The Alice Browning Papers, 1936-1998 (bulk 1944-1985)
Descriptive Summary
title:
The Alice Browning Papers
dates:
1936-1998
size:
8 linear feet, 12 archival boxes
repository:
Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection of Afro-American History and Literature
Carter G. Woodson Regional Library (Chicago Public Library)
9525 S Halsted St
Chicago, IL 60628
Information on Use
Provenance
Gift of Barbara Cordell, 2000
Access
No restrictions
Citation
When quoting material from this collection the preferred citation is:
Browning, Alice Papers, [Box #, Folder #], Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection of Afro-American History and Literature, Chicago Public Library
Biographical Note
Alice Browning (née Crolley) was born in 1907 at Provident Hospital i Chicago, the first of three children of Liattah Marshall Crolley and Richard A. Crolley. The family was active at St. Mark's M.E. Church at 50th Street and Wabash Avenue, where Richard Crolley was Sunday School superintendent and a trustee. In an autobiographical sketch, Alice Browning writes that she was married at age 16, presumably to George Franklin (Alice Browning's teaching certificate gives her name as Alice Franklin). Franklin was a sociologist who would later contribute to the study that became Black Metropolis. The couple had one daughter, Barbara (who married WVON radio disc jockey Lucky Cordell). Alice took courses at Chicago Normal College before earning a B.Phil. from University of Chicago in 1931. While it is not clear how her marriage to George Franklin dissolved, it was at the University of Chicago that Barbara met classmate and fellow philosophy student Charles Patrick Browning. They married in 1936, while Charles was employed as the Illinois state director of the National Youth Administration. Charles would spend the rest of his career at the Chicago Defender, serving as vice president and director of advertising. In 1925, Alice suffered the first of several tragedies when her mother Liattah took her life; her father, Richard, died suddenly in 1938. Charles Browning died in 1954 after being struck in the head with a plane propeller in Little Rock, Arkansas, while on a visit to the Hot Springs Baptist Bath House, where he had assumed the post of manager.
Alice Browning received her Illinois teaching certificate in 1930 and taught at Forrestville Elementary School in the Chicago Public Schools until she retired in 1973. In 1941, Browning took a sabbatical year to complete course work for an M.A. in English from Columbia University. While there, she wrote her thesis on the African American novel before 1900 with eminent scholar Vernon Loggins. Browning also took courses at Northwestern University and the Social Services Administration at University of Chicago, but she never completed her M.A.
Though she later professed an interest in writing beginning at the age of 7, it was while a student at Columbia that Browning began writing short stories for publication. That year, she sent a story entitled "Tomorrow" to Esquire magazine, only to have it rejected. She had better success with the Pittsburgh Courier with a story called "New Years Eve: 1942." Nevertheless, Alice's experience with Esquire inspired her to create an outlet for African American writers to publish their short fiction. Her first attempt appeared in 1942, a journal called N.Y.P.S. (Negro Youth Photo Script). But it wasn't until 1944 that she would hit upon a success, teaming up with her friend Fern Gayden, a social worker who had been involved with the South Side Writers Group in the late 1930s. With the help of Gayden and Parkway Community House director Horace Cayton, Browning gained permission from Richard Wright to reprint his story "Almos' a Man," which had appeared Harper's Bazaar in January 1940. Borrowing $200 from her husband Charles, Browning launched Negro Story from her home at 4019 Vincennes Avenue.
Negro Story ran from 1944-1946, publishing a total of nine issues featuring nearly every prominent African American writer of the time, including Ralph Ellison, Chester Himes, Langston Hughes, Frank Marshall Davis, Margaret Burroughs, Richard Wright, Gwendolyn Brooks, and Owen Dodson. Browning published one of her own stories in nearly every issue under the pseudonym Richard Bentley. It was around this time that Browning completed the first draft of a novel, Chicago Girl, which she would continue to revise throughout her life.
When Fern Gayden stepped down as co-editor for the December 1944/January 1945 issue, citing her heavy case load, Alice Browning began to pursue ever more ambitious projects under the auspices of the new Negro Story Press. These included a children's magazine modeled after the Chicago Defender's "Bud Billiken" page entitled Child's Play, the sole issue of which appeared in 1945. Lionel Hampton's Swing Book, a guide to the contemporary music scene, featured biographical sketches and photographs of such key figures as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and, of course, Lionel Hampton. Now extremely rare, it is considered a key text for understanding the influence of black popular music in the 1940s.
In 1953 Browning launched a new publication endeavor, The Browning Letter, which for three years ran feature articles and society gossip. Contributors included Frederick H. Robb (Hammurabi), a Pan-Africanist and famed street corner speaker, actress Louise Pruitt, who wrote a theater column, and novelist Chester Himes. In May 1954 The Browning Letter began including a section called "Zip" to celebrate "Zip girls," one of whom was Browning's own daughter Barbara Cordell. In 1963 Browning repackaged Zip as its own monthly magazine.
In 1970, nearing retirement from teaching at Forrestville, Browning met with fellow leaders in the African American community, including Judge Sidney Jones, Roma Jones, Leo Sparks, Marian Stevenson, Ilena Crushon and June Perryman, at the Washington Park Community Fieldhouse to plan the first annual International Black Writers Conference. Over the next decade the conference would grow into a three-day affair attended by such prominent writers as Lerone Bennett, Herman Gilbert, Lu Palmer, Oscar Brown, Jr., Henry Blakely, Gwendolyn Brooks, Sam Greenlee, Alex Haley, Vernon Jarrett, Haki Madhubuti, Dudley Randall, Margaret Walker Alexander, and John Oliver Killens. Browning organized the conference until her health began to fail in 1984. She died October 15, 1985 at Crestwood Nursing Home in Chicago.
