The Holidays Inc and the National Archives for Black Women’s History

1. National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Mary McLeod Bethune Council HouseNational Historic Site The Holidays Inc and the National Archives for Black Women’s History Preserving The Past to Serve The Future: Effective Chapter ManagementAn Intergenerational Imperative E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

2. Tazwell Franklin Archives Technician National Archives for Black Women’s History (NABWH) Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site 202-673-2402 Tazwell_Franklin@nps.gov National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

3. We in the Present have a Responsibility to both the Past and the Future We are part of an Intergenerational Continuum E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

4. A Legacy Dating Back to 1939 • In 1939, the NCNW established an Archives Committee to document the experiences of African American women in America. • Throughout the years, the NCNW has remained active in preserving and maintaining historical consciousness and cultural awareness. The NCNW’s Aframerican Woman’s Journal promoted the Archives in the 1940s. E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

5. A Legacy Dating Back to 1939 Mrs. Bethune, Jeanetta Welch Brown, Sue Bailey Thurman, and Arabella Denniston viewing the newest editions to the National Archives for Negro Women’s History. E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

6. Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial Museum and Archives • In 1977, as part of the Mary McLeod Bethune Historical Development Project and under the leadership of Dr. Bettye Collier-Thomas, the NCNW created the National Archives for Black Women’s History and the Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial Museum. • The Museum and Archives was developed for the purpose of preserving and interpreting documents and artifacts which illuminate and explain the historical experience of African American women in the United States. E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

7. Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial Museum and Archives • The Bethune Museum and Archives was located at the first headquarters of the NCNW at 1318 Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, D.C., and was incorporated as the Bethune Museum and Archives, Inc. 1318 Vermont Avenue during the restoration process in the late-1970s. E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

8. Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial Museum and Archives • The opening ceremonies of the Bethune Museum and Archives, on November 11, 1979, were held in conjunction with the First National Scholarly Research Conference On Black Women. Bettye Collier-Thomas and Dorothy Height speaking at the opening. E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

9. The National Park Service • In 1982, an Act of Congress designated the house at 1318 Vermont Avenue, NW, as the Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site. • The Bethune Museum and Archives, Inc., continued to manage the Site with the cooperation of the National Park Service. E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

10. The National Park Service • In 1991, a second Act of Congress authorized the National Park Service to acquire by purchase and donation the land, buildings, and collections of the Site. • The purposes of the 1991 act were to — • 1. preserve and interpret the life and work of Mary McLeod Bethune; • 2. preserve and interpret the history, lives, and contributions of African American women; and • 3. preserve and interpret the struggle for civil rights in the United States of America. E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

11. The National Park Service • One of the tasks enumerated in the Act was: • …to administer the archives currently located at the historic site, including providing reasonable access to the archives by scholars and other interested parties. • Operating and maintaining the National Archives for Black Women’s History is, by law, central to the mission of the Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site. E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

12. The National Park Service • On May 10, 1994, the National Park Service acquired the property and collections of the Bethune Museum and Archives, Inc. • The Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site is now a full unit of the National Park Service, owned, operated, and funded by the Federal Government for the benefit of the American people. E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

13. The NABWH Today • The National Archives for Black Women’s History serves as the repository for 63 collections. • Among these 63 collections are The Holidays Incorporated Records. E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

14. The NABWH Today The Holidays Incorporated Records contain a rich history of the organization from its birth to the present. The items at the NABWH that document this history include correspondence, photographs, scrapbooks, annual reports, and a host of other material. E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

15. The NABWH Today E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

16. The NABWH Today E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

17. The NABWH Today E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

18. The NABWH Today The NABWH is the home for over 4000 photographs relating to the NCNW and organizations, like The Holidays Incorporated, and individuals affiliated with the NCNW. E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A