Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Virginia Clark Gayton papers, 1968-1970
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Gayton, Virginia Clark
- Title
- Virginia Clark Gayton papers
- Dates
- 1968-1970 (inclusive)19681970
- Quantity
- approximately .08 cubic ft (3 sound cassettes plus transcripts)
- Collection Number
- 4737
- Summary
- Tape-recorded interviews where Mrs. Gayton discusses her personal experiences and reminiscences about her family
- Repository
-
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Digital recording for accession 4737-001 is available in Special Collections Reading Room. No user access copy is available for accession 4737-002.
Transcripts are open to all users.
- Additional Reference Guides
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Virginia Clark (1902-1993) was the first of five children born to Cyrus Clark and Guela Louise Johnson in Nashville, Tennessee, and moved to Spokane, Washington as a young girl. Both her parents were schoolteachers who impressed upon their children the value of education. She graduated from Lewis and Clark High School and attended Howard University in Washington, D.C. where she was a member of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority. After two years at Howard University she rejoined her family in Vancouver, British Columbia, before moving to Seattle. In 1926 she married John T. Gayton and had eight children.
After World War II, Mrs. Gayton had a 21-year career in the U.S. Postal Service. After retiring in 1967 she helped organize the Seattle chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, served on the boards of the Seattle YMCA, Girl Scouts, and the Ruth School for Girls, and volunteered as a docent at the University of Washington’s Burke Museum.
In 1984 she was featured in the Black Women Oral History Project at the Schlesinger Library of Radcliffe College. Virginia and John J. Gayton’s contributions to Seattle’s African American community were honored with the opening of the John Jacob and Virginia Gayton Historical Library in the educational wing of the First African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1990.
(Source: Seattle Times, Schlesinger Library’s Black Women Oral History Project)
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Oral histories interviews with transcripts. Topics include growing up in Spokane, Washington, African American social life in Vancouver (BC), Spokane and Seattle, moving to Seattle in the 1920’s, job opportunities for African Americans prior to World War II, reminiscences about family history, education (Howard University 1920-1922), employment opportunities and social conditions for Black people, husband's childhood, education and employment; and the social role of church in the Black community.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Organized into 2 accessions.
- Accession No. 4737-001, Virginia Clark Gayton oral history interview, 1968
- Accession No. 4737-002, Virginia Clark Gayton oral history interview, 1970
Related Materials
Gayton family papers (manuscript collection 0850)
Oral history interviews with John J. Gayton (manuscript collection 4746)
Leonard Gayton papers (manuscript collection 4736)
These three interviews were conducted by Larry Gossett as part of the Afro-American Project (1968-1970), in which student field workers recorded conversations with residents of the African American community, primarily in Seattle.
A fourth oral history with Gary Gayton is available in UW digital collections, in the Howard Droker collection, in which Gayton describes his involvement in the Civic Unity Committee and Fair Housing Campaign of 1962-1964.
The Guela Johnson papers (manuscript collection 4334) document the life and work of Guela Gayton Johnson, daughter of John J. and Virginia Gayton.
Carver Gayton at press conference, Seattle, Washington, approximately 1967
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Accession No. 4737-001: Virginia Clark Gayton oral history interview, 1968Return to Top
Scope and Content: Virginia Clark Gayton discusses her parents’ and grandparents’ history, educational values, growing up in Spokane, Washington, African American social life in Vancouver (BC), Spokane and Seattle, moving to Seattle in the 1920’s, job opportunities for African Americans prior to World War II.
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users. Digital recordings and transcript are available in Special Collections Reading Room.
Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Acquisition Info: Donated by Mrs. Gayton, 2/17/1968.
| Description |
|---|
Virginia Clark Gayton oral history interview |
Accession No. 4737-002: Virginia Clark Gayton oral history interview, 1970Return to Top
Scope and Content: Tape recorded interview conducted by Rich Berner on 16 Jun 1970. Tape includes reminiscences about family history, education (Howard University 1920-1922), employment opportunities and social conditions for Black people, husband's childhood, education and employment; and the social role of church in the Black community.
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.
Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Acquisition Info: Donated by Mrs. Gayton, 6/16/1970,
| Description |
|---|
Virginia Clark Gayton oral history interview |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
Personal Names
- Gayton, Virginia Clark--Archives