Sources
- Bone, Robert. "Richard Wright and the Chicago Renaissance." Callaloo. 28 (Summer 1986) 446-468.
- Mullen, Bill. Popular Fronts: Chicago and African-American Cultural Politics, 1935-1946. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1999.
Scope and Content Note
The Alice Browning Papers consist chiefly in manuscripts, serials, pamphlets, photographs, and ephemera from throughout Browning's life, concentrated largely from 1968-1985, the years when she was organizing the International Black Writers Conference. The collection has been divided into 8 series: Manuscripts, Biographical, Clippings, Organizations, Booklets, Serials, Publicity and Memorabilia, and Photographs and Audiovisual material. A single folder of correspondence, including a six-page letter about housing concerns signed "The Block Clubs of the South Side" and sent to President Jimmy Carter, is filed at the end of the Manuscripts series in Box 2.
The Manuscripts series is divided into manuscripts by Alice Browning and manuscripts by other authors. Included in the manuscripts by Browning are drafts of several short stories, essays, and poetry, as well as a complete draft of her novel Chicago Girl and a typescript draft and mock-up of her cartoon book, "It's No Fun to Be Black" (the manuscript is titled "It's No Fun to Be a Negro"). The section of manuscripts by other authors predominantly consists in play scripts by Robert M. Morris, who led sessions on drama at the International Black Writers Conference. Browning's daughter Barbara Cordell starred in a production of Morris's play Teacher Night Out. Also included in this section is a manuscript of Gwendolyn Brooks's poem tribute to Browning, which Brooks read at Browning's funeral in 1985.
The Biographical series includes a brief autobiographical sketch by Browning, her Chicago teaching and retirement certificates, and obituaries and Browning's funeral program. It also includes a copy of Charles Browning's funeral program and materials about George Franklin, Barbara Cordell's father, and William West Franklin, her uncle.
The Clippings series is divided into clippings by Alice Browning, clippings about Alice Browning, clippings about the International Black Writers' Conference, and other clippings. For other articles by Alice Browning, see Serials.
The Organizations series includes material from Negro Story Press and the International Black Writers Conference. The material relating to Negro Story Press comprises solely a letter from the United States Copyright Office with instructions for applying for the copyright for Lionel Hampton's Swing Book and publicity materials for Lionel Hampton's Swing Book. Material for the International Black Writers Conference is organized by year and includes a program for nearly every year of the conference from 1970-1985 and then more sporadically through 1994. The file for the 15th anniversary conference in 1985 is particularly extensive. Some material from other conferences is included at the end of the IBWC subseries.
The Booklets series predominantly comprises poetry chapbooks that Browning collected throughout the 1970s. Most of these are quite rare.
The Serials series includes nearly-complete runs of the magazines Browning edited: Negro Story, The Browning Letter, Zip, Black Writers News, and The Black Writer, as well as single issues of Child's Play and Travel News. All nine issues of Negro Story are included. Researchers should note the irregular dating and numbering of The Browning Letter and Black Writers News. Browning's review of Gwendolyn Brooks's Report from Part One appears in the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History Newsletter; her article "Sciffle Music and the Jazz Era" appears in the single issue of Villager.
Miscellaneous Publicity materials appear to relate to performers contracted for the International Black Writers Conference. Memorabilia includes several award certificates given to Alice Browning. A pair of checks from the Douglas National Bank, Chicago's first black-owned bank, appear to have been given to Barbara Cordell as souvenirs in return for a donation to St. Mark's M.E. Church (see the Correspondence in Box 2, Folder 14 for the letter that accompanied the checks).
The majority of the Photographs date from the International Black Writers Conferences of 1974, 1976, and 1978. Figures represented include Gwendolyn Brooks, Sam Greenlee, Vernon Jarrett, Glennette Turner, Haki Madhubuti, and Val Gray Ward. Audiovisual material comprises two VHS tapes of IBWC proceedings in 1985 and 1986.
Inventory
Series 1: Manuscripts, ca. 1946-1985
The Manuscripts series is divided into manuscripts by Alice Browning, arranged alphabetically by title, and manuscripts by others, arranged alphabetically by author's last name.
Manuscripts by Alice Browning
Box: 1
Folder: 1
"Analysis of the Business at Hand," notes
1955
Box: 1
Folder: 2
"A Box Seat at the Harlem Riots," ms.
[n.d.]
Box: 1
Folder: 3
Chicago Girl, Chapter 1, ms.
ca. 1946
Box: 1
Folder: 4
Chicago Girl, Chapter 2, ms.
ca. 1946
Box: 1
Folder: 5
Chicago Girl, Chapter 3, ms.
