytate treatment is a multi-step process that reduces the metal ions and the acidity in the paper. The treatment requires multiple baths in different chemicals, which is not without risks, but comes with undeniable rewards as well. The first part of the treatment requires bathing the paper in deionized water to remove acidic degradation products and water-soluble metal ions.
The conservator uses beakers of water from each subsequent bath to determine the effectiveness of washing the pages. The first bath removes a high quantity of acidic degradation products, as seen in the first beaker on the left, which is quite yellow. Each following bath is less yellow, which shows that the acidity is being washed away.
In the second part of the treatment, the manuscript pages are washed in a solution of calcium phytate, which complexes free radical metal ions and changes them into water-soluble particles that can be washed away. If the free radicals were allowed to stay in the paper, they would continue to cause damage. Making them water soluble and washing them out thus improves the long-term life of the paper. During this stage of the treatment, testing strips made in-house from a chemical called bathophenanthroline help determine if the metal ions are being complexed and taken out of solution. Every 10-20 minutes a folio is removed from the Calcium Phytate bath, lightly rinsed, and then a specific area of written text is tested. Using plastic tweezers because metal tweezers can cause a false positive, a drop of acetic acid is placed on the testing strip, which will turn pink if metal ions are present. If the strip is very pink, the folio is returned to the bath in a different location, e.g. underneath another folio if it had previously been floating on the top.
Conservator Sue Donovan gently manipulates gently manipulates a folio from the Philip Slaughter Daybook in the calcium phytate bath.
Once the testing strips are mostly white, the paper is deacidified in a bath of calcium bicarbonate, a solution made with calcium carbonate, deionized water, and a water carbonator. An exterior size of 0.5 % gelatine is brushed onto the paper to provide more protection against metal ions and to restore sizing that was lost during the washing. Finally, the pages are allowed to air dry for one hour, and then they are placed under blotters, felts, and light weight to dry.
With the curators in Small Special Collections Library, Sue discussed how the benefits to washing the manuscript would outweigh the risks of the treatment. The time this treatment needs is a significant factor in weighing whether to proceed: It takes about 6-8 hours to complete all steps of the calcium phytate treatment for one batch of documents, not counting the drying time in the felts. Four folios are washed during one session, and the solutions have to be made either the night before or the day of treatment. Overall, Sue estimates that the treatment will likely take over 150 hours for the washing steps alone.
Luckily, Sue has discovered that applying pre-made mending strips to damp (not soaking) pages significantly cuts down on mending time, which goes to show that innovations are being made every day!
A mending strip held above the wet surface of the iron gall ink document.
While it is a long treatment, it will be satisfying to accomplish. The washed pages are brighter and more legible, as seen in the first two batches of folios that were washed as a trial. Furthermore, once the pages are washed and metal ions are removed, mending materials applied with more water can be used, which means stronger but also faster application. Mending iron gall ink documents that haven’t been washed can be quite slow and tedious, since conservators must limit the amount of moisture used during the application of wheat starch paste typically used in paper conservation. The Slaughter Daybook, therefore, can be more safely handled and more strongly conserved because of the steps taken to wash the acids and the metal ions out of the paper.
Once the washing and mending are done, the manuscript will need to be bound back together, but that will be addressed in another blogpost! The overall goal for the daybook is for it to be used safely in the reading room, but in the meantime, the manuscript has been fully digitized to facilitate access to the content within. Make sure to check out what Sue and colleagues Nicole and Melanie are up to in the lab when you walk by Shannon 200!
This post, by Manuscripts and Archives Processor Ellen Welch, introduces a new acquisition: the Madeleine Coleman Roach Papers (MSS 16869), documenting the service of a twenty-three-year-old African American woman, Madeleine Coleman, in the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion of the United States Women’s Army Corps during the Second World War.
The 6888th Battalion was an all-female mostly Black military unit that has been made famous by several books and movies—most recently in a 2024 film, Six Triple Eight, directed by Tyler Perry and filmed in Atlanta, Georgia; Chattanooga, Tennessee; and the United Kingdom (available on Netflix). The 6888th accomplished the near impossible feat of clearing a huge backlog of mail addressed to service members abroad. The women systematically sorted and routed an estimated backlog of 17 million items to over seven million service members in record time, which significantly uplifted the morale of service members in the war. The collection contains photographs, diaries, a memory book, a prayer book, certificates, newsletters, telegrams, menus, and ephemera belonging to Corporal Madeleine Coleman. Watch Six Triple Eight and then visit the Special Collections Library to meet Corporal Coleman and the extraordinary women in this collection.
