Library: Archives & Special Collections: Social Justice

Social Justice: African American/Civil Rights

Acker, Daniel Daniel Acker was president of the Buffalo, New York branch of the NAACP from 1972 until his death in 1997. Dan was active in many of the Buffalo organizations that fought for civil rights in the 1960s - the 1990s. He was a co-founder of Housing Opportunities Made Equal (H.O.M.E.) in the 1960s to work for equal access to descent housing for all Americans. He was a major player in the federal lawsuit that led to the Court ordered desegregation of the Buffalo Public Schools. Mr. Acker was also an appointed member of numerous state and local governmental oversight boards.
Afro-American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier Inc. The Afro-American Historical Association was founded in 1974 and is chartered by the New York State Department of Education. The primary mission of the Association is to preserve historical sources that pertain to Afro-Americans in Western New York and to promote research and scholarship that has to do with the life and history of Afro-Americans in New York State.
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Arthur O. Eve Collection
B.U.I.L.D. - Papers & Challenge to the License Renewal of WNIA & WSAY [1967-1975] The B.U.I.L.D. files were in file cabinets in three separate offices: (1) The elected President had his office files in his office; (2) The Executive Director (Mr. Gaitor who ran the organization on a day to day basis) had his own set of files in his office; and (3) the Education Affairs Office (Mrs. Miriam Beale was responsible for all education matters) had its own set of files in that office. Please see associated inventory for listing of files included in the collection.
Bellamy, Herbert | 1490 Enterprises, Inc. Mr. Bellamy received over 150 awards and honors including the first Roberto Clemente Humanitarian Award, Man of the Year, Canisius College President’s Award, the Buffalo Urban League Family Award and an honorary degree from Canisius College. He was the first African American civil service commissioner, first director and vice president the Downtown Nursing Home. He served as Councilman-at-Large for the City of Buffalo for nine years. Mr. Bellamy also served on many boards; Canisius Board of Regents, Western New York Liquor Retailers, Bethel Head Start Program and others. He was a lifetime member of the NAACP. In 1990, Bellamy was appointed by Governor Mario Cuomo as a member of the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct. He also served as a Director of Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority in 1994. In 2001, a section of Jefferson Avenue between East Delavan Avenue and East Ferry Street was designated as “Herbert L. Bellamy Way.” Mr. Bellamy died on March 8, 2006.
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Black Revolutionary Action Movement [1960-1970] The materials in this collection--which center mainly, but not solely, on the political activities and literature of the Revolutionary Action Movement from the early 1960's through the early 1970's--were compiled from the personal archives of Akbar Muhammed Ahmed (Max Stanford), John H. Bracey, Jr., and Ernest Allen, Jr. Founded in 1962, RAM was a "low-profile" organization which sought to transcend what it perceived as the "narrow orientations" of existing Civil Rights organizations (which tended to concentrate on "middle-class" cultural assimilation and patchwork social reform) as well as bourgeois-nationalist organizations (which tended to stress capita] accumulation and withdrawal from mass struggle). In contrast, RAM sought to popularize a program of self-determination for Afro-Americans by means of armed struggle, with the ultimate form of American society conceived in terms of social cooperation rather than capitalist individualism. Included here are internal RAM documents, publicly disseminated RAM literature, as well as media accounts of the organization and its members. An incomplete file of Robert F. Williams' Crusader newsletter, published in exile from Cuba and China, is also Included, as is a full catalog of Soulbook magazine, a west coast-based journal of revolutionary nationalist persuasion.
Buffalo's Afro-Americans: Photos of Historic Events Photos in the collection include: Colored Musicians Union of Buffalo; Historical Photos; Black & Puerto Rican Caucus (Northern Region) Convention, Syracuse, NY, 1976; B.U.I.L.D. of Buffalo Juneteenth Celebration, 1976; B.U.I.L.D. of Buffalo Convention, 1976.