ca. 1946
Box: 1
Folder: 6
Chicago Girl, Chapter 4
ca. 1946
Box: 1
Folder: 7
Chicago Girl, Chapter 5
ca. 1946
Box: 1
Folder: 8
Chicago Girl, Chapter 6
ca. 1946
Box: 1
Folder: 9
Chicago Girl, Chapter 7
ca. 1946
Box: 1
Folder: 10
Chicago Girl, Chapter 8
ca. 1946
Box: 1
Folder: 11
Chicago Girl, Chapter 9
ca. 1946
Box: 1
Folder: 12
Chicago Girl, Chapter 10
ca. 1946
Box: 1
Folder: 13
Chicago Girl, Chapter 11
ca. 1946
Box: 1
Folder: 14
Chicago Girl, Chapter 12
ca. 1946
Box: 1
Folder: 15
Chicago Girl, Chapter 13
ca. 1946
Box: 1
Folder: 16
Chicago Girl, Chapter 14
ca. 1946
Box: 1
Folder: 17
Chicago Girl, Chapter 15
ca. 1946
Box: 1
Folder: 18
Chicago Girl, Chapter 16
ca. 1946
Box: 1
Folder: 19
Chicago Girl, Chapter 17
ca. 1946
Box: 1
Folder: 20
Chicago Girl, Chapter 18
ca. 1946
Box: 1
Folder: 21
Chicago Girl, Chapter 19
ca. 1946
Box: 1
Folder: 22
Chicago Girl, Chapter 20
ca. 1946
Box: 1
Folder: 23
Chicago Girl, Chapter 21
ca. 1946
Box: 1
Folder: 24
Chicago Girl, Chapter 22
ca. 1946
Box: 1
Folder: 25
Chicago Girl, Chapter 23
ca. 1946
Box: 1
Folder: 26
Chicago Girl, Chapter 24
ca. 1946
Box: 1
Folder: 27
Chicago Girl, Chapter 25
ca. 1946
Box: 1
Folder: 28
Chicago Girl, Chapter 26
ca. 1946
Box: 1
Folder: 29
Chicago Girl, Chapter 27
ca. 1946
Box: 1
Folder: 30
Chicago Girl, Chapter 28
ca. 1946
Box: 1
Folder: 31
Chicago Girl, Chapter 29
ca. 1946
Box: 1
Folder: 32
Essay, Untitled, on Sex Education (fragment)
[n.d.]
Box: 1
Folder: 33
"The Exorcism of America"
1974
Box: 1
Folder: 34
"Good Time Harry," play script
1979
Box: 1
Folder: 35
"I Am Black" (fragment)
[n.d.]
Box: 1
Folder: 36
"Introduction," draft article about IBWC
1979
Box: 1
Folder: 37
"It's No Fun to Be a Negro," ms.
1968 [?]
Box: 1
Folder: 38
"Let There Be An Anti-Prejudice Day"
1974
Box: 1
Folder: 39
Life Plans (notes)
1956, 1978
Box: 1
Folder: 40
"Memories of St. Mark's M.E. Church"
[n.d.]
Box: 1
Folder: 41
New Voices in Black Poetry, galley
1973
Box: 1
Folder: 42
Notebook on the Bible
1978
Box: 1
Folder: 43
Notes, untitled
[n.d.]
Box: 1
Folder: 44
"The Place in Chicago"
[n.d.]
Box: 1
Folder: 45
Poetry, unpublished mss
[n.d.]
Box: 1
Folder: 46
Poetry, unpublished mss
[n.d.]
Box: 1
Folder: 47
"The Reason Black Johnny Cannot Read"
[n.d.]
Box: 1
Folder: 48
"The Riot"
[n.d.]
Box: 1
Folder: 49
Short Story, untitled (fragment)
[n.d.]
Box: 1
Folder: 50
Speech, draft
1990
Box: 1
Folder: 51
"Why Are Hurricanes Named for Women" (fragment)
[n.d.]
Manuscripts by Others
Box: 2
Folder: 1
S. Brandi Barnes, "Dedicated to the Children of Atlanta and Survivors"
1981
Box: 2
Folder: 2
Gwendolyn Brooks, "Alice Browning"
1985
Box: 2
Folder: 3
Alice Chase, "Grandma"
[n.d.]
Box: 2
Folder: 4
Allen D. Jackson, "Theme: We Walk with Martin Luther King"
1985
Box: 2
Folder: 5
Mildred D. Johnson, "Alice Browning's Blackness"
Box: 2
Folder: 6
Robert M. Morris, "African American Writers: The New Horizon for Playwrights"
[n.d.]
Box: 2
Folder: 7
Robert M. Morris, "Character," "The New Black," "African-American," "Conflict"
[n.d.]
Box: 2
Folder: 8
Robert M. Morris, "Eulogy for Two"
[n.d.]
Box: 2
Folder: 9
Robert M. Morris, "IBWC Dialogue Workshop"
[n.d.]
Box: 2
Folder: 10
Robert M. Morris, "IBWC Radio Writing Workshop"
[n.d.]
Box: 2
Folder: 11
Robert M. Morris, "Teacher Night Out"
[n.d.]
Box: 2
Folder: 12
Robert M. Morris, "Teacher Night Out" [2nd copy]
[n.d.]
Box: 2
Folder: 13
Portia Nelson, Poems
n.d.
Box: 2
Folder: 14
Correspondence
1961-1995
Series 2: Biographical, 1939-1988
Biographical material relating to Alice Browning is followed by material about Charles Browning, Barbara Cordell's father George Andrew Franklin, and her uncle William West Franklin.
