Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

Charlottesville Interracial Commission Papers, Accession 3161, Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library

Acquisition Information

These papers were loaned to the University of Virginia Library by Jack Dalton, former Librarian of Alderman Library, on March 30, 1949.

Funding Note

Funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities

Scope and Content

This collection consists of the papers of the Charlottesville Interracial Commission , 1942-1950 and undated, ca. 100 items, including attendance records, constitution and by-laws, correspondence, and minutes of the meetings, which also included various reports, such as one on the employment opportunities for African-Americans in Charlottesville (1949 Nov 10); the problem of the Negro welfare case worker in Charlottesville (1943 Feb); and a proposed program for interracial cooperation in Virginia (ca. 1947 May).

Among the correspondence is a letter from Dr. W.A. Plecker , State Registrar, Bureau of Vital Statistics, April 21, 1943, responding to a letter from L.G. Moffat , written on behalf of the Charlottesville Interracial Commission , taking issue with the use of the word "mongrel" by Plecker in a form letter to local registrars. The form letter, also present, discusses attempts by various groups to avoid registering on their birth certificates as Negroes and the efforts of the Bureau of Vital Statistics to prevent their success. Also present are some newsclippings, attached to a letter from Colgate Darden to Jack Dalton , October 19, 1950, with "information on the Negro."