Buffalo Affirmative Action Program, Committee Proceedings & Correspondence [1970-1978] Records of the Buffalo Affirmative Action Program Committee include notices, agendas, meeting minutes, reports, draft narratives, letters, memos and budgets between 1970 and 1978 compiled by the committee and microfilmed by the Monroe Fordham Regional History Center.
Buffalo Branch NAACP The purpose of the Buffalo Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People shall be to improve the political, educational, social and economic status of minority groups; to eliminate racial prejudice; to keep the public aware of the adverse effects of racial discrimination; and to take lawful action to secure its elimination, consistent with the efforts of the national organization and in conformity with the articles of Incorporation of the Association, its Constitution and By-Laws, and as directed by the National Board of Directors.
Buffalo Quarters Historical Society Papers | Batchelor, Lillion Lillion Batchelor founded Buffalo Quarters Historical Society in 1995. Her purpose was to increase national and international awareness of the significant role Buffalo played in the Underground Railroad movement. The Society presents annual recreations of historical events through drama and music culminating in the Niagara River Crossing into Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada. Ms. Batchelor has worked to bring about a sense of hope, pride, and recognition to Western New York by presenting historical truths, honoring unsung heroes, expanding historical research to include the significance of Buffalo in the Underground Railroad. She has brought this about through the sharing of this rich history in drama, music, and literature.
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Chisholm, Shirley | Black Women in America Lectures given by Shirley Chisholm on the topics of women and slavery, education, the economy, civil rights, race pride, suffrage movement, literature and the fine arts, show business, constitutional principles and government service and politics at Buffalo State College in 1986. Congresswoman Chisholm was the first black woman elected to the United States Congress, the first black candidate for a major party's nomination for President of the United States, and the first woman to run for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination, as well as the first woman to appear in a United States presidential debate.
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Collins, David David Collins was elected to the position of Masten District Buffalo Common Council in 1977 and served for 18 years until 1995 when he was replaced by Byron Brown. The papers in this collection were organized and placed in categories and folders by David A. Collins and his staff. They were indexed and prepared for microfilming by Monroe and Freddie Mae. Fordham. The microfilming was done by James Prokos, a student at Buffalo State College. A collection of photo images from David A. Collin’s photo albums were preserved on a CD-R entitled, “Collins, (David A.) Photo Albums”. Both projects were carried out under the supervision of Buffalo State College’s Monroe Fordham Center for Regional History.
Courier-Express Newspaper Collections [1926-1982] The Courier-Express newspaper was born in 1926, with the merger of the Buffalo Courier and the Buffalo Express to form the Buffalo Courier-Express. William J. Conners, owner of the Buffalo Courier, was the person instrumental in bringing the two papers together. During the 19th century numerous newspapers existed. The Buffalo Courier-Express merger can trace its roots back to 1828. From 1828 to 1926, twelve separate newspapers merged during those years, ending with the formation of the Buffalo Courier-Express; quite a chronology for the history of this newspaper. The Courier and then the Courier-Express took a liberal position on all issues. In the late 1970s, the Courier-Express was sold to Cowles-Media, an out of state publisher. Cowles Media decided to close the paper in 1982. The September 19, 1982 issue was the last one for this very popular Buffalo newspaper. Cowles Media donated the library to the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society and Buffalo State College.