Box: 2
Folder: 15
Chicago Teaching Certificate
1939
Box: 2
Folder: 16
Autobiographical Sketch
1961
Box: 2
Folder: 17
Tribute to Alice Browning
1973
Box: 2
Folder: 18
Retirement Certificate
1973
Box: 2
Folder: 19
Course Certificate
1973
Box: 2
Folder: 20
Alice Browning Testimonial materials
1978
Box: 2
Folder: 21
City Council Resolution
1985
Box: 2
Folder: 22
Tribute by Barbara Cordell
1985
Box: 2
Folder: 23
Obituaries
1985
Box: 2
Folder: 24
Alice Browning's Funeral Program
1985
Box: 2
Folder: 25
Information about Alzheimer's disease
1988
Box: 2
Folder: 26
Charles P. Browning Funeral Program
1954
Box: 2
Folder: 27
George Andrew Franklin biographical materials
1973
Box: 2
Folder: 28
William West Franklin, Jr. biographical materials
1978
Series 3: Clippings, 1936-1998
Box: 2
Folder: 29
Clippings by Alice Browning
1961-1981
Box: 2
Folder: 30
Clippings about Alice Browning
1936-1982
Box: 2
Folder: 31
Other clippings-IBWC
1977, 1987
Box: 2
Folder: 32
Other clippings-people
ca. 1953-1998
Series 4: Organizations, 1946-1994
Negro Story Press
Box: 2
Folder: 33
Copyright application for Lionel Hampton's Swing Book
1946
Box: 2
Folder: 34
General Information on Copyright
1963
Box: 2
Folder: 35
Lionel Hampton's Swing Book Publicity
ca. 1946
International Black Writers' Conference
Box: 2
Folder: 36
IBWC-1970
1970
Box: 2
Folder: 37
IBWC-1971
1971
Box: 2
Folder: 38
IBWC-1972
1972
Box: 2
Folder: 39
IBWC-1973
1973
Box: 2
Folder: 40
IBWC-1974
1974
Box: 2
Folder: 41
IBWC-1975
1975
Box: 2
Folder: 42
IBWC-1976
1976
Box: 2
Folder: 43
IBWC-1977
1977
Box: 2
Folder: 44
IBWC-1978
1978
Box: 2
Folder: 45
IBWC-1979
1979
Box: 2
Folder: 46
IBWC-1980
1980
Box: 2
Folder: 47
IBWC-1982
1982
Box: 2
Folder: 48
IBWC-1983
1983
Box: 2
Folder: 49
IBWC-1985
1985
Box: 2
Folder: 50
IBWC-1986
1986
Box: 3
Folder: 1
IBWC-1990
1990
Box: 3
Folder: 2
IBWC-1991
1991
Box: 3
Folder: 3
IBWC-1993
1993
Box: 3
Folder: 4
IBWC-1994
1994
Box: 3
Folder: 5
IBWC undated materials
[n.d.]
Box: 3
Folder: 6
International Black Songwriters Luncheon
1981
Box: 3
Folder: 7
Black Writers Conference, Pittsburgh, PA
1991
Series 5: Booklets, 1946-1985
Box: 3
Folder: 8
Alameen, Stephany Inua. Loveflame.
1981
Box: 3
Folder: 9
Armstrong, Naomi Young. A Child's Easter.
1971
Box: 3
Folder: 10
Armstrong, Naomi Young. Expression I.
1973
Box: 3
Folder: 11
Atkins, Cheryl. Voices from My Heart.
1981
Box: 3
Folder: 12
Battle, Corey McQueen. Poems I.
1971
Box: 3
Folder: 13
Beach, Marion "Tumbleweed." Come Ride With Me.
1970
Box: 3
Folder: 14
Ben-Izreal, Rahzahn [Ronald H. Johnson]. Poems, Short Stories, and Rhythms.
1979
Box: 3
Folder: 15
Birch, McLane. The Kandi Man.
1970
Box: 3
Folder: 16
Browning, Alice. Black 'n' Blue.
1973
Box: 3
Folder: 17
Browning, Alice. It's Fun to Be Black.
1973
Box: 3
Folder: 18
Browning, Alice. It's No Fun to Be Black.
1972
Box: 3
Folder: 19
Browning, Alice. Fragment, Lionel Hampton's Swing Book.
1946
Box: 3
Folder: 20
Browning, Alice. Lionel Hampton's Swing Book.
1946
Box: 3
Folder: 21
Bruin, John. Thoughts Abroad.
1970
Box: 3
Folder: 22
Cage, Albert P. The Nothingness of War.
1947
Box: 3
Folder: 23
Caplan, Ron. Said A Meant.
1967
Box: 3
Folder: 24
Chicago Renaissance I.
1975
Box: 3
Folder: 25
Clemmons, Vincent. Sketches by Vince.
1973
Box: 3
Folder: 26
Cristen, Fatma. Poems of Blackness.
1970
Box: 4
Folder: 1
Dalton, Betty. 1973 Easter Anthology of Prayer Poems.
1973
Box: 4
Folder: 2
Danner, Margaret. Impression of African Art Forms.
1960
Box: 4
Folder: 3
Dean, Barbara Julian. The Key.
1970
Box: 4
Folder: 4
Demus, Myles. Poems to Ponder.
1976
Box: 4
Folder: 5
Diggs, Alfred. Naturally Black.
1968
Box: 4
Folder: 6
Dinwiddie, Faye Love. Song of the Mute.
1970
Box: 4
Folder: 7
Dominique, Otis G. I Know Why the River Cries.
1976
Box: 4
Folder: 8
DuSable Museum of African American History Publications Catalogue.
ca. 1969
Box: 4
Folder: 9
G'Ra [George Hines]. Inside Head Out.
1976
Box: 4
Folder: 10
Glascoe, Melvin Marcus. Man Born of a Dark Woman.
1971
Box: 4
Folder: 11
Graham, J. Rodney. Nation.
[n.d.]
Box: 4
Folder: 12
Griffin, Peggy Ann. Liberation Lyrics.
1984
Box: 4
Folder: 13
Hair Trigger III: A Story Workshop Anthology.
