Twentieth-Century African American Collections at The Filson

68 OHIO VALLEY HISTORY Collection Essay Twentieth-Century African American Collections at The Filson I n May 2012, The Filson Historical Society hosted a three-day conference entitled, “National Issues, Local Struggles: The Civil Rights Movement in the Ohio Valley and Beyond.” Along with the event, Special Collections staff, in collaboration with Curator Jim Holmberg and Director Mark Wetherington, prepared an exhibit entitled, “20th Century African American Collections at The Filson” that provided an overview of some of The Filson’s African American research materials drawn from the manuscript, photograph, library, and museum collections. These items reflected a wide spectrum of twentieth century African American life—family, home, work, education, military service, religious and social organizations, racial prejudice and violence, and the Civil Rights Movement. The exhibit underscored the experiences of women, men, and children in the long struggle against segregation and the barriers to economic, social, and political opportunity, a struggle that continues today. This collections essay, based in part on the exhibit, seeks to highlight The Filson’s holdings on the important roles played by African Americans in the Ohio Valley region during the twentieth century. Careers and Professional Life Several collections of personal papers document the professional lives of African American men and women in the region. Samuel M. Plato (1882-1957) was a prominent African American architect and builder who not only made important contributions to the African American community in Louisville, but also achieved recognition for his designs nationwide. The Plato Family Papers include some of his business correspondence, as well as personal letters from his family members in Alabama. Additionally, the Samuel Plato Photograph Collection contains images of Plato, his first wife Nettie Lusby Plato (1879-1924), his second wife Elnora Davis Plato (1891-1975), and other family members and friends. Also included are construction photos of many of his architectural works: post offices around the country, defense housing projects, residences, churches, subdivisions , and theaters. JENNIFER COLE FALL 2014 69 The Margaret Smith (1897-1986) Papers document the professional life and social activities of an African American woman of Louisville from the 1920s through her death in 1986. The collection is mainly composed of personal correspondence with the family who employed her, the Heyburns, as well as diaries. These diaries describe Smith’s daily routine, particularly work for the Heyburn family, recreational activities, weather, dental problems, her general health, and her attendance at Zion Baptist Church. The Matthews Family Papers and the William B. Matthews Miscellaneous Collection document the life of educator William B. Matthews (1864-1940), the principal of Louisville’s Central Colored High School from 1912 until his retirement in 1934. The collections consist of letters, pamphlets, essays, along with advertising and fund raising cards, centering on the career, civic engagement , and personal interests of Matthews and his family. The letters concern African American school affairs, in particular, Central High School, as well as civic, church, and YMCA activities. The collections give an overview of African American aspirations and involvement in the Louisville area in the early years of the twentieth century. Faith Pillow (1954-2003) was a singer and composer born and raised in Louisville. In the 1970s, after a series of singing engagements in Louisville, she moved to Chicago and began her career as a singer/songwriter, which took her to Mary Lusby Reed, Nettie Lusby Plato, Stella Lusby, and Martha (Mattie) Lusby McElroy (not ordered), Lusby Family Photograph Collection. THE FILSON HISTORICAL SOCIETY TWENTIETH-CENTURY AFRICAN AMERICAN COLLECTIONS AT THE FILSON 70 OHIO VALLEY HISTORY Los Angeles and the Netherlands. The Faith Pillow Papers document the career of this talented woman, and include sheet music, lyric sheets, recordings, photographs, promotional materials, periodical clippings, and a journal related to Pillow’s career. Dr. Jesse Bennett Bell (1904-1998), a native of Louisiana, received his medical degree from Meharry Medical College in Nashville in 1931 and, after moving to Louisville, devoted his career to public health, working with Waverly Hills Sanitarium and Louisville’s Health Department. He served as medical director of the Red Cross Hospital from 1942 to 1946, and opened a part-time private practice in Louisville. His collection consists of correspondence with numerous boards and organizations to which...