Young Women's Christian Association of Philadelphia (Pa.), Southwest-Belmont Branch Records
Collection ID
URB 42, PC-29
Related Subjects
Collecting Areas
Description
Collection Summary
Title
Young Women's Christian Association of Philadelphia (Pa.), Southwest-Belmont Branch Records
Dates
1920-1977
Collection ID
URB 42, PC-29
Creator
Young Women's Christian Association of Philadelphia (Pa.). Southwest-Belmont Branch
Quantity
34 linear feet (67 boxes)
Repository
Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries
Language
Materials in English.
Detailed Collection Information
Historical Note
Perhaps the oldest black Y.W.C.A. branch in the United States, the Southwest Branch, later the Southwest-Belmont Branch following a merger with the Belmont Y.W.C.A. in the 1930s, was founded in 1870 when a group of African American women formed the Colored Women's Christian Association. In 1912, this organization affiliated with the Philadelphia Y.W.C.A. as the Southwest Branch, otherwise known as the "Catherine Street 'Y.'" Its leadership in the Philadelphia African American community is evidenced by its hosting of such events as the National Negro Congress in the 1930s and the stature of its members in groups such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (N.A.A.C.P.), the Urban League, and the Pennsylvania Child Labor Association. The Southwest-Belmont Y.W.C.A. also provided assistance to African American women seeking jobs and, following a gift from John Wanamaker, the branch operated the Elizabeth Frye House to help African American women coming to Philadelphia find a place to stay.
Description of Collection
This collection contains administrative records, correspondence, financial records, minutes, committee and project records, reports, and photographs related to the YWCA Southwest-Belmont Branch.
Organization and Arrangement
The collection is arranged into 7 series as follows:
Series 1: Committee and Department Files, 1920-1977
Series 2: Staff Papers, 1934-1967
Series 3: Correspondence, 1929-1960
Series 4: City, Regional and National YWCA Files, 1927-1960
Series 5: Community and Civic Activities, 1922-1960
Series 6: Membership and Finances, 1924-1960
Series 7: Photographs, 1941-1955
Patron Information
Catalog Record
A record for this collection is available in Temple University’s online library catalog: http://diamond.temple.edu/record=b1636799~S12
Research Access
Collection is open for research.
Collections Stored Off-Site
This collection may be housed off-site at the Library Depository, and require up to two business days to retrieve. Please review the finding aid and be prepared to identify specific materials to be retrieved. Contact the Special Collections Research Center in advance of your visit, so that materials may be relocated to the reading room for research.
Publication and Copyright Information
The Young Women's Christian Association of Philadelphia (Pa.), Southwest-Belmont Branch Records are in custody of the Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries. Intellectual property rights, including copyright, belong to the authors or their legal heirs and assigns. Researchers are responsible for determining the identity of rights holders and obtaining their permission for publication and for other purposes where stated.
Preferred Citation
[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Young Women's Christian Association of Philadelphia (Pa.), Southwest-Belmont Branch Records, Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Administrative Information
Acquisition Information
Deposited through Mrs. Mayme A. Sims, Executive Director, January 20, 1971 (Accession 77), and through Tamra March, Area Administrator, September 1978 (Accession 356).
Processing Information
Finding aid revised according to contemporary archival standards in June 2015.
Index Terms
The following headings have been used to index the description of this collection in Temple University’s electronic catalog:
Corporate Names:
Young Women's Christian Association of Philadelphia (Pa.). Southwest-Belmont Branch
Subjects:
African American women--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia
Associations, institutions, etc.--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia
Women--Services for--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia
Young Women's Christian associations
Places:
Philadelphia (Pa.)
South Philadelphia (Pa.)