1979
Box: 4
Folder: 14
Hannah, Clayton L. A Collection: My Inner-Most Thoughts.
[n.d.]
Box: 4
Folder: 15
Harris, Glenethel. Thoughts to Share.
1972
Box: 4
Folder: 16
Happel, Edward John. Sword Dance.
1981
Box: 4
Folder: 17
Harper, Robert V. J. A Gift of Love.
1974
Box: 4
Folder: 18
Hayes, C.L. Feel Me.
1972
Box: 4
Folder: 19
Hayes, Walter T. Casing Some Niggars.
1973
Box: 4
Folder: 20
Henderson, Samuel C. From Unfathomable Depths to Unreachable Heights.
1974 [?]
Box: 4
Folder: 21
Henighan, Eleanor J. The All Seeing Eye and the Hands that Pray
1974
Box: 4
Folder: 22
Hernandez, David. Waking Up: Despertando
1971
Box: 5
Folder: 1
Jackson, Spencer. Black Survival.
[n.d.]
Box: 5
Folder: 2
Jamila-Ra [Maxine Hall Elliston]. The Good Book.
1971
Box: 5
Folder: 3
Jamila-Ra [Maxine Hall Elliston]. The Look at Yourself Book.
1977
Box: 5
Folder: 4
Kamau, H.B. When Men Gather.
1982
Box: 5
Folder: 5
Kilgore, James C. A Time of Black Devotion.
1971
Box: 5
Folder: 6
Kwasikpui, Doris B. A World of Their Own.
1973
Box: 5
Folder: 7
Lee, Don L. Think Black!
1969
Box: 5
Folder: 8
Lewis, Luevester. Jackie.
1970
Box: 5
Folder: 9
Luden, C.K. Coast to Coast.
1976
Box: 5
Folder: 10
LuTour, Lou. I Dreamed a Dream.
1969
Box: 5
Folder: 11
Macklin, Jacqueline. Falling Leaves.
1973
Box: 5
Folder: 12
Maida. Help! Somebody Save Me.
1973
Box: 5
Folder: 13
Marsh, Clifton E. Journey to Shamara.
1974
Box: 5
Folder: 14
Matanah. [Dorothy June Watkins]. Bits and Pieces.
1973
Box: 5
Folder: 15
McLaurin, Irma. Poems I.
1971
Box: 5
Folder: 16
McElroy, Njoki. Black Journey.
1975
Box: 5
Folder: 17
McGee, Pearl. Nigger I Love You.
1973
Box: 5
Folder: 18
McGee, Pearl. Twenty-Two Years on Welfare.
1972
Box: 5
Folder: 19
Mitchell, Joe H. Black Odyssey.
1975
Box: 6
Folder: 1
Mitchell, Joe H. Lovin' You.
1974
Box: 6
Folder: 2
Mitchell, Joe H. Nature's Child.
1974
Box: 6
Folder: 3
Mitchell, Joe H. fragment, O Woman.
1974
Box: 6
Folder: 4
Mitchell Joe H. O Woman.
1974
Box: 6
Folder: 5
Mitchell, Joe H. One Room Shack.
1973
Box: 6
Folder: 6
Mitchell, Joe H. Vignettes
1974
Box: 6
Folder: 7
Owens, Anne. Mike and Adrean.
1974
Box: 6
Folder: 8
Owens, Don Benn. The Most Controversial American and Why the Negro Race Lacks Unity.
1963
Box: 6
Folder: 9
Pahl, Stewart V. Humanism is Now!
1972
Box: 6
Folder: 10
Patterson, Lucille J. fragment, Sapphire.
1972
Box: 6
Folder: 11
Penny, Rob. Black Tones of Truth.
1968
Box: 6
Folder: 12
Perkins, Eugene. Black Expressions: An Anthology of New Black Poets.
1967
Box: 6
Folder: 13
Perkins, Eugene. Silhouette.
1970
Box: 6
Folder: 14
Pugh, Charles and Barbara. Dream of the Mask and Spear.
1975
Box: 6
Folder: 15
Randolph, Jeremy. Poems I.
1971
Box: 6
Folder: 16
Randolph, Jeremy. Poems II.
1971
Box: 6
Folder: 17
Rawls, Eugenia. A Certain Light.
1971
Box: 6
Folder: 18
Richardson, Nola. When One Loves.
1974
Box: 7
Folder: 1
Richardson, Sy. How to Survive in Hollywood.
1982
Box: 7
Folder: 2
Roby, June. My Soul.
1974
Box: 7
Folder: 3
Ruff, Robert. Accents on New Grass.
1970
Box: 7
Folder: 4
Salaam, Tayari kwa. Working Together We Can Make a Change.
1981
Box: 7
Folder: 5
Scott, Lewis E. The Coming of Lewis E. Scott.
1972
Box: 7
Folder: 6
Seals, Howard E. After 'Yuh Mamma'
1972
Box: 7
Folder: 7
Shah, Kimmah. The Giving of Love.
1979
Box: 7
Folder: 8
Simington, Ann Bowman. Love Is…
1970
Box: 7
Folder: 9
Smith, Dee. A Black Story: 8 Poems
1973
Box: 7
Folder: 10
Smith, Dee. Loving and Living.
1973
Box: 7
Folder: 11
Soul Session (poetry anthology)
1969
Box: 7
Folder: 12
Taylor, Rockie. Drum Song.
1969
Box: 7
Folder: 13
Tillman, Lise M. Of Violets and Blues.
1974
Box: 7
Folder: 14
Motley, Willard. Fragment, The Diaries of Willard Motley.
