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Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation A Guide to the Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation Records MG 54

A Guide to the Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation Records MG 54


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ODU Community Collections

3000 Perry Library
4427 Hampton Blvd.
Norfolk, VA 23529
Business Number: 757-683-5350
libspecialcollections@odu.edu
URL: https://www.odu.edu/library/special-collections

Jan Halecki

Repository
ODU Community Collections
Identification
MG 54
Title
Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation Records 1939-1964, undated Date acquired: 07/19/1982
URL:
Archon Finding Aid location
Quantity
0.60 Linear Feet
Quantity
1 Hollinger document case boxes
Creator
Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation (Norfolk, Va.)
Language
English .
Abstract
Founded in 1945 as an interracial organization designed to address concerns with education, health, and housing among the Afro-American community in Norfolk. Predecessor to the Norfolk Human Relations Council. Includes correspondence, newspapers clippings, minutes, reports, pamphlets, and membership lists. Bulk of the organization's records are in the archives at Norfolk State University.

Administrative Information

Conditions Governing Use

Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, and the holder of the copyright, if not Old Dominion University Libraries.

Conditions Governing Access

Open to researchers without restrictions.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Box [insert number], Folder [insert number and title], Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

Source of Acquisition

Mrs. H. M. Silverman

Method of Acquisition

Gift of Mrs. H.M. Silverman, president of the organization from 1955 to 1957. Accession #A82-13

Biographical or Historical Information

On April 17, 1945, eight black and eleven white women met in the vestry room of Ohef Sholom Temple in Norfolk. Mrs. Vivian Carter Mason had invited these women in order to consider forming an interracial committee. All the women present were active in civic organizations, and came from different religious backgrounds.

At that first meeting it was decided that such an interracial group could indeed be beneficial to Norfolk. Furthermore, they decided that their organization should be autonomous - not affiliated with any other organization, but working in cooperation with them.

Mrs. Mason was appointed temporary chairman and the group held meetings in May, June, and September. The first two meetings were devoted to establishing a constitution and coming up with a name. By December, there were 86 members.

Early in 1946, the WCIC was becoming active in the public school system, and worked with the public libraries and the Boy Scouts to notify the public of their humanitarian goals. These goals were: to improve city facilities for education, recreation, employment, and health; improve interracial attitudes; to seek equality of opportunity for everyone; and to work towards full citizenship privileges for all

The WCIC implemented these goals by calling attention to the need for more blacks in civic occupations; worked with health organizations in providing testing for diseases and public health information; held public meetings and other activities with nationally known speakers to advance the ideas of integration; and met with city officials concerning proper housing for the poor. For the first two years the group met in different churches and kept their files and printed materials in the homes of its officers and chairmen. Finally the WCIC was able to get space for an office and meetings at the YWCA. This lasted for several years.

As stress in Norfolk over the desegregation of public schools reached a climax, the WCIC found itself pitted against many opponents of desegregation. It became more difficult to find meeting places open to such a group. Also, when they did find a place, they often could not advertise their meeting because of criticism and possible censure it would draw towards those who allowed such a meeting to take place at their establishment. Consequently, for a period of time, the WCIC worked more "behind the scenes" than in the public eye. However the effectiveness of the group endured and through their studies and reports of other cities with integrated school systems, the group helped Norfolk overcome the crisis in 1958 when the public high schools were shut down.

Note written by Jan Halecki

Scope and Contents

The Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation (WCIC) was an organization of white and black women devoted to fostering racial harmony. The records include the organization's constitution, minutes of meetings, correspondence, speeches, annual reports, member lists, booklets, pamphlets, programs, invitations, newspaper clippings and published articles. Of interest is a transcribed panel report titled, "How Norfolk Opened Her Schools," dated February 2, 1959, and Susan Slaughter's personal account of the "First Fifteen Years of WCIC." In addition, there is material relating to the inception and early history of the Human Relations Council, which superseded the WCIC.

Related Material

Vivian Carter Mason Interviews (MG 53)

Edith R. White Papers (MG 109)

Subjects and Indexing Terms

  • African Americans--Civil rights
  • Human Relations Council (Norfolk, Va.)
  • Mason, Vivian Carter (1900-1982)
  • Norfolk (Va.)--History--20th century
  • Norfolk (Va.)--Politics and government--20th century
  • Race relations--History--20th century
  • Racism--Prevention
  • School integration--Massive resistance movement
  • School integration--Virginia--Norfolk--History--20th century
  • Virginia--Politics and government
  • Virginia--Politics and government--1865-1950
  • Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation (Norfolk, Va.)
  • Women--Virginia--Social conditions

