Research Catalog

Title

Jessica B. Davis Key Women of America files.

Author

Davis, Jessica Bell

Publication

1954-1996.

Supplementary Content

Finding aid

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

Key Women of America, Inc.

Description

1.04 linear feet (3 boxes)

Summary

• Jessica Bell Davis (?-1991), a long-serving president of the Westchester Branch of Key Women of America, was the daughter of an official of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, James H. Bell, and also the wife of the union official, Clarence E. Davis. Additionally, she was a teacher and worked with A. Philip Randolph for forty-five years. Davis was a member of St. Catherine A.M.E. Zion Church in New Rochelle, New York. Key Women of America was founded by Bertha Nelms Harris in 1954, initially to assist in securing foster and adoptive homes for homeless children in New York City. Later the organization became involved in many other community projects, such as prevention of drug addiction; hospital volunteer services; job development; prison visits; big sister prison release program; children uplift (program for pre-school children); awarding of scholarships, etc. Beginning in New York, this organization grew nationally and then internationally to some forty-six branches in the U.S., Aruba, Liberia, Nigeria, and Bermuda.
• This collection consists of personal and professional papers of Jessica B. Davis; the majority of the collection contains materials related to Davis's role as president of the Westchester Branch of Key Women of America. Most of this material is comprised of correspondence, reports, event programs, brochures, speeches written by Davis, and clippings on the branch and its members. Additionally, there is some material pertaining to Davis's other affiliations, mostly involving her work with A. Philip Randolph. There is a limited amount of personal material, which includes resumes, some correspondence, and papers on her brother and daughter.

Subjects

• Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters
• New York (N.Y.) > Social conditions
• Social work with children > United States
• Authors, Black
• African American women > Societies and clubs
• African American children
• Negro American Labor Council
• Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters > Ladies Auxiliary
• A. Philip Randolph Campus High School (New York, N.Y.)
• Randolph, A. Philip (Asa Philip), 1889-1979

Source (note)

• Gift of Jessica B. Davis, ca. 1997.

Location of Other Archival Materials (note)

• Also in the Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture: Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters collection, Sc MG 426 Key Women of America records, Sc MG 252

Call Number

Sc MG 620

OCLC

1264298109

Author

Davis, Jessica Bell, creator.

Title

Jessica B. Davis Key Women of America files.

Production

1954-1996.

Type of Content

text

still image

Type of Medium

unmediated

Type of Carrier

sheet

Location of Other Archival Materials

Also in the Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture: Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters collection, Sc MG 426 Key Women of America records, Sc MG 252

Materials Separated from the Resource: Transferred to the Photographs and Prints Division: photographs.

Source

Gift of Jessica B. Davis, ca. 1997.

Connect to:

Finding aid

Added Author

Key Women of America, Inc.

Research Call Number

Sc MG 620