1979
Box: 7
Folder: 15
Muhammad, Elijah. Sayings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.
[n.d.]
Box: 7
Folder: 16
New Voices in Black Poetry, 1972
1972
Box: 7
Folder: 17
New Expressions in Black Poetry, 1974
1974
Box: 7
Folder: 18
Trussell, Jake. After Hours Poetry.
1964
Box: 7
Folder: 19
Trussell, Jake. Collected Poems.
1957
Box: 7
Folder: 20
Urban Voices
1985
Box: 7
Folder: 21
Warner. M.W.S. The Missing Link.
[n.d.]
Box: 7
Folder: 22
Whitaker, Hilda. With Foot in Mouth.
1973
Box: 7
Folder: 23
Whitaker, T. J. The Empty Road.
1971
Box: 7
Folder: 24
Williams, Jr., Edward. Liturgy of Edd.
1973
Box: 7
Folder: 25
Windham, Revish. Shades of Anger.
1972
Box: 7
Folder: 26
Windham, Revish. Shades of Black.
1970
Box: 7
Folder: 27
Zubena, Sister. Om Black.
[n.d.]
Series 6: Serials, 1944-1991
Serials are arranged alphabetically by title. Note that issues of The Browning Letter and Zip are in Oversize Box 12.
Box: 8
Folder: 1
African American Publishers, Booksellers, and Writers Assoc. Newsletter
1991
Box: 8
Folder: 2
Aim
1981
Box: 8
Folder: 3
Assoc. for Study of Afro-American Life and History Newsletter
1973
Box: 8
Folder: 4
Black Family
1981
Box: 8
Folder: 5
Black Writers News
1971-1972
Box: 8
Folder: 6
Black Writers News
1972
Box: 8
Folder: 7
Black Writers News
1973-1975
Box: 8
Folder: 8
Black Writer, The
1980
Box: 8
Folder: 9
Black Writer, The
1981
Box: 8
Folder: 10
Black Writer, The
1982
Box: 8
Folder: 11
Black Writer, The
1983
Box: 8
Folder: 12
Black Writer, The
1985
Box: 8
Folder: 13
Black Writer, The
1986
Box: 8
Folder: 14
Child Play
1945, 1971
Box: 8
Folder: 15
Connection
1970
Box: 8
Folder: 16
Garland Court Review
1969
Box: 8
Folder: 17
Green's Magazine
1973
Box: 9
Folder: 1
Negro Story
1944
Box: 9
Folder: 2
Negro Story
1945
Box: 9
Folder: 3
Negro Story
1946
Box: 9
Folder: 4
New Infinity Review
1974
Box: 9
Folder: 5
New Writers
1974
Box: 9
Folder: 6
Poetry
1973
Box: 9
Folder: 7
Protector, The
1949
Box: 9
Folder: 8
Soul Teleguide
1971
Box: 9
Folder: 9
Travel News
1969
Box: 9
Folder: 10
Villager, The
1961
Box: 9
Folder: 11
What's Happening
1978-1979
Box: 9
Folder: 12
Business Materials for Serials
1949-1984
Box: 9
Note: see Oversize Box 12 for issues of The Browning Letter and Zip
Series 7: Publicity and Memorabilia, 1959-1983
Box: 9
Folder: 14
Publicity Materials
1977-1982
Box: 9
Folder: 15
Flyer, "How's Your Sex Life" (play by Alice Browning)
n.d.
Box: 9
Folder: 16
Memorabilia
1959-1983
Box: 9
Folder: 17
Chino and Los Flamencos materials
1983
Series 8: Photographs and Audiovisual, 1953-1990
For audiovisual material, see Oversize box 12.
Box: 10
Folder: 001
A. Browning at IBWC, photo by J. Guidry
1973
Box: 10
Folder: 002
Alice Browning
1953
Box: 10
Folder: 003
A. Browning at Career Seminar at Malcolm X College
1974
Box: 10
Folder: 004
Alice Browning and unidentified at IBWC, from IBWC album
ca. 1970s
Box: 10
(Note: for a photocopy of the album from which photographs 004-044 were removed, see Oversize Box 12)
Box: 10
Folder: 005
IBWC, from IBWC album
ca. 1970s
Box: 10
Folder: 006
Barbara Cordell at IBWC, from IBWC Album
ca. 1970s
Box: 10
Folder: 007
Alice Browning, Dorothy Donnegan, and unidentified at IBWC, from IBWC album
ca. 1970s
Box: 10
Folder: 008
Alice Browning, Dorothy Donegan, and unidentified at IBWC, from IBWC album
ca. 1970s
Box: 10
Folder: 009
IBWC, from IBWC album
1974
Box: 10
Folder: 010
IBWC, from IBWC album
1974 [?]
Box: 10
Folder: 011
Dean Monti, Kim Kyp, Ed Happel, Alice Browning, from IBWC Album
[n.d.]
Box: 10
Folder: 012
IBWC, from IBWC album
1974 [?]
Box: 10
Folder: 013
from IBWC album
[n.d.]
Box: 10
Folder: 014
from IBWC album
[n.d.]
Box: 10
Folder: 015
from IBWC album
[n.d.]
Box: 10
Folder: 016
from IBWC album
[n.d.]
Box: 10
Folder: 017
Alice Browning and unidentified, from IBWC album
ca. 1970s
Box: 10
Folder: 018
from IBWC album
[n.d.]
Box: 10
Folder: 019
from IBWC album
[n.d.]
Box: 10
Folder: 020
from IBWC album
[n.d.]
