Eastern Washington State Historical Society (Northwest
Museum of Arts & Culture), Joel E. Ferris Research Library and Archives
2316 W. First Avenue
Spokane, WA 99201
Phone: (509) 363-5342
Email: archives@northwestmuseum.org
Ms222
Williamson,
Jerrelene
Spokane Northwest Black Pioneers Collection
1860s-2010s
1980-2010
8 boxes
3.34 linear ft.
Materials related to the work of Jerrelene Williamson, both
in her private research and in her role as president of the Spokane Northwest Black
Pioneers. Materials focus on the greater Spokane and inland Northwest Black communities and
include photographs, profiles, and research materials.
Materials are inEnglish.
Biographical Note
Jerrelene Williamson (b. 1932), historian and longtime President of the Spokane chapter of
the Northwest Black Pioneers (NWBP) since its inception in 1989, helped found the original
NWBP in Seattle in 1987. The Northwest Black Pioneers was a collaborative project devised to
celebrate and preserve Black history in the region through exhibits. The project expanded
into an organization dedicated to promoting the Black experience in the Pacific Northwest,
raising social awareness and education about local Black communities and events, and
providing scholarships to Black high school students.
Williamson was born in Chicago, IL, in 1932. At the age of two, she moved to Spokane, her
father’s hometown since his birth in 1899. Williamson was one of two Black graduates in 1950
from her class at John R. Rogers High School, where she is now a member of their Walk of
Fame. In 1965, she became the first Black grocery store checker working for a Spokane
Safeway, from which she retired in 1991.
Jerrelene Williamson is a renowned leader and widely involved with Black historical and
civil rights organizations in the Pacific Northwest, including the National Association for
the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and Seattle’s Northwest African American Museum.
In 2003, Williamson received the Jefferson Award, presented by the Seattle
Post-Intelligencer in partnership with the American Institute for Public Service, in
recognition of her extensive contributions in collecting, preserving, and advancing Black
history in the region. She is a member of the Spokane Hall of Fame. Jerrelene Williamson is
the author of African Americans in Spokane (2010) and is a recipient of the Spokane Library
Foundation’s Spokane Community Impact Award (2019). Her work with the Spokane NWBP is
recognized nationwide and has garnered her labels like the “guardian of Spokane’s Black
history.”
The collection is composed of original materials and manuscripts compiled by Jerrelene
Williamson to document the Northwest’s extensive Black history. This includes correspondence
between the Spokane Northwest Black Pioneers (SNWBP) and collaborators; speech and event
records; publications from local religious, educational, and corporate institutions
involving significant members and events in regional Black history; research materials
comprising newspaper clippings, publications, and photocopies of primary sources.
Jerrelene Williamson worked as a historian for SNWBP on the organizations and collected
many primary and secondary materials as part of her research. Much of the collection
pertains to exhibits, community outreach, and her personal work. Other materials in the
collection were gifted to her by members of the black community and are dispersed throughout
the collection.
It also contains correspondence between Jerrelene Williamson and university students;
documentation of official SNWBP exhibits in collaboration with museums, historians, and
Jerrelene Williamson. Lastly the collection comprises biographical information and images
pertaining to notable members and contributors to the local Black community and other
ephemera.
Books in the collection have been separately catalogued. Other areas of interest within the
collection may be inland northwest history, local minority organizations, and Jerrelene
Williamson and her family.
The collection is arranged into 7 series; series 1 contains 5 subseries:
- Series 1, General, 1980-2010
- Subseries 1.1, Ephemera
- Subseries 1.2, Jerrelene Williamson’s work
- Subseries 1.3, Research and resources
- Subseries 1.4, Dwayne Mack
- Subseries 1.5, Spokane Northwest Black Pioneers Activities
- Series 2, Events and Exhibits
- Series 3, Organizations
- Series 4, Biographies
- Series 5, Scrapbooks and Artifacts
- Series 6, Photographs & Audio/Visual Materials
- Series 7, Newspapers
Collection is not restricted.
The Eastern Washington State Historical Society does not own playback equipment required
for access of the 3x3 hard disks. There is one 3x3 hard disk in the colleciton and can be
found in Series 6.
Copyright has not been assigned to the Eastern Washington State Historical Society. All
requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to
the Museum Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Eastern
Washington State Historical Society as the owner of the physical items and is not intended
to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the
researcher
Spokane Northwest Black Pioneers (Ms 222), Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture/Eastern
Washington State Historical Society, Spokane, WA.