Material Types:
Administrative records
Articles of incorporation
Bylaws (administrative records)
Correspondence
Financial records
Mailing lists
Manuscripts
Minutes
Negatives
Photographs
Reports
Inventory
Series 1: Committee and Department Files, 1920-1977
1 1 Constitution, By-Laws and Directory undated
1 1a Constitution and By-Laws Undated
1 1b Founders'-Day Memorial 1977
1 2-11 Committee of Management Minutes 1923-1945
2 12-24 Committee of Management Minutes 1946-1964
3 25 Committee of Management Minutes 1965-1967
3 26-27 Belmont Center Committee of Management Minutes 1929-1934
3 28 Adult Committee 1958-1959
3 29-31 Business and Professional Department 1929-1937, 1947-1949
3 32 Camp Committee 1941-1942
3 33 Employment Committee 1951-1953
3 34-37 Health Education Department 1929-1940
4 38-40 Health Education Department 1941-1946, 1958-1959
4 41 Industrial Committee 1920-1922
4 42-43 Industrial Department 1935-1939
4 44-48 Junior Activities Department 1934-1942
4 49-52 Membership Committee 1935-1947
5 53-59 Membership Committee 1948-1965
5 60-72 Nominating Committee 1932-1959
6 73-75 Program Planning Committee 1953, 1957, 1960-1962
6 76-79 Public Affairs Committee 1936-1947
6 80-82 Publicity Committee 1935-1947
6 83-87 Senior Activities Department 1939-1942, 1947-1953
7 88-89 Staff Agenda Committee 1937, 1940-1942
7 90 Volunteer Leadership Committee 1946-1947
7 91-95 World Fellowship Committee 1935-1937, 1948-1950, 1958-1966
7 96-97 Y-Teen Department 1948, 1958-1959
7 98 Young Adult Department 1952-1955
8 99-111 Committee Lists 1938-1963
8 112 Committee Mailing Lists 1947-1950
8 113 Committee Responsibilities 1941
8 114-115 Annual Reports 1924-1935
9 116-133 Annual Reports 1936-1952
10 134-138 Annual Reports 1954, 1959-1960, 1965, 1967
10 139-140 Annual Reports: Dinner Tickets 1947, 1950-1951
10 141 Branch Committee Reports 1943
10 142-143 Department Reports 1924-1928, 1938
10 144-150 Executive Director's Reports 1940, 1946-1948
11 151-154 Executive Director's Reports 1950-1953, 1958
11 155-163 General Secretary's Reports 1927-1949
12 164 Medical Reports Undated
12 165-166 Miscellaneous Reports 1926-1930 1941-1942
12 167-175 Narrative Reports 1923-1925, 1933-1934, 1940- 1944, 1948-1952
12 176 Procedure Reports 1939
12 177 Program Plan Reports 1947-1948
13 178 Publicity Reports Undated
13 179 Setting-Up Report 1940-1941
13 180-181 Southwest YWCA Reports 1924-1928, 1939
13 182-196 Statistical Reports 1924-1930, 1937-1946
14 197-206 Statistical Reports 1947-1954
15 207-212 Statistical Reports 1954-1957
16 213 Statistical Reports 1958
16 214 Summary of Policy's Reports 1946-1963
Series 2: Staff Papers, 1934-1967
16 1-7 Correspondence and Memos 1937-1944
17 8-14 Correspondence and Memos 1944-1949
18 15-20 Correspondence and Memos 1950-1959
18 21-22 Accident Reports 1934-1946
18 23 Activities Schedules 1947-1948
18 24 Activities Staff 1938-1941
18 25 Administration 1959
18 26-27 Administrative Staff Minutes 1944-1951
19 28 Branch Programs 1942-1950
19 29 Branch Questionnaires 1943-1945
19 30-32 Building Use 1951-1955
19 33 Clerical Salary Study 1948
19 34 Committee Agendas 1935
19 35 Day Camp Personnel 1958
19 36 Electors 1947
19 37-38 Employee Evaluation Forms 1935-1945
19 39-42 Employee Information 1934-1947
19 43 Field Work Supervisors 1940-1941
20 44 Group Work Seminar 1935
20 45-48 Group Work Students 1938-1941
20 49 Housewarming Plan 1949-1950
20 50 Information Desk undated
20 51-52 Job Analyses 1938-1943
20 53 Job Applicants 1934-1935
20 54-57 Job Descriptions 1946-1957
20 58 Job Evaluations 1958-1959
21 59 Junior Employment Service 1939-1941
21 60 Medical Examinations 1948
21 61 Monthly Work Sheets 1942-1943
21 62-64 N.A.E.O. 1936-1940
21 65 N.A.P.W. 1949-1950
21 66 Personnel Classification Study 1943-1946
21 67-68 Personnel Collective Bargaining 1938-1950
21 69-75 Personnel Committee 1935-1950
22 76-78 Personnel Policies 1935-1945, 1951
22 79 Personnel Records 1947
