(Note: This post was authored by Taylor McNeilly, Processing & Reference Archivist.) One of the reasons why Dr. Walker and his wife decided to donate their papers and create the Dr. and Mrs. Wyatt Tee Walker Collection was to promote education and the collection’s use in classes. Knowing this, we’ve done our best to incorporate portions of the collection into course instruction as much as possible. I taught a course session last Saturday and included two items from the Walker Collection, one of which spurred an in-depth and interesting discussion among the students about archives and archival practice. This week’s #WyattWalkerWednesday post will focus on that discussion.

You can probably guess what this discussion was about, given the title of this blog entry. The class this past Saturday came in for a brief, 1.5-hour introduction to the Rare Book Room and what we do as part of Boatwright Library. This of course includes providing reference about and access to our rare book collection, as well as the special collections that the Walker Collection is part of. One of the items from the Walker Collection that I included to show off to the students was a recently donated award, pictured below. As you can see, the plaque is dull and difficult to read, while the trophy portion is heavily tarnished in places.

An award recently donated to the collection by Mrs. Walker.

One of the students asked a seemingly simple question: would I polish the award before putting it on display somewhere? Little did this poor student know that archival guidelines almost always come down to two words: it depends. Instead of giving the class that as a reply, I asked them: what are the pros and cons of polishing the award?

The most obvious benefit, of course, is not just aesthetics but legibility: not only would the trophy portion look much more impressive if polished, but the plaque is very difficult to read from almost any angle and could benefit from a good cleaning. Beyond these, the class had difficulty coming up with reasons to polish the award. Where the discussion really got interesting was when they turned their attention to what might be lost if the award was polished.

A closeup of the plaque mounted on the award’s wooden base.

I had already introduced to the class the idea that there are different types of information. The most basic type is that which is written down in a document: the words on a page, or the inscription on an award. However, the physical object itself can hold intrinsic information. This information could be locating the source of the paper based on its unique makeup, or how the item has been used based on its general appearance. Paper with stains on it, for example, can tell us what the writer – or previous readers – did near the document. Similarly, an award with heavy tarnish tells us that the owner didn’t polish it regularly.

The basic fact that Dr. Walker didn’t polish this award may not seem like much of a revelation, but it begs the question: why not? This award is recognition of some of the most influential behind-the-scenes work of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, wherein Dr. Walker planned not just Project C in Birmingham, but also the March on Washington. Dr. Walker’s organization and strategy while executive director directly influenced American life, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Why would he take an award recognizing all that and leave it to tarnish?

The class had a variety of reasons that might explain this behavior. Some, such as “He clearly cared more about doing the work than looking back at past accomplishments,” certainly fit with who Dr. Walker seems to have been as a person – always moving forward, always tackling new problems in society. Other students posed other reasons. Maybe he didn’t like to display awards. One student asked if Dr. Walker had displayed any awards in his home. I replied that there was a glass bookcase full of awards, photos, and other memorabilia when I visited the home. Another student chimed in: “Well, what kind of awards were in the display case?” And so the discussion continued. Maybe Dr. Walker displayed awards that were easily maintained, those made of glass or other materials that needed dusting but not polishing. Maybe he was prouder of more recent accomplishments: he had so many awards that he only displayed the newest ones.

Since I am not Dr. Walker, I cannot give a definitive answer to the question of why this award was left to tarnish. Nor could I end this discussion in any meaningful way for the students, except to point out that the entire discussion could not have happened if I polished the award. And that seemed to be a good enough answer for the class.

As always, please check back again next week for another #WyattWalkerWednesday post to keep informed of things going on with the collection. Feel free to leave a comment explaining how you feel about polishing archival material in our collections, too! And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for more library updates.

(Note: This post was authored by Taylor McNeilly, Processing & Reference Archivist.) Processing a collection is always a fun exercise in observation: you always have to make sure you’re keeping a sharp eye out for information that might help researchers in the future. But sometimes the things you spot as a processing archivist can be less than helpful! For today’s #WyattWalkerWednesday, I talk about one such discovery I recently made in the Dr. and Mrs. Wyatt Tee Walker Collection.

Often, processing a collection is a bit like working as a psychologist or therapist: you have to get inside the mind of the collection’s creator to figure out how they organized their material, why they organized it that way, and why they kept these specific things in the first place.  For much of Dr. Walker’s material, much of this is self-evident, especially in the case of the SCLC files. Most materials are in clearly labeled folders that often shed light on their contents, but occasionally I stumble across something with a little more mystery surrounding it.