Gift of Jerrelene Williamson, 2017
This collection contains sensitive materials with content that researchers may find
harmful, including materials related to racism, sexual abuse, violent acts, white supremacy,
and colonial erasure. The Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture is dedicated to addressing
the harmful language and sensitive content within its collections through thoughtful
curation, collection safeguards, and reparative cataloguing. To learn more about the MAC's
practices, contact archives@northwestmuseum.org
Books were removed from the collection and catalogued separately. Please see collection
file for details.
Duplicate photographs from exhibition materials have not been retained if they have a
corresponding copy negative.
Many of the photographs in the collection were colelced and researched by Williamson for
her book: Images of America: African Americans in Spokane
(Arcadia Press, 2010) (see 979.37 W676a)
- Mahaley Collection, L2017-9
- Spokane Northwest Black Pioneers Object Collection, 4410
- George Washingotn Carver USO and Spokane Star Ephemera Collection, L2008-55
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the Online Computer Library
Center (OCLC) WorldCat database.
Spokane Northwest
Black Pioneers Collection--Archives
Civil
Rights
Japanese
Americans
Spokane
Washington
(State)
Photographs
Architectural
Drawings
Series 1
General
1980-2010
This series contains general materials held in the possession of Jerrelene Williamson.
These materials document Williamson's work as well as work of other historians and the
activities of the Spokane chapter of the Northwest Black Pioneers.
There are five subseries: 1.1, Ephemera; 1.2, Jerrelene Williamson's Work; 1.3,
Research & Resources; 1.4, Dwayne Mack; and 1.5, Northwest Black Pioneers
Activities.
Introduction and Inventory
1
1
Correspondence
1990s
1
2
Correspondence
2000s
1
3
Correspondence: Letter from President Jimmy
Carter
1991
1
4
Ephemera
Subseries 1.1
This series contains ephemera connected to significant events, persons, and
organizations as collected by Jerrelene Williamson.
Business Cards
1
5
Ephemera
1
6
City of Spokane, Washington:
Proclamations
1
7
"I Have a Hard Time" (A Negro Spiritual), words and
music by Earl Coates, Spokane, Washington
1
8
(Excerpt from) The Negro Motorist Green
Book
1949
1
9
Ephemera: Barack Obama
1
10
Ephemera: Martin Luther King, Jr.
1
11
Jerrelene Williamson's Work
Subseries 1.2
This series contains speeches, notes, manuscripts, and other materials created by
Jerrelene Williamson in her research on regional Black history.
Arcadia Publishing: African Americans in Spokane
(includes partial drafts, and correspondence re. images and publication)
1
12
Speeches by Jerrelene Williamson
1
13
Speeches: Television Appearance: "I on Spokane"
KGPX-TV 34
June 1, no year
1
14
"The Letter" by Jerrelene Williamson
January
1997
1
15
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Awards
2003
1
16
Research & Resources
Subseries 1.3
This series contains secondary sources, newspaper clippings, and photocopies of
primary source materials that connect to regional Black history.
Jerrelene Williamson's Notes
1
17
Black Oral History Interviews
1
18
Apple Orchards
1
19
Black Catholics
1
20
Black Soliders in the U.S. Military
1
21
Buffalo Soldiers
1
22
Buffalo Soldiers Monument Dedication, Fort
Leavenworth, Kansas
1992
1
23
Tuskeegee Air Men
1
24
Regional Towns
1
25
Roslyn, Washington
1
26
National Newsclippings
1
27
Regional Newsclippings
1
28
(Photocopy) The Republican
January 4,
1896
1
29
(Photocopies) Spokane Star
1946
1
30
Newsclippings; Court cases, and copies of archival
materials
1
31
"Proud Pioneers" Article, Spokane
Chronicle
July 12,
1989
1
32
Secondary Sources re. Pacific Northwest Black
History
1
33
Photocopies of Materials from unidentified
sources
1
34
Research Paper by Tami Leigh: "African-American
Immigrants to the Oregon/Washington Territory"
1996
1
35
"African American Women: Power, Place, and
Environment in the Pacific Northwest" by Frances Jones Sneed (includes
correspondence)
1994
1
36
"Negro Creek," manuscript by Louella Dow, reviewed
by Jerrelene Williamson
May
2001
1
37
Dwayne Mack
Subseries 1.4
This series contains correspondence between Jerrelene Williamson and Dwayne Mack
regarding his research and work. It also contains research notes, drafts, and copies
of Mack's work.