22 80 Professional Staff Minutes 1945-1947
22 81 Program-Evaluation 1958-1959
22 82-87 Residence Reports 1936-1951
22 88 Residence Study 1937-1945
22 89 Salaries and Solicitation Practices 1951-1959
23 90 Senior Activities Applicants 1946-1947
23 91 Senior Activities - Mrs. Ryan 1945-1947
23 92 Senior Activities Staff Memos 1952
23 93-94 Sick Leave 1941-1944, 1948
23 95-98 Staff Applications 1943-1945, 1949-1951, 1958-1959
23 99 Staff Emphasis 1950-1951
23 100-101 Staff Guides 1964-1967
23 102 Staff Manuals Undated
23 103-107 Staff Meeting Minutes 1935-1945
24 108-112 Staff Meeting Minutes 1945-1953
24 113 Staff Policies 1950-1951
24 114 Staff Projects 1948-1949
24 115-117 Staff Reports 1929-1950
24 118 Staff Research Reports 1957-1962
24 119 Staff Training Visit 1941
25 120-121 Student-in-Training 1946-1947
25 122 Suggested Rules of Procedure 1936
25 123 Summary of Staff Reports 1957-1959
25 124-127 Summer Schedules 1947-1953
25 128 Teen Director Applicants 1949
25 129 Teen Position Applicants 1952
25 130 Vacancy Registration Forms 1949
25 131-132 Volunteers 1939-1940, 1949-1951
25 133 Y-Teen Committee Volunteers 1950
Series 3: Correspondence, 1929-1960
26 1-13 General Correspondence 1929-1937
27 14-23 General Correspondence 1937-1942
28 24-32 General Correspondence 1942-1944
29 33-44 General Correspondence 1944-1946
30 45-54 General Correspondence 1946-1949
31 55-63 General Correspondence 1949-1951
32 64-69 General Correspondence 1951-1960
32 70-72 Arter, Rhetta M., Correspondence 1942-1941
32 73-74 Clark, Effie, Correspondence 1944
Series 4: City, Regional and National YMCA Files, 1927-1960
City YWCA Files
33 1 Constitution 1952
33 2 By-Laws 1946, 1951
33 3-8 City Board of Directors' Minutes 1943-1951, 1958-1960
33 9-10 Annual Meeting 1945-1946, 1957-1959
33 11-12 Administrative and Professional Staff 1950-1951, 1958-1959
33 13-14 Business Professional and Industrial Committee 1943-1952
34 15 Census undated
34 16 Employed Personnel Committee 1958-1959
34 17-17 Finance Property Committee 1942-1960
35 18-19 Health Education Committee 1938, 1949
35 20 Industrial Committee 1941-1944
35 21-22 Joint Planning Committee 1942-1952
35 23-24 Membership Committee 1938-1950, 1958-1959
35 25 Metropolitan Planning Committee 1937
35 26 Metropolitan Survey 1949
35 27-28 Newsletters 1947-1950
35 29-32 Program Planning Committee 1937-1938, 1945-1947, 1951, 1958-1959
36 33 Program Study 1959
36 34-35 Public Affairs Committee 1945-1949, 1958-1959
36 36-39 Publicity Committee 1939-1951
36 40 Services Committee 1958-1960
36 41 Staff Meeting 1934-1936
36 42 Teenager Program Committee 1948-1950
36 43 Young Adult Committee 1950-1952
Regional and National Files
36 44 Big City Conference 1948
36 45-46 Business and Professional Club 1933-1944
36 47-49 Girl Reserve Committee 1927-1933
37 50-54 Girl Reserve Committee 1933-1944
37 55 Girl Reserve Conferences 1941-1942
37 56 Girl Reserve Publicity 1939-1942
37 57-61 Industrial Assembly 1936-1949
37 62 Industrial Conference 1947
37 63-64 Industrial Council 1941-1943
38 65-66 Industrial Program 1937-1938
38 67-69 Industrial Study 1937
38 70 Institute on Volunteer Training 1957
38 71 Meeting of Big Cities 1942
38 72-80 National Board Correspondence 1937-1951
39 81 National Board Correspondence 1958-1959
39 82-88 National Conventions 1930-1938, 1946, 1949, 1958
39 89 National Employed Women's Council 1951-1953
39 90 National Program Study 1951
39 91-93 National YWCA Week 1950, 1957
39 94 Nation-wide Observances 1936-1938
39 95 Program Packet 1946
40 96-103 Regional Conferences 1931-1957
40 104 Stay-at-Home Convention 1945
40 105-107 World Fellowship Week 1947, 1950-1951, 1957
Series 5: Community and Civic Activities, 1922-1960
41 1-2 Adult Education 1944-1949
41 3 Advisor's Club Minutes 1935
41 4-6 Annual Dinner 1949-1950
41 7 Applicant Preparation Workshop 1948-1949
41 8 Aristocratic Debs 1940-1941
41 9 Armstrong Association 1945-1946