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Dr. Fraser Drew - Langston Hughes Correspondence [1950-1967] Langston Hughes was born on 1 February 1902 in Joplin, Missouri, and died on 22 May 1967. His maternal grandmother raised him in Lawrence, Kansas. According to Hughes, his grandmother inspired him to write, as she was a natural orator of black traditions. After his grandmother’s death, Hughes returned to his mother in Cleveland, Ohio, until he graduated from high school in 1920. In 1921, Hughes enrolled in an engineering program at Columbia University, but left after one year. For a few years, Hughes worked various blue- and white-collar jobs while he spent most of his time writing, as that was his passion. Langston Hughes began to publish numerous poems, and by 1926, he published his first book of poems, The Weary Blues. In 1929, he graduated from Lincoln University with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Conscious of the importance of race relations and politics, Hughes published The Way of White Folks in 1934. The spectrum of Hughes’ writing grew as the years went by. He began to write many politically inspired poems, plays (such as Mulatto and Don’t You Want to Be Free?), and autobiographies. Hughes also wrote books that supported his consciousness of race relations like Jim Crow’s Last Stand and Montage of a Dream Deferred. Writing was Hughes’ main contribution to black history, though he also served as a social activist. He traveled the world, expanding his horizons on black issues and became well-known as a radical democrat. Langston Hughes faced many obstacles during the prime years of his publications as his critics viewed him as being too extreme. He was able to hurdle these obstacles as he persevered. Today, Hughes is remembered as an essential figure in black history. He had the ability of writing the relevant problems within that community at a time when the American public consciously ignored such issues. Langston Hughes devoted his time to writing poems, novels, dramas, and numerous articles. Fraser Drew had the opportunity to keep in contact with Hughes during the peak of his career. Dr. Drew was a professor of English at SUNY Buffalo State for decades; he retired in 1983. He received his Ph.D. in English Literature from the University at Buffalo in 1952. His interest in African American literature motivated him to follow Langston Hughes’ career closely, and this led him to reach out to Hughes directly. Hughes responded by keeping open communication with Drew for a number of years. The SUNY Buffalo State Archives and Special Collections contains the correspondence between Drew and Hughes.
Dubard, Raphael This collection contains various papers, correspondence, and other records accumulated by Mr. Raphael Dubard during his many years of involvement with the New York State and Buffalo Branches of the N.A.A.C.P. In 1978, Mr. DuBard turned the papers over to Dr. Monroe Fordham, Buffalo State College, History Department to be microfilmed as part of the Afro-American Historical Association’s microfilmed collection.
George K. Arthur Political Papers [1961-1910] Buffalo native George K. Arthur has been active on the local political scene for nearly half a century. Notably, he served on the Erie County Board of Supervisors from 1964-1967, as Ellicott District Councilman from 1970-1978, and then as Councilman-at-Large in 1978, eventually serving as Common Council President from 1984 until his retirement in 1996. Along the way, he ran for mayor in 1985 as the unendorsed Democratic candidate, narrowly losing to incumbent Jimmy Griffin. In 2010, he served as Secretary of the Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority. –Art Voice 04/22/2010
Housing Opportunities Made Equal [1963-1995] The organization now known as H.O.M.E. was started by a small group of concerned citizens, both white and black. The first meeting was held in the Council of Churches building located at 1272 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, New York. The first and original name given to the organization was, “Niagara Frontier Council for Freedom of Choice in Housing.” This first meeting of the organization was held in the year 1963. The name of the organization was later changed to H.O.M.E. The need for the organization was very great because on the Niagara Frontier many ethnic groups were involuntarily restricted to certain neighborhoods. Members of these groups, particularly non-whites, found it impossible to move to other areas despite economic qualifications. For example in 1963, out of 177 census tracts in Erie County, 86% of the Black population resided in 11 contiguous tracts in Buffalo.
Institute for People Enterprises [1978-1983] The Institute for People Enterprises was founded in 1978 by William Gaiter and became a registered non-profit in 1979. William Gaiter served as the president of the institute, as well as being affiliated with the Buffalo Affirmative Action Program (BAAP), organizing and chairing the Western New York Council for African Relations, and the president of B.U.I.L.D. The Institute for People Enterprises helped to connect workers to more than 120 service groups around the country and provided consulting, training, and operations assistance to various community, business, and political groups.
Nash, Rev. Dr. J. Edward Rev. Nash was involved in the efforts to bring branches of the Urban League and the NAACP to Buffalo. He was a long-time leader and treasurer of the Western New York Baptist Association. For 32 years he was secretary of the Ministers Alliance of Buffalo. That inter-racial body was one of the most influential religious groups in Buffalo.