Dwayne Mack: General
1
38
Dwayne Mack: Research Files
1
39
Dwayne Mack: Washington State University (WSU)
Dissertation
2002
1
40
Dwayne Mack: "Black History in Spokane" Draft
["Triumphing through Adversity: African Americans in Spokane, Washington, 1945-1965
- A Social History] Dissertation
1
41
Dwayne Mack: "Hazel Scott" Essay (Chapters of Mack's
book, and Chapter from "Making of the American West")
1
42
Spokane Northwest Black Pioneers
Activities
Subseries 1.5
This series contains materials documenting the official activities of the Northwest
Back Pioneers and several regional chapters including those in Spokane and Oregon.
Materials heavily focus on the centennial celebrations and tributes, along with other
materials related to the Spokane Northwest Black Pioneers scholarship.
Blank Scholarship Applications
1993
2
1
Scholarships
2001-2003
2
2
Spokane Northwest Black Pioneers Correspondence
(fragmentary)
2
3
Black Centennial Reunion
1981
2
4
Centennial (Spokane)
1989
2
5
Centennial Tribute Meeting Minutes
2
6
Centennial Exhibit Committee Minutes
1989
2
7
Centennial Exhibit Planning Book
1989
2
8
Centennial Materials re. Juanita Leslie
2
9
Exhibit Information
2
10
Exhibit: Northwest Black Pioneers, Bon Marche,
Spokane, Washington
1995-2005
2
11
Northwest Black Pioneers: A Tribute
2002
2
12
Northwest Black Pioneers Centennial
Publications
2
13
Oregon's Northwest Black Pioneers
1995
2
14
Exhibit at Valley Heritage Museum
2
15
Newsclippings re. Exhibits by Jerrelene
Williamson
2
16
Series 2
Events & Exhibits
This series contains materials related to community events highlighting topics of
interest for Black history and residents in Spokane. This series also contains materials
related to exhibits curated by Jerrelene Williamson and other historians/museums. For
photographs of specific events or ehibits, please see Series 6.
Various Commencements
2
17
Community Events and Programs
Undated and
1950s
2
18
Community Events and Programs
c. 1980s
2
19
Community Events and Programs
c. 1990s
2
20
Community Events
2000s
2
21
Events: Ebony Fashion Fair
2
22
Events: Gonzaga hosted
2
23
Events: Roland Hayes
c.
1940s-1950s
2
24
Display Event: Spokesman Review Luncheon
September 22,
1993
2
25
Events: Spook-A-Loo Reunion
2009
2
26
Exhibit Notes: MOHAI Black Hertiage Society of
Washington State, "Kaleidoscope View," Seattle, Washington
October
11, 2003 - January 14, 2004
2
27
Kwanzaa
2
28
Leader's Extraordinary: African-American Mayors of
Washington State
2
29
MLK (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day) Parade
Bomb
2009
2
30
Masonic Monument Dedication
1987
2
31
National Events, People, and Organizations
2
32
Viewpoint (Avista)
1999
2
33
"Wall That Weeps": Vietnam Memorial
2
34
11th Session Pacific Northwest Conference: Temperance
Report
2
35
Series 3
Organizations
This series contains materials related to organizations with ties to Black communities
in Spokane. Materials include event fliers, correspondence, newspaper clippings, and
publications. Materials in this series were largely stored in scrapbooks created by
Jerrelene Williamson. Materials were removed from scrapbooks for preservation purposes.
For photographs of these organizations, see Series 6.
African American Forum
3
1
African American Graduation Celebrations
3
2
African American Museum, Tacoma,
Washington
3
3
Bethel African Methodist Episcopal (AME)
Church
3
4
Bethel AME Church Records
1956-1959
3
5
Bethel AME: Rev. Lonnie Mitchell
1985-2010
3
6
The Black Archives of Mid-America, Inc.
3
7
Booker T. Washington Community Center (photocopies
from unidentified source)
3
8
Businesses, Spokane (General)
3
9
Calvary Baptist Church (Mostly re. Rev. Emmett
Reed)
1950s-1990s
3
10
Calvary Baptist Church
1950s-1990s
3
11
Calvary Baptist Church: Newsclippings
3
12
Calvary Baptist Church: Publications
3
13
Chase Youth Commission
3
14
Chicken 'N' More (Restaurant)
3
15
Community Congress on Race Relations
3
16
East Central Community Center
3
17
Eastern Washington Genealogical Society
3
18
Eastern Washington University (EWU): African American
Education Program
3
19
Fairchild Airforce Base
3
20
First African Methodist Episcopal Church, Seattle,
Washington
3
21
First Presbyterian Church of Spokane
3
22
Full Gospel Mission for All Nations, Inc.