41 10-11 Badminton League 1939-1943
41 12 Better Business Bureau 1943
41 13 Birth Control 1941
41 14-15 Building Fund Drive 1950
41 16-17 Camp Arcola 1941, 1945-1946
41 18 Child Labor 1933-1940
42 19 Children's Program 1942
42 20 Christmas Program 1949-1950
42 21 Churches 1943
42 22-24 Citizen's Council on City Planning 1948-1951
42 25 City-wide Interracial Committee 1943-1944
42 26 Civil Defense 1950-1952
42 27 Club Assembly 1958
42 28 Club Lists 1949-1952
42 29 Club Work 1940-1941
42 30 Colored Locomotive Firemen 1941
42 31 Commission on Law and Social Action 1945-1949
42 32 Committee of One Hundred 1958
42 33 Committee on Race Relations 1934-1935
42 34 Community Campaigns 1951-1952
42 35 Community Chest 1948-1953
42A 35a-b Community Chest 1946-1950
42A 35c-e Community Contributions 1947-1960
43 36 Community Crusade 1943-1944
43 37 Community Group Lists Undated
43 38-39 Community Organizations 1945-1951
43 40-42 Community Program Material 1935-1941, 1950-1952
43 43-44 Conscription 1939-1942
43 45 Consumers' Federation 1942
43 46 Cooperating Council of Agencies Serving Negro Youth 1941-1942
43 47 Council for International Visitors 1958
43 48-49 Council of Social Agencies 1938-1940
43 50 Crime Prevention 1948-1949
43 51 Crime Wave Committee 1946
43 52 Current Material 1950-1953
44 53-55 Defense Workers' Recreation 1940-1944
44 56 Dramatics 1934-1942
44 57 Duo-Decs Club 1941-1942
44 58 Education 1936, 1941
44 59-61 Fair Employment Practices Commission 1945-1949
44 62-63 Fall Opening 1949-1951
44 64-65 Family Society of Philadelphia 1935-1938
44 66 Federal Council of Churches 1936-1937
44 67 Federal Works Agency 1942
44 68-70 Fellowship Commission 1949-1951
45 71-77 "Flashes" (Newsletter) 1943-1955
45 78 Foreign Affairs 1945-1949
45 79 General Program Material 1950-1951
45 80 Group Work Agency 1939
46 81-88 Health and Welfare Council 1948-1959
46 89 Health Education Program 1947-1950
46 90-91 Health Program 1941-1942
47 92 Health-a-Nality Fair 1941
47 93 Hospital and Camp Volunteer Corps 1946-1947
47 94 Household Employees 1945-1946
47 95-97 Housing 1937, 1942, 1955-1957
47 98 Hudson Shore Labor School 1943-1944
47 99 Industrial Boosters' Club 1942
47 100-101 Industrial League 1948-1952
47 102 Industrial Recreation Committee 1941
47 103-104 Interclub Council 1941-1942, 1950-1951
47 105 Interracial Education Committee 1933-1936
47 106-107 Interracial News Service 1936-1941
47 108 Invitations 1950-1951
47 109-110 Juvenile Delinquency 1944, 1955-1957
47 111 King of the Kitchen 1951
48 112 Labor Education Association 1943
48 113 Las Parodes Club 1940-1941
48 114 Legislation 1937
48 115 Local Education Programs 1940-1941
48 116 Lynching 1934
48 117 Miscellaneous Community Work 1930-1940
48 118-120 N.A.A.C.P. 1936, 1948-1950
48 121 National Baptist Convention 1950
48 122 National Defense 1941
48 123-125 National Negro Congress 1937-1939
48 126-129 National Youth Administration 1935-1942
49 130 Negro Defense Workers 1940-1942
49 131 Negro Health Week 1938
49 132 Negro History 1934
49 133 Negro in Industry 1928-1935
49 134 Negro Organizations Undated
49 135 Negro Research Unit 1937-1941
49 136 Negro Schools 1933
49 137 Negro Women in Industry 1940
49 138 Neighborhood Planning 1947-1950
49 139-141 News Releases 1944-1947, 1955-1957
49 142 Organized Labor 1930-1941
49 143 Other Organizations 1957-1959
49 144 Pacemakers Club 1936, 1942
49 145 Pennsylvania Conference on Social Welfare 1934
49 146 Pennsylvania State Negro Council 1949
50 147-156 Philadelphia Club Women 1949-1958
51 157-160 Philadelphia Housing Association 1944-1951
51 161 Philadelphia Housing Authority 1937-1939
51 162 Philadelphia Resources 1940-1945
51 163-165 Philadelphia Service Organizations 1948-1951
51 166 Philadelphia Youth Council 1939
51 167 Program Units 1948-1949
51 168 Progressive Club 1942
51 169 Public Affairs 1930-1938
52 170-174 Public Affairs 1930-1942
53 175-181 Public Affairs 1939-1952
54 182 Public Affairs 1955-1956