Significant Places Associated With the Collection

  • Norfolk (Va.)--History--20th century
  • Norfolk (Va.)--Politics and government--20th century
  • Virginia--Politics and government
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Container List

Mixed Materials box: 1 Box 1
Box 1
  • Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 1 Folder 1
    Folder 1: Annual Reports Constitution Rules Etc.
    1945-1959
    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 1, Annual Reports Constitution Rules Etc., 1945-1959, Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

  • Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 2 Folder 2
    Folder 2: Annual Reports Commission on Community Relations
    1963 September 4-1964 June 22
    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 2, Annual Reports Commission on Community Relations, 1963 September 4-1964 June 22, Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

  • Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 3 Folder 3
    Folder 3: Board Members and Other Lists
    undated
    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 3, Board Members and Other Lists, undated, Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

  • Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 4 Folder 4
    Folder 4: Booklets and Pamphlets WCIC and Virginia Council
    1963-1964
    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 4, Booklets and Pamphlets WCIC and Virginia Council, 1963-1964, Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

  • Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 5 Folder 5
    Folder 5: Board Minutes
    1960 September 14-1964 April 19
    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 5, Board Minutes, 1960 September 14-1964 April 19, Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

  • Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 6 Folder 6
    Folder 6: Correspondence Clippings to Dwight D. Eisenhower
    1964 March 14
    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 6, Correspondence Clippings to Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1964 March 14, Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

  • Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 7 Folder 7
    Folder 7: Correspondence to and from Sen. Hubert Humphrey
    1964 June 1
    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 7, Correspondence to and from Sen. Hubert Humphrey, 1964 June 1, Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

  • Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 8 Folder 8
    Folder 8: Correspondence Concerning Printed Materials
    1962 February 15
    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 8, Correspondence Concerning Printed Materials, 1962 February 15, Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

  • Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 9 Folder 9
    Folder 9: Correspondence and Potential Speakers
    1951-1952
    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 9, Correspondence and Potential Speakers, 1951-1952, Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

  • Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 10 Folder 10
    Folder 10: Correspondence and Potential Speakers
    1952-1955
    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 10, Correspondence and Potential Speakers, 1952-1955, Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

  • Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 11 Folder 11
    Folder 11: Miscellaneous Correspondence
    undated
    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 11, Miscellaneous Correspondence, undated, Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

  • Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 12 Folder 12
    Folder 12: Innovations
    undated
    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 12, Innovations, undated, Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

  • Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 13 Folder 13
    Folder 13: Magazine Articles
    undated
    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 13, Magazine Articles, undated, Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

  • Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 14 Folder 14
    Folder 14: Newspaper Clippings
    1954 December-1958 November
    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 14, Newspaper Clippings, 1954 December-1958 November, Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

  • Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 15 Folder 15
    Folder 15: Newspaper Clippings
    1959 January 1-20
    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 15, Newspaper Clippings, 1959 January 1-20, Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

  • Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 16 Folder 16
    Folder 16: Newspaper Clippings
    1959 January 2-30
    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 16, Newspaper Clippings, 1959 January 2-30, Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

Mixed Materials box: 2 Box 2
Box 2
  • Mixed Materials box: 2 folder: 1 Folder 1
    Folder 1: Newspaper Clippings
    1959 January 30-1959 February 21
    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 1, Newspaper Clippings, 1959 January 30-1959 February 21, Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

  • Mixed Materials box: 2 folder: 2 Folder 2
    Folder 2: Newspaper Clippings
    undated
    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 2, Newspaper Clippings, undated, Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

  • Mixed Materials box: 2 folder: 3 Folder 3
    Folder 3: Norfolk Human Relations Council
    1964 September
    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 3, Norfolk Human Relations Council, 1964 September, Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

  • Mixed Materials box: 2 folder: 4 Folder 4
    Folder 4: Norfolk Story: "How Norfolk Opened Her Schools"
    1954 February 2
    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 4, Norfolk Story: "How Norfolk Opened Her Schools", 1954 February 2, Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

  • Mixed Materials box: 2 folder: 5 Folder 5
    Folder 5: Photographs
    undated
    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 5, Photographs, undated, Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

  • Mixed Materials box: 2 folder: 6 Folder 6
    Folder 6: Programs and Miscellaneous Events
    undated
    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 6, Programs and Miscellaneous Events, undated, Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

  • Mixed Materials box: 2 folder: 7 Folder 7
    Folder 7: American Red Cross Certificate
    1939 March
    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 7, American Red Cross Certificate, 1939 March, Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

  • Mixed Materials box: 2 folder: 8 Folder 8
    Folder 8: Speeches
    undated
    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 8, Speeches, undated, Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

  • Mixed Materials box: 2 folder: 9 Folder 9
    Folder 9: YWCA Material
    1961 July 7
    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 9, YWCA Material, 1961 July 7, Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.