3
23
Hillyard Merchants (Baseball Team)
3
24
Holy Temple Church/Mission, Spokane,
Washington
3
25
Junior League of Spokane
3
26
Libby Junior High School
3
27
Liberty Park
3
28
The Links, Inc., Spokane Chapter
3
29
Lookin' Good (see historical photos for
image)
3
30
Manito Presbyterian Church
3
31
Miss Black America of Washington
3
32
Morning Star Baptist Church
3
33
Mount Olive Baptist Church
3
34
Mount Zion Baptist Church
3
35
National Association for the Advancement of Colored
People (NAACP), Spokane Chapter
3
36
5th Anniversary and Scholarship Banquet, National
Coalition of 100 Black Women, Eastern Washington State Chapter
2002
3
37
Northwest African American Museum
3
38
N-Shira Pa (African American Business Festival and
Forum)
3
39
Oblate Sisters of Providence (Maryland)
3
40
Onyx Theatre Troupe
3
41
Pine State Athletic Club
3
42
Regional Club Membership Notes
3
43
Sam's Pit
3
44
Spokane Community College
3
45
Spokane Interfaith Council
3
46
Spokane Police Department
3
47
Spokane Public Library
3
48
St. Matthew's Institutional Baptist Church
3
49
Spokane Valley Baptist Church
3
50
United Black Congress
3
51
Washington Carver USO
3
52
Washington Commission for the Humanities
3
53
Washington State Association of Colored Women
Clubs
3
54
Washington State Commission on African American
Affairs
3
55
Washington State United Christian Church Ushers,
Inc.
3
56
Washington State University (WSU)
3
57
Willing Workers Club (Auxiliary to NAACP)
3
58
Women's Missionary Society
3
59
Whitworth College, Black Student Union
3
60
Series 4
Biographies
This series contains newspaper clippings, ephemera, and other materials related to
Spokane residents with ties to regional Black communities. Materials inclde obituaries,
funeral pgograms, feature articles, etc. Materials in this series were largely stored in
scrapboks created by Jerrelene Wiliamson. Materials were removed from scrapbooks for
preservation purposes. For photographs of individuals, see Series 6.
4
A
4
1
Anderson, Michael P.
4
2
Andrews, C. W., and Lady Doris
4
3
B
4
4
Breckenridge, Charlotte
4
5
Breckenridge, Eugene
4
6
Breckenridge, Henry and Lucy
4
7
Burgess, Frank
4
8
Burnette, Evelyn M.
4
9
Burnette, Henry E.
4
10
C
4
11
Casson, Ellis H.
4
12
Chase, Eleanor (maiden name: Barrow)
4
13
Chase, James E. (Folder 1)
4
14
Chase, James E. (Folder 2)
4
15
Chase, James E.: Newsclippings copies
4
16
Clark, Selma I.
4
17
Colburn, A. B.
4
18
D
4
19
Dalbert
4
20
E
4
21
Earthman, Willie Ann
4
22
Elliott, James E. "Bo"
4
23
F
4
24
Fletcher, Orlando
4
25
Floyd, Elson
4
26
Freeman, Alice
4
27
Freeman, Clarence
4
28
Fuller, Clinton ("Foxx")
4
29
G
4
30
Gardner, Sarah
4
31
Goddard, Fred Arthur Wilson
4
32
Green, Jerome
4
33
Greene, Roberta
4
34
H
4
35
Hagin, Wally
4
36
Hawkins
4
37
Hill
4
38
Holmes, Emmett Hercules
4
39
Hopkins, John Orville
4
40
J
4
41
Jones, Mona Lake
4
42
Jordan, Isamu "Som"
4
43
K-L
4
44
Lake
4
45
M
4
46
Mack, Dwayne
4
47
Maxey, Carl
4
48
Mosby, DeAudrey [Restricted until 2027]
4
49
Mu'Zee
4
50
N-O
4
51
P
4
52
R
4
53
Reed
4
54
Rice, Norm
4
55
Rogers, Cecilia
4
56
Roseman, Maya
4
57
S
4
58
Scott, Frances
4
59
Sims
4
60
Smith
4
61
Stokes, Frank A.
4
62
T-V
4
63
Taylor, Robert A.
4
64
Thomas, Eileen
4
65
W
4
66
Watkins, Percy Happy, III
4
67
West, Marianne
4
68
Williams, Louis
4
69
Williams, Wallace
4
70
Williamson, Emmerson
4
71
Williamson, Jerrelene
4
72
Williamson, Samuel "Sam" Matthew, Sr.
4
73
Williamson, William L.