54 183 Public Education and Child Labor Association 1943-1944
54 184-188 Publicity 1933-1948
55 189-190 Publicity 1942-1950
55 191 Puerto Rican Community 1956-1957
55 192 Recreation 1937-1942
55 193 Recreation Tournaments 1940-1942
55 194 Red Cross Resolutions 1942
55 195 Rededication 1950
55 196-197 Rittenhouse Community Council 1951, 1957-1959
55 198 School Programs 1957
55 199 Scottsboro Defense Committee 1938
55 200-204 Senior Activities 1935-1937, 1947-1959
55 205 60th Anniversary, Girl Reserves 1941
56 206-207 Social Legislation 1922-1940
56 208 Social Workers' Tea 1939
56 209 Society for Crippled Children 1946
56 210 Society of Friends 1945
56 211-212 South Philadelphia Clean Block Committee 1958-1959
56 213 Special Events Calendar 1959-1960
56 214 Special Programs 1940-1942
56 215-217 Summer Day Camp 1954-1959
56 218-220 Teen-Age Program 1944-1951
57 221-228 U.S.O. 1941-1953
57 229-230 United Campaign 1937-1938, 1942
58 231 United War Chest 1942-1943
58 232 Wage and Hour Legislation 1938-1940
58 232 A War Protest 1938-1941
58 233 War Production Material 1941-1942
58 234 Wharton Settlement 1942
58 235 White House Conference of Children and Youth 1950-1951
58 236 Women Defense Workers 1941-1943
58 237-240 Women's Christian Alliance 1949-1955
58 241 Women's International League for Peace and Freedom 1945
58 242 Women's Wage and Hour Information 1936-1938
58 243 Worker Education 1936-1941
58 244 World Fellowship Campaign 1937
59 245 Y-ites Club 1934-1937
59 246-248 Y.M.C.A. 1947-1951
59 249 Young Adult Activities 1952-1960
59 250 Young People and Citizenship 1953
59 251 Zoe-Lympia Club 1941-1942
Series 6: Membership and Finances, 1924-1960
Membership
59 1-3 Breakdown of Membership 1946-1947, 1953-1954
59 4 Dropped Membership File 1956
59 5 Life Members 1956
59 6 Membership Associates 1947
60 7-19 Membership Campaign 1926-1947
61 20-28 Membership Campaign 1948-1958
62 29-34 Membership Campaign 1958-1960
62 35 Membership Lists 1946
62 36 Membership of Other Organizations Undated
63 37-40 Membership Reports 1942-1944, 1948, 1951-1955
63 41-43 Registration Cards 1940-1943
Finances
63 44 Auditor's Division Sheets 1957
63 45 Auditor's Total Sheets 1957
64 46-54 Budget 1935-1953
64 55 Budget Deficit Study 1947
64 56 Budget Summaries 1943-1948
64 57 Expense Sheets 1958-1959
64 58-61 Financial Memos 1943, 1948-1951
64 62 Financial Statements 1924-1925
65 63-64 Health Education Budget 1936-1942
65 65-71 Program Budget Reports 1940-1954
66 72 Program Budget Reports 1955-1960
66 73 Retirement Fund 1932
66 74 Senior Activities Department Budgets 1946-1950
66 75 Withholding Tax 1945-1947
Series 7: Photographs, 1941-1955
66 1 Photographs of groups of women, meetings (many of the Annual Meeting), dances, awards, some children, actors, singing groups, portraits and includes an autographed group photograph of the Deep River Boys, a singing group (49) undated
66 2 Two women reading in front of fireplace with wall hanging (1) 1941
66 3 Young ladies with soldiers (1) 1944
66 4 Industrial Club Picnic (Photo stamped Kensington YWCA) (1) 1947
66 5 State Fair Committee, Fall Opening, and Marian Anderson with small group of women 1948
66 6 Bellevue Stratford luncheon honoring Mary E. Wood, Executive Director, and portrait of Alyce Byrd (2) 1949
66 7 Group at Annual Meeting and group with Mrs. Ssu Hman of Burma (2) 1950
66 8 King of the Kitchen, luncheon, open house, child being weighed with mother and nurse/doctor, Santa Claus with children, volunteer award (15) 1951
66 9 Employed girls group, Employed Girls' Week End Conference, preparing African exhibit (6) 1952
66 10 Philadelphia Clubwomens' Luncheon and YWCA luncheon (6) 1953
66 11 World Fellowship Tea, teenagers interviewing foreign consul, Card Festival on Skidmore Estate (8) 1954
66 12 Annual Meeting and award ceremony (24) 1955
66 13 Negatives (5 strips) undated
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