Take, for instance, an empty folder I found among the other files. There were no materials in the folder, and the spot most often labeled was blank. Perhaps the folder was accidentally filed and never removed, or perhaps its contents were tossed at some point. Not a big deal, no reason to keep it. Until I went to flip the folder closed, when I discovered writing inside the flap.

Handwritten notes left on the inside of an empty folder.

I’ll admit that this text, written in what appears to be Dr. Walker’s hand, is almost meaningless without context. SCLC published several audio records, primarily on vinyl and mostly of Dr. King’s various sermons and speeches during SCLC events. It’s likely that Dr. Walker took these notes about one such record, but without knowing which record – and when this was written – this has almost no bearing on potential research. Which record, published by whom? Is the % mentioned the percentage of profits paid to SCLC by the publisher? What report is so inconceivable and why?

What I found most amusing, to be honest, was this use of the word “inconceivable.” While these notes were almost certainly written during Dr. Walker’s time at SCLC in the early 1960s, a full decade before The Princess Bride was published and almost 15 years before the popular film adaptation, my first thought was of Wallace Shawn proclaiming that line. In this case, however, I believe the word means exactly what Dr. Walker thought it means. And in his use of the word, as is the case in so much of his life, Dr. Walker was far ahead of the curve.

As always, please check back next Wednesday for another peek into the Dr. and Mrs. Wyatt Tee Walker Collection, my processing progress, and some of the materials I find in my work!

(Note: This post was authored by Taylor McNeilly, Processing & Reference Archivist.) This #WyattWalkerWednesday I thought I would discuss some of the more immediately important documents I’ve come across recently while processing the manuscript portion of the Dr. and Mrs. Wyatt Tee Walker Collection, namely the notes from the 1960 annual meeting.

This meeting, held in early August 1960, included a major brainstorm session about the purpose and direction of SCLC. At the time, the organization had no major nonviolent, direct action campaigns under its belt. This would change soon after the annual meeting, perhaps due in part to Dr. Walker’s influence.

A letter from Rev. Edward T. Graham to Rev. Wyatt Tee Walker discussing the annual meeting of August 1960.

The records we have from this annual meeting appear to have been sent by Rev. Edward T. Graham, who was the “Chairman of the Committee” at that time, to Dr. Walker some months later. Rev. Graham’s letter praises Dr. Walker for his work during the meeting, and offers the documents “so that you and your staff can get it right out.” Included is a typed list of resolutions, areas of concern in which SCLC can move forward by planning specific projects to address each one.

List of “areas of broad concern” created at the 1960 annual meeting of SCLC by the Committee on Resolutions.

This list of “areas of broad concern” is deeply foretelling of exactly what the SCLC would do over the coming years, including a dedication to non-violence, as is shown throughout their work; implementation of skills and techniques for non-violent protests, as seen in the training seminars they held for several years to train activists in nonviolent direction action; a major SCLC project in the “Hard Core South,” suggested in Montgomery but eventually held in Birmingham; and a focus on “the need for an all-out voter registration (major project)”, a project that they did in fact undertake.

What was most striking to me, however, was the “unequivocal support of “Sit-Ins” (all types – Kneel-Ins, etc.).” A kneel-in is a type of peaceful protest where black Christians would attend services at a church with an all-white church. But I had never heard the term kneel-in before reading this document, and so my first thought was not of churchgoing but of current political dissent that has been voiced by kneeling, especially that of Colin Kaepernick kneeling during the national anthem. Considering the Nike advertisement published earlier this week, I don’t think this association is surprising. And it does help to draw parallels between the SCLC’s work protesting the injustices of the ’60s and Kaepernick’s work protesting police brutality that disproportionately affects people of color in America today. Both SCLC and Kaepernick focus on nonviolent protest that attempts to capture a wide public audience to bring attention to the “areas of broad concern” being protested.

The materials documenting the 1960 annual meeting are deeply important to the history of SCLC, providing evidence of the beginning of their major push towards nonviolent direction action in the Deep South, voter registration, and training programs for new activists. This documentation also helps clearly define what SCLC stood for, what they supported, and how they viewed themselves as an organization at a time when they were about to become a major actor in national history. But these documents also provide a very real connection to the past that can help guide the present and the future as well.

What are your thoughts on the power of archival collections to connect the past, present, and future? Leave any comments you have below. And as always, please check back next week for another #WyattWalkerWednesday post on the Dr. and Mrs. Wyatt Tee Walker Collection, its processing status, and what interesting finds I uncover as I move through the material.