Madeleine Coleman Roach
Madeleine Coleman in her uniform. Madeleine Coleman Roach Papers (MSS 16869)
Madeleine Coleman Roach Papers (MSS 16869)
Madeleine Coleman, originally from Milstead, Alabama, and Atlanta, Georgia, moved to New York and enlisted in the Army on January 1, 1943, following the enlistment of her boyfriend and future husband, John Roach, also from New York. She entered active service in September and was promoted to corporal, the same rank as Roach. Coleman was determined to follow him abroad and to achieve equal military rank. She trained in Fort Des Moines, Iowa; Fort Devens, Massachusetts; and Camp Sibert, Alabama, before heading overseas in 1945. John Roach trained at several locations in Texas and was also stationed overseas. They both trained as stenographers and corresponded with each other throughout the war until they married in 1946 in Roen, France.
The 6888th Battalion
The 6888th Battalion at work. Corporal Coleman was one of 855 African American and Hispanic women (one from Puerto Rico and one from Mexico) in the 6888th who served overseas in Birmingham, England and Roen, and Paris, France. Madeleine Coleman Roach Papers (MSS 16869)
The 6888th wrote a camp newsletter entitled “Special Delivery.” Two complete issues and four partial issues are in the Madeleine Coleman Roach papers (MSS 16869).
African American women were selected from the Women’s Auxiliary Corps (WAC), the Army Service Forces, and the Army Air Forces to form the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, nicknamed “Six Triple Eight.” First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and civil rights leader Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune successfully advocated for the admittance of African American women as enlisted personnel and officers in the WAC. The response was the creation of the 6888th, a unit assigned to clear the significant backlog of mail for service members abroad. (2) General Eisenhower wanted this mail to be delivered as a means of helping with the morale of the troops. (1) Major Charity Edna Adams Early was selected to command the battalion. She was proud of the work her unit did, performing their tasks in record time. The women were trained to identify enemy aircraft, ships, and weapons and to be prepared mentally and physically for full military operations. In Birmingham, England, and in Roen and Paris, France, they found warehouses stacked to the ceilings with mailbags and rooms filled with packages of spoiled food and gifts, along with rodents. (3) The 6888th tracked individual service members by maintaining about seven million information cards, including serial numbers to distinguish different individuals with the same name. Recently recorded oral history interviews with two surviving 6888th members—Fannie Griffin McClendon and Anna Mae Robertson —provide first-person accounts of their work.
The Assignment
The assignment for the 6888th was to expedite a two-year backlog (17 million letters and packages) of mail to the seven million World War II American service members, government personnel, and Red Cross workers stationed in England and France. (2)
Many pieces of mail and packages from home failed to reach service members because the military units moved quickly to new locations or because names and addresses were incomplete. Some mail had been sitting in bags for two to three years. With no encouragement or news from home, morale became very low. The 6888th Battalion sailed for two weeks from the U.S. to Glasgow, Scotland, on the ship Ile de France amidst threats from nearby German U-boats. Arriving by train in Birmingham, England, in February 1945, they worked in poorly maintained buildings such as the King Edwards School or airplane hangar warehouses, described as a “cold, dark, dirty warehouse” with broken windows, infested with rats and with mold growing on the mail. They fixed up the school and cleared the mail backlog in 90 days (half of the expected six months). They worked around the clock in three consecutive eight-hour shifts, seven days a week, and learned to become detectives searching envelopes for clues to determine the intended recipient. (3) Their filing system and efficiency made them so successful that they were asked to clear up the Army mail in Roen and Paris, France, which they did in five months. Their motto was “No Mail, Low Morale.” (2)
Discrimination
Initially the women of the 6888th recognized that the assignment was considered secondary to war efforts performed by white men and women. Despite the discrimination and racism of white officers and fellow soldiers, the women of the 6888th are now recognized for their achievement with awards, monuments, and praise. Their work is valued as being an important component of the World War II military effort. “They fired no shots, and they fought no battles … And yet, their courage and their dedication achieved a different kind of victory. Almost 80 years later, the 6888th continues to stand as a testament to the outstanding achievements of Black women Soldiers throughout U.S. Army history.” (3)
Coleman describes being forced into a segregated unit in Camp Sibert, Alabama. Madeleine Coleman Roach Papers (MSS 16869)
Coleman often wrote in her diary about the racial discrimination she and her fellow battalion members faced during training and from fellow Americans serving overseas. She described experiences of racism at Camp Sibert, Alabama, particularly from white women or, as she called them, “Southern crackers.” She wrote about segregation and “the appalling lack of democracy and equality in the United States.”
