Emma’s Postcard Album: Black Lives in the Early Twentieth Century tells the story of Emma Crawford (the author’s grandmother) and her life from 1906 to 1910, using Emma’s collection of postcard correspondence as an entry point into the highs, lows, and daily life of Black Americans during the darkest days of Jim Crow. Emma was born in Toughkenamon, moved to the village outside Lincoln University as a child, and lived there for the rest of her life. She was descended from free Black families that moved to Chester County from Delaware in the 1830s, as well as from free families that had lived in Lancaster County since the 1700s.
The gorgeous Golden Age postcards in Emma’s collection bring Chester County of yesteryear to life, depicting Atglen, Ercildoun, and other small towns that at the time were still bustling. Meanwhile, Emma’s personal story includes Pyles, Chandlers, Bushongs and other esteemed families that figured in Chester County’s history.
About the Speaker: Faith Mitchell is an Institute fellow at the Urban Institute, working with the Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy and the Health Policy Center. Over several decades, her career has bridged research, practice, and social and health policy. She also has a strong personal interest in genealogy and Black history. Faith has a doctorate in medical anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley and has written or edited numerous policy-related publications and articles. In addition to Emma’s Postcard Album, she is the author of Hoodoo Medicine, a groundbreaking study of Black folk medicine and The Book of Secrets, Part 1, a supernatural thriller. She chairs the board of The Jacob & Valeria Langeloth Foundation, is a member of the National Academy of Medicine’s Board on Health Care Services, and is on the editorial board of Health Affairs.
Admission is Pay as You Wish! Your donation is greatly appreciated. All proceeds benefit the development of future programming and the preservation of the History Center and its collections. The History Center is home to over 750,000 manuscripts, 100,000 photographs, and 70,000 artifacts. Your donation helps us to preserve and share those resources. Register here for this pay-as-you-wish event
Presentation is via Zoom, and will be recorded and available for 7 days for all registered participants. We will email out a Zoom link the day of the presentation, and email a link to the recording within 24 hours. Note: the Zoom link emailed out the day of the presentation only takes you to the live presentation; the link emailed out the day after will contain the recorded version.
This presentation is made possible by the generous support of The Haverford Trust Company.
225 N. High Street, West Chester, PA 19380 | 610-692-4800
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