(Note: This post was authored by Taylor McNeilly, Processing & Reference Archivist.) I happened across another one of the folders of material included in the Dr. and Mrs. Wyatt Tee Walker Collection from Dr. Walker’s time with SCLC while processing this past week. This folder, labeled “Atlanta conf.,” included material from 1963-1964 concerning Atlanta, GA. For this week’s #WyattWalkerWednesday, I’d like to talk about some of the material I found there.

During this period, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) was incredibly active in the Atlanta area, protesting segregation and economic inequality. Similar to the criticism Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the SCLC faced after their demonstrations in Birmingham, AL, SNCC faced backlash from many different directions, including an open letter addressed to the mayor of Atlanta on KKK letterhead criticizing, among other things, how he handled the “race riots” of January 1964. SNCC, having been founded by then-director of SCLC Ella Baker among other SCLC employees, was also partially funded by grants from SCLC, so naturally SCLC was not only aware of SNCC’s activities in Atlanta but defensive of its practices – many of which mirrored nonviolent protest techniques SCLC used. Another open letter addressed to the mayor of Atlanta, this time written by Dr. Walker, defends the actions of SNCC and the need for direct, nonviolent action.

A letter criticizing the mayor of Atlanta and declaring support for nonviolent direct action written by Dr. Wyatt Tee Walker.

This letter is particularly striking to me for several reasons. First is Dr. Walker’s declaration that “the presence of justice and morality is transcendent above all else!” This quote, refuting the claim that “the peace and tranquility of the community is transcendent above all else,” seems very pertinent to the discussion surrounding many of the protests and demonstrations that have occurred over the past few years, especially those by the Black Lives Matter (BLM) and Occupy Wall Street groups.

The SCLC, under the direction of Drs. King and Walker, focused on nonviolent direct action, so it is no surprise that Dr. Walker speaks out in support of SNCC’s activities. However, I was particularly moved by the third paragraph pictured above, quoted below.

Thirdly, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference supports the direct action program of SNCC. To be sure we abhor violence from whomever it comes, but if you were a Negro who has made the 100 year’s painful journey from the auction block and still day by day you withstand the humiliation which keeps your emotions at tip-toe stance never quite knowing what to expect next, perhaps you can understand it. What I am attempting to say is that SCLC underscores the legitimacy of nonviolent direction action. It is a valid part of our American heritage and we cannot allow you to dismiss those of us who are committed to the direct action…

These sentences strike several chords for me. First and foremost is SCLC’s support and defense of SNCC, as well as their continued support of nonviolent direct action. This comes as no surprise to anyone who has studied either of these organizations, but the public declaration of solidarity and support is moving nonetheless. More striking is the seemingly effortless balance Dr. Walker strikes between an emotional evocation of the continued struggles for African Americans and the professionally distanced tone of a man discussing the theory and history of protest in America. Finally, Dr. Walker’s appeal to American heritage helps cement this incredibly strong and passionate defense of nonviolent direct action.

This folder of material held much more than Dr. Walker’s impassioned defense of SNCC and nonviolent direct action, but unfortunately I can’t talk about every single item I find during processing. But as always, check back here next week for another peek into the collection! You can always follow along on our other social media as well, including Boatwright Library’s Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

(Note: This post was authored by Taylor McNeilly, Processing & Reference Archivist.) One of the most interesting things about processing a collection is some of the small, unimportant pieces of history you discover. For today’s #WyattWalkerWednesday post, I’d like to talk about a few items I’ve found recently while processing the Dr. and Mrs. Wyatt T. Walker Collection.

The first item I came across was in and of itself not that important. The SCLC had collaborated with a handful of other civil rights organizations in the south to develop a training program for the next generation of civil rights leaders, and this item is a press release or mailer publicizing the program and asking people to participate. Considering how active SCLC was in this period, this single mailer that sheds no light on the actual program is mostly insignificant, especially since the program has other records in the collection. However, at the end of the mailer is something quite interesting: Martin Luther King, Jr.’s signature.

Signature of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as it appears on a document found within the Dr. and Mrs. Wyatt T. Walker Collection.

MLK’s signature is of course well documented in many places, and it does appear elsewhere in the collection here. However, this was one of the first times I came across it unexpectedly and authentically, rather than as a stamp or photocopy. It is common practice for executives and celebrities to sign many documents with a copy of a signature, rather than signing each one by hand. In this instance, the signature appears to have been written by hand. While this isn’t momentous or historically significant, seeing MLK’s signature in person was an unexpected surprise.

You might be able to guess something about the second item I greatly enjoyed stumbling across, considering the title of this blog entry. That’s right: it touches on what very well might be the first-ever Wyatt Tee Walker Day.

A handwritten advertisement for what may be the first ever Wyatt Tee Walker Day.