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Scott, Madeline O. Madeline Scott is a native of Olean, New York, who moved to Buffalo in 1958. She is the daughter of Mrs. Lois Easley. Mrs. Scott is a graduate of Empire State College and has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Community and Human Services. In 1990, she retired from Roswell Park Cancer Institute after a career that spanned thirty-two years. She has been an active member of the Buffalo Community since her move here over forty years ago. She is a Golden Heritage Member of the NAACP and is active in the Buffalo Chapter as the Secretary and Membership Chair.

Social Justice: LGBTQ

Courier-Express Newspaper Collections [1926-1982] The Courier-Express newspaper was born in 1926, with the merger of the Buffalo Courier and the Buffalo Express to form the Buffalo Courier-Express. William J. Conners, owner of the Buffalo Courier, was the person instrumental in bringing the two papers together. During the 19th century numerous newspapers existed. The Buffalo Courier-Express merger can trace its roots back to 1828. From 1828 to 1926, twelve separate newspapers merged during those years, ending with the formation of the Buffalo Courier-Express; quite a chronology for the history of this newspaper. The Courier and then the Courier-Express took a liberal position on all issues. In the late 1970s, the Courier-Express was sold to Cowles-Media, an out of state publisher. Cowles Media decided to close the paper in 1982. The September 19, 1982 issue was the last one for this very popular Buffalo newspaper. Cowles Media donated the library to the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society and Buffalo State College.
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Dr. Fraser Drew - Langston Hughes Correspondence [1950-1967] Langston Hughes was born on 1 February 1902 in Joplin, Missouri, and died on 22 May 1967. His maternal grandmother raised him in Lawrence, Kansas. According to Hughes, his grandmother inspired him to write, as she was a natural orator of black traditions. After his grandmother’s death, Hughes returned to his mother in Cleveland, Ohio, until he graduated from high school in 1920. In 1921, Hughes enrolled in an engineering program at Columbia University, but left after one year. For a few years, Hughes worked various blue- and white-collar jobs while he spent most of his time writing, as that was his passion. Langston Hughes began to publish numerous poems, and by 1926, he published his first book of poems, The Weary Blues. In 1929, he graduated from Lincoln University with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Conscious of the importance of race relations and politics, Hughes published The Way of White Folks in 1934. The spectrum of Hughes’ writing grew as the years went by. He began to write many politically inspired poems, plays (such as Mulatto and Don’t You Want to Be Free?), and autobiographies. Hughes also wrote books that supported his consciousness of race relations like Jim Crow’s Last Stand and Montage of a Dream Deferred. Writing was Hughes’ main contribution to black history, though he also served as a social activist. He traveled the world, expanding his horizons on black issues and became well-known as a radical democrat. Langston Hughes faced many obstacles during the prime years of his publications as his critics viewed him as being too extreme. He was able to hurdle these obstacles as he persevered. Today, Hughes is remembered as an essential figure in black history. He had the ability of writing the relevant problems within that community at a time when the American public consciously ignored such issues. Langston Hughes devoted his time to writing poems, novels, dramas, and numerous articles. Fraser Drew had the opportunity to keep in contact with Hughes during the peak of his career. Dr. Drew was a professor of English at SUNY Buffalo State for decades; he retired in 1983. He received his Ph.D. in English Literature from the University at Buffalo in 1952. His interest in African American literature motivated him to follow Langston Hughes’ career closely, and this led him to reach out to Hughes directly. Hughes responded by keeping open communication with Drew for a number of years. The SUNY Buffalo State Archives and Special Collections contains the correspondence between Drew and Hughes.