Box: 10
Folder: 021
Barbara Julian Dean, unidentified, and Alice Browning, Washington D.C., from IBWC album
1971
Box: 10
Folder: 022
IBWC, from IBWC album
ca. 1970s
Box: 10
Folder: 023
IBWC, from IBWC album
ca. 1970s
Box: 10
Folder: 024
IBWC, from IBWC album
ca. 1970s
Box: 10
Folder: 025
Sam Greenlee at IBWC, from IBWC album
ca. 1970s
Box: 10
Folder: 026
Gwendolyn Brooks, from IBWC Album, photograph by Ruby Dee
ca. 1970s
Box: 10
Folder: 027
from IBWC album, photograph by Ruby Dee
[n.d.]
Box: 10
Folder: 028
Alice Browning at IBWC, from IBWC album
ca. 1970s
Box: 10
Folder: 029
Alice Browning at IBWC, from IBWC album
ca. 1970s
Box: 10
Folder: 030
Alice Browning and unidentified, from IBWC album
1968
Box: 10
Folder: 031
IBWC, from IBWC album
ca. 1970s
Box: 10
Folder: 032
Al Duckett, Alice Browning, Sam Greenlee, Sidney Jones, Connie Hedgepath, Barbara Julian Dean, Spencer Jackson, and Alice Browning, from IBWC Album
ca. 1970s
Box: 10
Folder: 033
from IBWC album
[n.d.]
Box: 10
Folder: 034
IBWC, from IBWC album
ca. 1970s
Box: 10
Folder: 035
IBWC, from IBWC album
ca. 1970s
Box: 10
Folder: 036
IBWC, from IBWC album
ca. 1970s
Box: 10
Folder: 037
IBWC, from IBWC album
ca. 1970s
Box: 10
Folder: 038
IBWC, from IBWC album
ca. 1970s
Box: 10
Folder: 039
IBWC, from IBWC album
ca. 1970s
Box: 10
Folder: 040
from IBWC album
[n.d.]
Box: 10
Folder: 041
from IBWC album
[n.d.]
Box: 10
Folder: 042
from IBWC album
[n.d.]
Box: 10
Folder: 043
Shirley Graham, from IBWC album
[n.d.]
Box: 10
Folder: 044
Alice Browning and unidentified, from IBWC album
[n.d.]
Box: 10
Folder: 045
Alice Browning at IBWC, photograph by Robert Williams
1976
Box: 10
Folder: 046
Darwin Walton at IBWC, photograph by Robert Williams
1976
Box: 10
Folder: 047
Glennette Turner (Children's Literature) at IBWC, photograph by Robert Williams
1976
Box: 10
Folder: 048
IBWC, photo by Robert Williams
1976
Box: 10
Folder: 049
IBWC, photo by Robert Williams
1976
Box: 10
Folder: 050
Haki Madhubuti at IBWC, photo by Robert Williams
1976
Box: 10
Folder: 051
Orlando White (Producer for WGN) at IBWC, photo by Robert Williams
1976
Box: 10
Folder: 052
Reginald Hayes (Public Relations Dir., Ebony Magazine) at IBWC, photo by Robert Williams
1976
Box: 10
Folder: 053
Kala Akbar (Assoc. Ed., Black Journalism Review) at IBWC, photo by Robert Williams
1976
Box: 10
Folder: 054
IBWC, photo by Robert Williams
1976
Box: 10
Folder: 055
Alice Browning at IBWC, photograph by Robert Williams
1976
Box: 10
Folder: 056
Madelyne Blunt (Coordinator ASALH) at IBWC, photo by Robert Williams
1976
Box: 10
Folder: 057
Madelyne Blunt (Coordinator ASALH) at IBWC, photo by Robert Williams
1976
Box: 10
Folder: 058
Alice Browning at IBWC, photograph by Robert Williams
1976
Box: 10
Folder: 059
Alice Browning at IBWC, photograph by Robert Williams
1976
Box: 10
Folder: 060
IBWC, photo by Robert Williams
1976
Box: 10
Folder: 061
Naomi Millender at IBWC, photo by Robert Williams
1976
Box: 10
Folder: 062
Frances Ward (L.A. Times reporter, founder of Kumba workshop) at IBWC, photo by Robert Williams
1976
Box: 10
Folder: 063
Val Gray Ward (Founder, Kumba Workshop), at IBWC, photo by Robert Williams
1976
Box: 10
Folder: 064
Alice Browning at IBWC, photograph by Robert Williams
1976
Box: 10
Folder: 065
cover of 1976 IBWC album
1976
Box: 10
Folder: 066
Alice Browning at IBWC
1978
Box: 10
Folder: 067
IBWC
1978
Box: 10
Folder: 068
Ivan vanSertima at IBWC
1978
Box: 10
Folder: 069
IBWC
1978
Box: 10
Folder: 070
IBWC
1978
Box: 10
Folder: 071
Eugene Redmond at IBWC
1978
Box: 10
Folder: 072
IBWC
1978
Box: 10
Folder: 073
IBWC
1978
Box: 10
Folder: 074
IBWC
1978
Box: 10
Folder: 075
IBWC
1978
Box: 10
Folder: 076
IBWC
1978
Box: 10
Folder: 077
IBWC
1978
Box: 10
Folder: 078
IBWC
1978
Box: 10
Folder: 079
IBWC
1978
Box: 10
Folder: 080
IBWC
1978
Box: 10
Folder: 081
IBWC
1978
Box: 10
Folder: 082
IBWC
1978
Box: 10
082a:
IBWC
1978
Box: 11
Folder: 083
Eugene Winslow at IBWC, photograph by Barbara Cordell [?]