She also mentioned discrimination against women in the service. According to an article by Melissa Thaxton and Jennifer Dubin, “It is estimated that 150,000 women served in the WAAC/WAC during the war, about 4% of whom were African American.” Segregation practices required African American women in the Army Corps to remain at 10% of the overall force. Even after receiving full military training and extensive education for skilled positions in medicine or education, they would be placed in clerical positionsor as manual laborers. While white men in America had served in military combat since the Revolutionary War, no women were allowed to enter military service until 1901 (and only then, as nurses). The military did not accept African American women until World War II—and then only in limited roles. The women in the 6888th were the first female African American unit to serve in World War II. They were successful despite the discrimination they faced. In 2022 they were recognized for their service with the Congressional Gold Medal “…not only for their successful completion of their mission at the end of World War II, but for their sustained collective pursuit of racial and sex equality in the face of significant social and political barriers.” (3)
Retired Colonel Edna W. Cummings declared, “The Congressional Gold Medal is the nation’s gratitude for the 6888th Battalion and the thousands of African American women who served in the Army during World War II. Their service will never be forgotten as soldiers and trailblazers for gender and racial equality.” (3)
Alyce Dixon, a former corporal in the 6888th expressed her feelings about her service, “We’re all human — whether Black, white, red or brown, and we all have something to offer.” (3)
Elaine Bennett explained that she joined the WAC “because I wanted to prove to myself, and maybe to the world, that we [African Americans] would give what we had back to the United States as a confirmation that we were full-fledged citizens.” These pioneer women who had limited opportunities for employment at home sought a life of adventure and patriotism amidst adversity and made a difference in the world. (3)
Madeleine Coleman’s Diary
Corporal Coleman had an active social life at dances at the service club. Madeleine Coleman Roach Papers (MSS 16869)
Coleman’s diary, written before her service overseas, features excerpts from her daily life of training, marching, drilling, and working in the office and field in the Army from 1943-1944. She wrote about her exhaustion from work, her anxieties about army inspections, and her private thoughts on the harsh treatment against African Americans and women in the Corps, especially at Camp Sibert, Alabama. She often encouraged herself with positive messages, such as “what’s next for you little girl.” She also described her social experiences, with dates and dances at the service club. Her diary entries reflect her commitment to John Roach while she compares him with other men that she dated.
Pages in Coleman’s diary about her daily work and school schedule. Madeleine Coleman Roach Papers (MSS 16869)
Of interest are diary entries which exhibit straightforward curiosity when she learned about women in lesbian relationships for the first time.
Coleman describes her surprise that her friend is a lesbian. Madeleine Coleman Roach Papers (MSS 16869)
Photographs
There are about 35 photos in the collection depicting Coleman’s service and showing women in uniform, many in Rouen and at the French Riviera. Included is a photograph of her commanding officer, Major Charity Adams Early, who was a popular leader and one of the highest-ranking African American female officers in the nation. There are also documents of John Roach’s military service in Texas, Italy, and Army bases in the South Pacific.
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Coleman’s “Memory Book” highlights the various places she lived and worked during the war. It includes signatures and messages from fellow soldiers. Madeleine Coleman Roach Papers (MSS 16869)
After the war, Madeleine Coleman Roach became a secretary at the Woodrow Wilson Vocational School (August Martin High School) in New York City. She graduated from York College with honors in African American Studies in the early 1980s. Part of the college library is named for her. John Roach was employed with the postal service. They had two daughters, Rouena and Phoebe, and lived in South Ozone Park, New York. Madeleine Roach died in 1984 at the age of 65 following the death of her beloved husband, John Roach, in 1983.
With an origin story that started with discrimination and segregation as part of the WAC, the 6888th was a precursor to the Civil Rights movement in America.
“The Six Triple Eight’s achievements are remarkable considering the fraught social and political climate of the time. Indeed, the women of the 6888th Postal Directory Battalion proved to be pioneers in military service during an era when racial segregation was law, and few opportunities were available to women to work outside the domestic sphere.” (3)
The current celebration of the 6888th Battalion in films and documentaries as well as in books and archives is well-deserved and long overdue.
Fargey, Kathleen. “Women of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion” 14 February, 2014. Buffalo Soldier Educational and Historical Committee. Accessed 3/21/25. https://www.womenofthe6888th.org/the-6888th
Thaxton, Melissa and Dubina, Jennifer. “A Different Kind of Victory: The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion.” National Museum of United States Army. Accessed 3/21/25. https://www.thenmusa.org/articles/a-different-kind-of-victory-the-6888th-central-postal-directory-battalion/
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