The Dr. Madeline Davis LGBTQ Archive of Western New York [c. 1920-2015; bulk 1960-2015] Western New York as a way to collect, safeguard, and provide access to materials that document the LGBTQ+ communities of Western New York and Southern Ontario. In 2009, the archives were transferred to SUNY Buffalo State’s E. H. Butler Library. Housed in the Archives and Special Collections, the archives have expanded to more than 300 linear feet of items and become the region’s largest LGBTQ+ collection. More than 80 individuals, groups, and diverse organizations are represented in the tens of thousands of documents and items that include photographs, local organizational records, multimedia materials, pamphlets, posters, clippings, awards, signs, banners, plaques, published materials, as well as an array of ephemeral items and other pieces that date back to the 1920s. Stewards of the collection are thrilled to be able to contribute to global projects such as the “Wearing Gay History Project” and the “Digital Transgender Archives” as well as the “New York Heritage” site and our local digital platforms in order to make the essential historical material available to students, communities, researchers, and other scholars from around the world. Through generous funding, SUNY Buffalo State is able to hire and teach students on the importance of material of this nature as well as to be able to have their expertise add to descriptive knowledge bases for description and access. The SUNY Buffalo State Madeline Davis LGBTQ+ Archives is actively soliciting donations of materials and further support. As Madeline Davis herself has said, “Our community has a past, but no history.” The presence and continued growth of the many collections in the Archives help to assure that our shared history will only grow in scope and importance. Any contributions to the collections will help fill in historical gaps, assuring that we have a past, a history, and a future.
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Social Justice: Native American

Courier-Express Newspaper Collections [1926-1982] The Courier-Express newspaper was born in 1926, with the merger of the Buffalo Courier and the Buffalo Express to form the Buffalo Courier-Express. William J. Conners, owner of the Buffalo Courier, was the person instrumental in bringing the two papers together. During the 19th century numerous newspapers existed. The Buffalo Courier-Express merger can trace its roots back to 1828. From 1828 to 1926, twelve separate newspapers merged during those years, ending with the formation of the Buffalo Courier-Express; quite a chronology for the history of this newspaper. The Courier and then the Courier-Express took a liberal position on all issues. In the late 1970s, the Courier-Express was sold to Cowles-Media, an out of state publisher. Cowles Media decided to close the paper in 1982. The September 19, 1982 issue was the last one for this very popular Buffalo newspaper. Cowles Media donated the library to the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society and Buffalo State College.
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Paul G. Reilly Indian Collection [1948-1976] Paul G. Reilly served as attorney of record for the land claims initiated by the Seneca Nation of Indians and the Tonawanda Band of Seneca before the Indian Land Commission between 1948 and 1976. This collection is unique because it is the most complete collection of primary source materials on the Iroquois/Seneca Indians treaties and agreements found in one location. It contains materials culled from primary and secondary sources by Reilly, Fleming and Reilly, Counselors at Law between 1948 and 1970. Mr. Reilly, in preparing for these legal cases, over a period of forty years, collected a great volume of photocopies of treaties between various Indian nations and the United States Government, chapters from history books, maps and other supporting materials. These photocopies were made from the original materials held at the National Archives, libraries and other depositories across the United States. Some of the materials that were collected and cited in the briefs for the Seneca Indian Land case of 1971 are not included in this collection. All those documents cited in the case can be found at the National Archives.
William Engelbrecht - Iroquois Ceramic Coding Papers [c. 1969-1995]

Social Justice: Women's Rights, Organizations, Movements

Chappelle, Mary Crosby Mary Lee Crosby Chappelle is a retired public school teacher of Special Education. She retired from teaching in 1975 after 32 years in the classroom. In her illustrious career she was Dean Emeritus, Mary Chappelle Foundation; minister; volunteer; public speaker; journalist, poet, dramatist, singer, and community builder with membership in numerous community, civic, religious and social organizations.
Chisholm, Shirley | Black Women in America Lectures given by Shirley Chisholm on the topics of women and slavery, education, the economy, civil rights, race pride, suffrage movement, literature and the fine arts, show business, constitutional principles and government service and politics at Buffalo State College in 1986. Congresswoman Chisholm was the first black woman elected to the United States Congress, the first black candidate for a major party's nomination for President of the United States, and the first woman to run for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination, as well as the first woman to appear in a United States presidential debate.
