Study Notes on 'Mining the Forgotten: Manuscript Sources for Black Women's History'

Overview of the Article

  • Title: Mining the Forgotten: Manuscript Sources for Black Women's History

  • Author: Deborah Gray White

  • Published In: The Journal of American History, Vol. 74, No. 1 (June 1987), pp. 237-242

  • Purpose: To explore manuscript sources significant for studying black women's history, emphasizing the importance of these narratives and advocating for increased recognition of black women's contributions in historical contexts.

  • Publisher: Oxford University Press on behalf of Organization of American Historians

  • Access: Available via JSTOR.

Historical Context

  • Lack of Focus on Black Women's History:

    • Ten years prior to writing, significant historical journals rarely addressed black women's history.

    • Interest in this area was minimal; some collections that now exist did not exist in the past.

  • Emergence of relevant fields:

    • The work is a response to the growth of Afro-American history and women's history.

    • Historians researching these fields have recognized the absence of black women in historical narratives.

Manuscript Sources

  • General Observations:

    • The article does not aim to be a comprehensive survey of manuscript collections but serves as a starting point for discovering records related to black women's history.

    • The visibility of black women and their roles in history has often been obscured due to systemic biases.

  • Role of Black Women in History:

    • Black women have historically played major roles in protest movements, albeit with differing motivations and styles than their male counterparts.

    • Their entry into public life (work and politics) was marked by differing challenges and objectives compared to white women.

Challenges in Researching Manuscript Sources

  • Oral Tradition vs Written Record:

    • A nearly 300-year history of illiteracy among black individuals affects the availability and types of records.

    • Black women's experiences are poorly documented as traditional record-keepers (men and white women) often overlooked their narratives.

  • Scarcity of Records:

    • Manuscript collections on black women are scarce due to multiple factors, including oral tradition and historical underrepresentation in archival settings.

  • Accessibility Issues in Archives:

    • Many archives and indexes were established before black women's contributions were recognized, making it difficult to locate relevant materials.

    • An example includes the Southern Historical Collection, where the index is primarily organized around white individuals.

Notable Manuscript Collections

  • Work Projects Administration (WPA) Slave Narrative Collection:

    • Ethical importance as a collection of personal oral histories documenting black women's experiences.

  • Black Women in the Midwest Project (BWMW):

    • Founded by historian Darlene Clark Hine; aimed to document black women's history across five Midwestern states, though ultimately focused on Illinois and Indiana.

    • Hosted a variety of records, including personal papers, oral histories, and organizational documents of black women.

  • Claude A. Barnett Papers:

    • Located at the Chicago Historical Society; documents relating to various aspects of black women's lives, organized by subject.

  • National Archives for Black Women's History and Bethune- Cookman College Records:

    • The Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial Museum holds critical records related to black women's history; includes the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) archives.

Implications and Future Directions

  • Research and Visibility:

    • The increasing interest in black women's history will lead to further uncovering of previously lost documents and records.

  • Future Projects:

    • Ongoing re-evaluations of archives may increase the representation and accessibility of black women's historical narratives.

  • Final Thoughts:

    • Black women's history is essential for a holistic understanding of American history, providing a crucial bridge that connects the concurrent narratives of both black and women’s histories.

    • With heightened awareness, archivists and scholars alike will contribute to making the history of black women a recognized and central facet of American history.