4
74
Willis, Samuel
4
75
Young, Jim
4
76
Unidentified
4
77
Series 5
Scrapbooks & Artifacts
This series contains scrapbooks and other materials created by members of regional
Black communities. Jerrelene Williamson created several scrapbooks as part of her work
for the Spokane Northwest Black Pioneers. A majority of materials have been removed from
the scrapbooks for preservation purposes. One scrapbook has been preserved. For
materials removed, please see Series 3 and 4. For photographs removed, please see Series
6.
Black Women of the Old
West, by William Loren Katz
1995
5
1
The Pacific
Northesterner, Vol. 48, No. 2 and Vol. 49, No. 1 (Double Issue), by the
Spokane Corral of Westerners
October
2004, April 2005
5
2
All Through the Night: The
History of Spokane Black Americans, 1860-1940, by Joseph Franklin
1989
5
3
Images of America:
Roslyn, by Jaymi Trimble
2008
5
4
Images of America: Early
Spokane, by Don Popejoy and Penny Hutten
2010
5
5
Black Pioneers: Images of the
Black Experience on the North American Frontier, by John W. Ravage (2
copies)
1997
5
6
The Color of Culture, by
Mona Lake Jones
1993
5
7
Buffalo Soldiers at Fort
Leavenworth in the 1930s and early 1940s, interviews conducted by Major
George E. Knapp (2 copies)
1991
5
8
Pacific Northwest
Quarterly, Vol. 95, No. 1
Winter
2003-2004
5
9
Buffalo Soldiers (TNT
Television Series Pamphlet), signed by Danny Glover
5
10
The Schomburg Ceter 80th Anniversary Africana Heritage
Awards Gala
October 6,
2006
5
11
Glennie Lesure Memory Book from Lincoln High
School
1934
5
12
Scrapbook (from bag titled "Clarence
Freeman")
5
13
Photograph Album (individuals not
identified)
5
14
Spokane NW Black Pioneers Album (items removed for
preservation)
5
15
Lilie Bass Scrapbook Album
5
16
Unidentified Scrapbook
5
17
Virginia Smith Scrapbook
5
18
Waldorf Register, 225 1/2 W Riverside
1945
5
19
Scrapbook
5
20
Series 6
Photographs & Audio/Visual Materials
This series contains photographs, negatives, audio cassettes, and VHS tapes related to
individuals and historical subjects connected to regional Black communities.
Negatives and Exhibit Panel inventories
(preliminary)
6
1
Handwritten Index by Jerrelene Williamson
6
2
Statement Ledgers, re. Collection Reproduction and
Use
6
3
Exhibits: Black History Exhibit and Luncheon at
D.S.H.S. (pictures identify Elisah Mitchell and Valerie Marshall)
February
2002
6
4
Exhibits: Black History Exhibit, Tacoma,
Washington
July 2002
6
5
Exhibits: "The Black Presence in the Northwest" (date
and location unidentified)
6
6
Exhibits: Bon Marche and Northtown
2003
6
7
Exhibits: "Lives of Africa," Sandpoint,
Idaho
6
8
Exhibits: Exhibit at Valley Heritage
Museum
2005
6
9
Exhibits: "Wally's World," Gonzaga University (re.
Wally Hagin)
March 2000
6
10
Events: African American Forum (photos include Wally
Hagin)
6
11
Events: Artfest (one misidentified as Liberty
Park)
6
12
Events: Cenntenial Banquet
1989
6
13
Events: Ethnic Heritage Museum
March 2006
6
14
Events: Graduation at Gonzaga University
6
15
Events: Liberty Park
June 1998
6
16
Event: Martin Luther King March Photos (possibly taken
by Wally Hagin - see note)
6
17
Events: N-Shira Pa
6
18
Events: Pacific Northwest American Studies
Association, 2001 *OR* WSU exhibit with Dwayne Mack (photos are from same event - conflicting identification)
6
19
Events: Spokesman-Review - Chronicle Luncheon
1993
6
20
Events: Vietnam Memorial, "Wall that Weeps"
c. 1987
6
21
Exhibits: "We Are the Northwest"
6
22
Various Photos of Displays, Events, and Artifacts
6
23
Jim Chase Wheaties Box
6
24
Charles Sifford, autographed photograph and letter
6
25
Jerrelene Williamson Family (includes Brekenridge photos)
6
26
"Negro Creek" photos of John Smith Homestead
6
27
Portraits
6
28
Historical Images (originals and copies)
6
29
Historical Portrait - Tintype - "Family of Buck Pierce Campbell"
6
30
Series 7
Newspapers
The Spokane African-American Voice, 23 Volumes
7
1
The Spokane, Pullman African-American Voice, 23 Volumes
7
2