1978
Box: 11
Folder: 084
Alice Browning, unidentified, and Vernon Jarrett at IBWC, photo by Barbara Cordell [?]
1978
Box: 11
Folder: 085
IBWC dinner, photo by B. Cordell [?]
1978
Box: 11
Folder: 086
IBWC dinner, photo by B. Cordell [?]
1978
Box: 11
Folder: 087
Alice Browning at IBWC dinner, photo by B. Cordell [?]
1978
Box: 11
Folder: 088
IBWC dinner, photo by B. Cordell [?]
1978
Box: 11
Folder: 089
IBWC, photo by B. Cordell [?]
1978
Box: 11
Folder: 090
IBWC, photo by B. Cordell [?]
1978
Box: 11
Folder: 091
Gwendolyn Brooks and Nora Brooks at IBWC, photo by B. Cordell [?]
1978
Box: 11
Folder: 092
Nora Brooks at IBWC, photo by B. Cordell [?]
1978
Box: 11
Folder: 093
Sam Greenlee at IBWC, photo by B. Cordell [?]
1978
Box: 11
Folder: 094
IBWC, photo by B. Cordell [?]
1978
Box: 11
Folder: 095
Vernon Jarrett at IBWC, photo by B. Cordell [?]
1978
Box: 11
Folder: 096
IBWC, photo by B. Cordell [?]
1978
Box: 11
Folder: 097
Jesse Evans and unidentified at IBWC dinner, photo by B. Cordell [?]
1978
Box: 11
Folder: 098
IBWC dinner, photo by B. Cordell [?]
1978
Box: 11
Folder: 099
Alice Browning at IBWC dinner, photo by B. Cordell [?]
1978
Box: 11
Folder: 100
Sam Greenlee and Alice Browning at IBWC, photo by B. Cordell [?]
1978
Box: 11
Folder: 101
Sam Greenlee and Alice Browning at IBWC, photo by B. Cordell [?]
1978
Box: 11
Folder: 102
Gwendolyn Brooks at IBWC, photo by B. Cordell [?]
1978
Box: 11
Folder: 103
Glennette Turner at IBWC, photo by B. Cordell [?]
1978
Box: 11
Folder: 104
IBWC, photo by B. Cordell [?]
1978
Box: 11
Folder: 105
IBWC, photo by B. Cordell [?]
1978
Box: 11
Folder: 106
Lake Shore Drive from McCormick Place, photo by B. Cordell [?]
1978
Box: 11
Folder: 107
Lake Shore Drive from McCormick Place, photo by B. Cordell [?]
1978
Box: 11
Folder: 108
Alice Browning at IBWC
[n.d.]
Box: 11
Folder: 109
Alice Browning at IBWC, photo by Ruby Dee [?]
[n.d.]
Box: 11
Folder: 110
IBWC
[n.d.]
Box: 11
Folder: 111
IBWC
[n.d.]
Box: 11
Folder: 112
IBWC
[n.d.]
Box: 11
Folder: 113
Glennette Turner and Mildred Johnson at IBWC
[n.d.]
Box: 11
Folder: 114
IBWC
[n.d.]
Box: 11
Folder: 115
unidentified funeral
[n.d.]
Box: 11
Folder: 116
unidentified funeral
[n.d.]
Box: 11
Folder: 117
unidentified funeral
[n.d.]
Box: 11
Folder: 118
negatives from unidentified funeral
[n.d.]
Box: 11
Folder: 119
negatives from unidentified funeral
[n.d.]
Box: 11
Folder: 120
unidentified funeral
[n.d.]
Box: 11
Folder: 121
negative from unidentified funeral
[n.d.]
Box: 11
Folder: 122
negative from unidentified funeral
[n.d.]
Box: 11
Folder: 123
Colostine Boatwright
[n.d.]
Box: 11
Folder: 124
Colostine Boatwright
[n.d.]
Box: 11
Folder: 125
Colostine Boatwright
[n.d.]
Box: 11
Folder: 126
Colostine Boatwright
[n.d.]
Box: 11
Folder: 127
Colostine Boatwright
[n.d.]
Box: 11
Folder: 128
Colostine Boatwright
[n.d.]
Box: 11
Folder: 129
Harsh Collection Exhibit: Chicago's Black Writers and Publishers
Box: 11
Folder: 130
Harsh Collection Exhibit: Chicago's Black Writers and Publishers
Box: 11
Folder: 131
Harsh Collection Exhibit: Chicago's Black Writers and Publishers
Box: 11
Folder: 132
Harsh Collection Exhibit: Chicago's Black Writers and Publishers
Box: 11
Folder: 133
Harsh Collection Exhibit: Chicago's Black Writers and Publishers
Box: 11
Folder: 134
Michael Flug at desk of Harsh Collection
Box: 11
Folder: 135
Harsh Collection Exhibit: Chicago's Black Writers and Publishers
Oversize
Box: 12
VHS tape, Tribute to Alice Browning IBWC 1986
1986
Box: 12
VHS tape, IBWC 15th anniversary, July 1, 1985
1985
Box: 12
Folder: 1
The Browning Letter
1953
Box: 12
Folder: 2
The Browning Letter
1954
Box: 12
Folder: 3
The Browning Letter
1955
Box: 12
Folder: 4
Zip
1963
Box: 12
Folder: 5
Zip
1964
Box: 12
Folder: 6
Browning Letter fragments
n.d.