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College Club of Buffalo [c. 1914-1994] In 1913, a small group of members in the Association of College Alumnae (today known as the American Association of University Women) established the College Club. It was organized to promote the social and intellectual interests of college educated women in Buffalo and its vicinity and maintained a clubhouse for this purpose. In 1914, 172 members met and adopted a constitution naming the organization the College Club of Buffalo, Inc. The first clubhouse was a rental property on Park Street, Buffalo; and in 1915 the Club moved to its present location at 264 Summer Street, Buffalo, NY.
Courier-Express Newspaper Collections [1926-1982] The Courier-Express newspaper was born in 1926, with the merger of the Buffalo Courier and the Buffalo Express to form the Buffalo Courier-Express. William J. Conners, owner of the Buffalo Courier, was the person instrumental in bringing the two papers together. During the 19th century numerous newspapers existed. The Buffalo Courier-Express merger can trace its roots back to 1828. From 1828 to 1926, twelve separate newspapers merged during those years, ending with the formation of the Buffalo Courier-Express; quite a chronology for the history of this newspaper. The Courier and then the Courier-Express took a liberal position on all issues. In the late 1970s, the Courier-Express was sold to Cowles-Media, an out of state publisher. Cowles Media decided to close the paper in 1982. The September 19, 1982 issue was the last one for this very popular Buffalo newspaper. Cowles Media donated the library to the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society and Buffalo State College.
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LINKS of Buffalo [1954-1985] The Links Incorporated is an organization of women with 270 chapters located in 40 states, The District of Columbia, Nassau, Bahamas and Frankfurt, Germany with a total membership of over 10,000 women. The organization was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1946 by the late Margaret Roselle Hawkins and Sarah Strickland Scott. The Links, Inc. is a voluntary service organization of concerned, committed and talented women who, linked in friendship, enhance the quality of life in communities throughout the world. The mission and vision is to contribute to the formulation of a positive, productive and culturally diverse society. A strong focus is given to education, cultural enrichment, health, wellness and civic involvement. The Links, Inc. is an entity which through its chapters and The Links Foundation, Inc. has granted more than ten million dollars to charitable organizations.
LINKS of Erie County [1987-2006] The Links Incorporated is an organization of women with 270 chapters located in 40 states, The District of Columbia, Nassau, Bahamas and Frankfurt, Germany with a total membership of over 10,000 women. The organization was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1946 by the late Margaret Roselle Hawkins and Sarah Strickland Scott. The Links, Inc. is a voluntary service organization of concerned, committed and talented women who, linked in friendship, enhance the quality of life in communities throughout the world. The mission and vision is to contribute to the formulation of a positive, productive and culturally diverse society. A strong focus is given to education, cultural enrichment, health, wellness and civic involvement. The Links, Inc. is an entity which through its chapters and The Links Foundation, Inc. has granted more than ten million dollars to charitable organizations.
LINKS of Niagara Falls [1950-2000] The Links Incorporated is an organization of women with 270 chapters located in 40 states, The District of Columbia, Nassau, Bahamas and Frankfurt, Germany with a total membership of over 10,000 women. The organization was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1946 by the late Margaret Roselle Hawkins and Sarah Strickland Scott. The Links, Inc. is a voluntary service organization of concerned, committed and talented women who, linked in friendship, enhance the quality of life in communities throughout the world. The mission and vision is to contribute to the formulation of a positive, productive and culturally diverse society. A strong focus is given to education, cultural enrichment, health, wellness and civic involvement. The Links, Inc. is an entity which through its chapters and The Links Foundation, Inc. has granted more than ten million dollars to charitable organizations.
