University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections4737Gayton, Virginia ClarkVirginia Clark Gayton papers1968-1970approximately .08 cubic ft (3
sound cassettes plus transcripts)Collection materials are
inEnglish.Tape-recorded
interviews where Mrs. Gayton discusses her personal experiences and
reminiscences about her familyVirginia 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)
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
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.
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.
Request at UW
Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington
Libraries.
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
Gayton, Virginia Clark--ArchivesPersonal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)Sound RecordingsOral HistoriesHome and FamilyAfrican Americans
Accession No. 4737-001: Virginia Clark Gayton oral history interview, 19681 sound cassette plus 1
duplicate sound cassetteScope 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.
Virginia Clark Gayton oral history interviewAccession No. 4737-002: Virginia Clark Gayton oral history interview, 19701 sound cassette plus
transcriptScope 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,
Virginia Clark Gayton oral history interview