Collection context
Summary
- Creator:
- Black, Pilgrim and Black, Patricia Ann
- Abstract:
- This collection consists of the papers of the Black family, an agricultural laborer family from Sanford, Florida. The materials date between 1850 and 2015, with a bulk of the materials between 1935 and 1975. The collection is comprised of correspondence, tax returns, receipts, personal documents, photographs, newspaper articles, audio-visual materials, and 3-D objects.
- Extent:
- 4.5 cubic feet, 3 record cartons, 3 document boxes, 1 oversized box, and 1 lock box
- Language:
- English
- Preferred citation:
Pilgrim and Patricia Black Family Collection, [box#:folder#]. Rochester Museum & Science Center, Rochester NY.
Background
- Scope and Content:
The collection includes documents related to Patricia Black. The documents that relate to Patricia include correspondence, writings, newsletter and newspaper articles about Patricia, business documents, photographs, audio-visual materials of lectures and performances, and personal documents.
The majority of the material is related to Pilgrim Black's time as a team leader for agricultural laborers. It includes correspondence, financial and personal documents, photographs, and 3-D objects. Included in Pilgrim Black's documents are service station receipts from his trips from Sanford, Florida to Western New York. These receipts show the route Pilgrim took and the service stations that were accessible to African Americans at a time when many business were not.
The collection contains personal documents for extended members of the Black family such as, correspondence, photographs, personal documents, insurance policies, and other miscellaneous documents.
- Biographical / Historical:
Pilgrim Black was born in 1905 to Harry and Maggie Black. When Pilgrim was 18 years old, he travelled from his home in Sanford, Florida to Wayne County, New York to harvest cherries, pears, apples, and other crops. After his first year, he moved to a potato farm in Red Creek, New York. The farmer from Red Creek offered Pilgrim a supervisory position. Pilgrim spent the summer harvest transporting agricultural laborers from Sanford, Florida to Wayne County, New York. He hired people in the South and brought them to the North to labor in the orchards. Pilgrim married Lulu Haynes in 1937. They had five children together.
Patricia Black was the youngest of Pilgrim and Lulu's five children. She was born in Lyons, New York and traveled with her parents from Sanford to New York. Patricia went back and forth with her parents until she was about 17 years old. Patricia was dealt many hardships throughout her life but she has taken her life experiences and used them to become a strong, faithful driven person. Patricia has spoken about her difficulties and about life as an agricultural laborer family. She has written poems and articles, and is writing an autobiography. She is an entrepreneur, a foster parent, and has served on the North-Rose Wolcott School Board and as the parent representative of the Committee for Special Education.
- Acquisition information:
- This collection was donated by Patricia Black to the Rochester Museum Science Center on June 30, 2017 [accession number 2017.03].
- Custodial history:
The papers were day-to-day business records and personal papers of Pilgrim Black. When Pilgrim Black died, his daughter Patricia Black inherited all of the family papers and business records. Patricia Black used those papers to tell the story of her family. Before donating the collection to the Museum, Patricia added her own business records, personal papers, photographs, and books to her family history.
- Processing information:
This project has been made possible by a technology grant from the Rochester Regional Library Council, through the New York State Regional Bibliographic DataBase Sharing Program.
When the collection was donated to the Rochester Museum & Science Center there was a clear seperation between Patricia Black and Pilgrim Black materials. A majority of Pilgrim Black's materials were in envelopes. The papers were removed from the envelopes. All items that were removed from envelopes had the empty envelopes placed in front of the item that was in it. The metal fasteners were removed, deteriorating photographs and papers were placed in individual sleeves. Acidic paper was either interleaved with acid free paper or placed in its own envelope. All oversized items were flattened and placed in an oversized box, OS1.
- Arrangement:
This collection consists of eight boxes divided into nine series: Series I: Patricia Black, 1934-2015; Series II: Pilgrim Black, 1892-1996; Series III: Lulu Black documents, 1965-2007; Series IV: Extended family members documents, 1940-1994; Series V: Sanford Historical Society, 1922-2015; Series VI: Wayne County Historical Society, 1998-2012; Series VII: Photographs, 1850-2015; Series VIII: Audio-Visual Materials; Series IX: 3-D objects
Access
- RESTRICTIONS:
-
Access to box 2, folder 6 has been restricted in accordance with the wishes of the donor. Access to any papers that contain health record information, school records, or social security numbers for contemporary people have been restricted for privacy. Restricted folders are marked as restricted and how long the restriction is in place on the folder and in the container list.
- TERMS OF ACCESS:
-
Copyright is held by the Rochester Museum & Science Center. Copyright of the papers in the collection may be held by the authors, or their heirs or assigns. Researchers must obtain the written permission of the holder(s) of copyright and the Rochester Museum & Science Center before transmission, reproduction, publication, or presentation (public display, performance, internet presentation) of quotations or images from the collection. Most papers may be copied in accordance with the Rochester Museum & Science Center's usual policies unless otherwise specified.
- PREFERRED CITATION:
-
Pilgrim and Patricia Black Family Collection, [box#:folder#]. Rochester Museum & Science Center, Rochester NY.
- LOCATION OF THIS COLLECTION:
-
Schuyler C. Townson Library657 East Ave.Rochester, NY 14607, United States
- CONTACT:
-
585-697-1947