While several cities have officially proclaimed Wyatt Tee Walker Days throughout Dr. Walker’s life, this handwritten advertisement seems to be less a official, municipal declaration than a celebration held by the community. Interestingly, this celebration occurs after Dr. Walker has moved on to his work at SCLC, and the item was found in SCLC records – indicating this was a celebration that Dr. Walker was notified of through SCLC, rather than through his previous post at Gilfield Baptist Church.

Since this is the only item pertaining to the 1960 Wyatt Tee Walker Day, we have no real record of what events might have occurred or how they would have celebrated “Petersburg’s fearless & outspoken dean of civil rights.” We also have no way to gauge just how popular the event was, or even to know who sponsored it or where it was held. This information may be in other archival collections or otherwise available to researchers, but for now it’s nice to know just that Dr. Walker was being recognized and celebrated as far back as 1960 by the communities he was working so passionately to help.

That’s all for this week! As always, please check back for future posts and any updates on the collection.

(Note: This post was authored by Taylor McNeilly, Processing & Reference Archivist.) Welcome back to another #WyattWalkerWednesday post! As I mentioned in our previous entry, we’ve spent much of the summer shifting things around to help make space and provide a better location for processing the Dr. and Mrs. Wyatt T. Walker Collection. Now that processing is once again in full swing, I’ve begun going through the materials we pulled out of off-site storage when setting up the quarantine (for more information on that, check out the Setting Up a Quarantine article from May). One of the main focuses of processing right now has been some of the earliest material, which happens to be more records of Dr. Walker’s time at SCLC.

Administrative records from Dr. Walker’s time at SCLC awaiting processing.

While Dr. Walker’s tenure at SCLC is well defined and many of his accomplishments are widely recognized, including his work on Project C and the March on Washington, the records I am processing now help shed light on the minute and sometimes mundane details: records such as reimbursement for gas used to drive from one event to another might shed little light on the Civil Rights Movements and its inner workings. However, a reimbursement request for a diamond ring Mrs. Walker lost during a protest seems to show more about the struggle than mere transportation costs.

These records reflect much of the work SCLC was doing beyond the attention-grabbing, headline-making events that are recorded in the popular American narrative. They help provide a distinct view of SCLC and Dr. Walker as its first full-time executive director. And taken in the context of SCLC’s records before and after Dr. Walker’s time there, they help provide a more complete history of this deeply important organization. As such, they are an important focus in our work to process the collection and open it to researchers, as we expect these records to be of high research value and under high demand.

As always, keep an eye on this blog and other official University of Richmond and Boatwright Library communications channels for news on when the collection will be open for processing. And in the meantime, stop back here next week for another interesting, behind-the-scenes look at preparing this collection for use.

(Note: This post was authored by Taylor McNeilly, Processing & Reference Archivist.) Welcome back to #WyattWalkerWednesdays on the blog! It’s been awhile, but not because we haven’t been making progress – quite the opposite! We’ve been so busy with the Dr. and Mrs. Wyatt T. Walker Collection, among many other things. And luckily, I can finally give some updates! This week, I’d like to talk about a new space we’re now using to hold and process the collection.

As you might recall from earlier posts, we finished some renovations to the Rare Book Room and the vault in May. While these renovations were ongoing, we had packed away the entire collection from the Rare Book Room and held them in storage. Once the renovations were completed, the books began to be shifted back into their new space. This, of course, opened up the storage space for use. And, being large and secluded with high security and appropriate environmental controls, it was perfect for storing the unprocessed majority of the Walker collection while allowing me space to work on it. And so, after enough of the books had been shifted, I moved the Walker collection down to its new processing space.

A portion of the Walker Collection awaiting processing.

As you can see, there’s plenty of the collection still waiting to be processed. This material has been organized primarily by format, so you’ll notice stacks of photographs, posters, a small group of digital files, and a box of awards. Similarly, the remaining boxes are all full of manuscript material, which comprises the bulk of the collection and is the current focus on processing.

Further Walker Collection materials in storage and the processing workspace.

The best part about the new space is that it allows me some small room for processing, which has helped to keep the processing workflow moving. This has allowed us to move through new material and add to our understanding of Dr. Walker, his life, and the collection itself.

This increased understanding of the collection has also opened new avenues for us. While we can’t say too much in the way of details, I am allowed to say that we are working on multiple exhibits of some of the processed material. These exhibits will take place in the coming year, and more information will be announced as plans are finalized – so keep your eyes open! I’ll report more here when I can. And of course, I will continue to give updates on the processing of the collection and when we expect to open it for research and use.