Lit-Mus Study Club (of Buffalo) Papers [1930s-1990s] The Lit-Mus - short for "Literary" and "Music" -- Study Club is an on-going African American women's study group that originated in Buffalo in 1922. It was founded by Florence Jackson Lee, Amelia Anderson and Ora Lewis Anderson in the hopes of fulfilling its mission to study topics in the arts, humanities and social sciences that would enable the club's women to improve their community. It became part of the Empire State Federation of Women's Clubs as well as an affiliate of the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs. In 1928, the Study Club introduced Negro History Week to Buffalo. The Club maintains a scholarship fund that has assisted many local students with their education and supports many local charities. It has also enabled the community to have greater access to African American literature and has donated books to libraries and schools. In order to preserve the records of the Club, it was deemed advisable to house them in the Special Collections area of the Buffalo State College's E.H. Butler Library.
Rita Smith Collection [1930-1988, 1997] Rita Irene Smith was born and raised in Western New York. She attended D’Youville College and upon her completion of school, began working at the Buffalo Courier- Express, as a copy girl. She published her first articles with the byline Rita I. Smith in 1944. Committed to her life as a journalist, Rita was fascinated with the world at large and began traveling alone in the mid–1950’s. Among Rita’s many adventures, she dined with the Queen of England and was invited into the home of the then King and Queen (Hope Cooke) of Sikkim. In her travels she discovered Mother Teresa, nearly 20 years before she would win the Nobel Peace Prize. Rita was devoted to telling the story of the people that didn’t live in the spotlight, whose stories might go untold or unnoticed. She used her clear voice to shine a light and tell stories of the diverse people she met from around the globe. In 1957, Rita traveled to Egypt, South Africa, and the Holy Land by herself. In 1967, she went on a two month tour around the world, alone, without reservations or an itinerary. She adventured out into the world and made her way around it. Rita spent her life traveling Australia, New Zealand, India, Peru, Mexico, Sikkim, The Soviet Union, Soviet Central Asia, Hong Kong, and so many more places. When she returned to Buffalo, she delighted her readers with the stories of the people she met and the places she saw. She brought the world to Buffalo’s doorstep and shared her unique voice that is still relevant today.
Society of Women Geographers [1975-1980] The Society of Women Geographers (SWG) Collection was donated to Buffalo State College by the estate of Dr. Katheryne T. Whittemore. Dr. Whittemore (1899-1981) was an instructor and administrator at the College for thirty-seven years, serving specifically as a professor of geography from 1925-1962 and having been appointed to the newly-created post of director of the Division of Arts and Sciences in 1957. She was an active member of the Society of Women Geographers as well as other influential organizations. The Society of Women Geographers began in 1925 as an organization that would bring together women of diverse intellectual backgrounds, enabling them to share knowledge gained from their experiences and fieldwork. As the SWG website says, "In naming [the] organization the Society of Woman Geographers, the founders took 'geographer' in its broadest sense to include such allied disciplines as anthropology, geology, biology, archaeology, oceanography, and ecology. Specialized aspects of the arts round[ed] out the broad spectrum of worldwide interests and professional activities of the Society's members." The Society of Women Geographers remains an active organization.
Thomas, Carolyn Bernice McClester | Afro-American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier Mrs. Carolyn B. Thomas was a career social worker, a church worker, a founder of the community Food Center of Western New York (the papers of the Food Center are in a separate collection), and an active member of Afro-American Women’s clubs.
Uncrowned Queens Archive Founded in 1999 by Dr. Barbara A. Seals Nevergold and Dr. Peggy Brooks-Bertram, the Institute aims to collect, disseminate, and archive the histories of previously unheralded African Americans, as well as vulnerable documentation of African American local communities.
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Contact an Archivist

Daniel DiLandro, MLS, CA
College Archivist & Special Collections Librarian
Email: dilanddm@buffalostate.edu
Phone: 716-878-6308

Hope Dunbar, MLIS, JD
Special Collections Archivist
Email: dunbarhm@buffalostate.edu
Phone: 716-878-4790