Institutional Records at the Schomburg Center
During your interviews you might find that a family member spent their youth in an orphanage, was a member of a historically Black fraternity or sorority, or attended a certain school. If you can narrow down dates, or possibly local chapters, then it is worth looking into institutional records. The Schomburg Center has a large collection of institutional records for African American organizations and schools from across the country, with a concentration on the New York City Area. Below is just a selection.
- Howard Orphanage and Industrial School records, 1898-1955 (bulk 1912-1918) (formally the Brooklyn Howard Colored Orphan Asylum)
- Riverdale Children's Association Records, 1889-1957
- Colored School No. 1 records, 1882-1977 bulk (1882-1911)
- Lincoln School for Nurses collection, 1869-2002
- The Meharrian : [yearbook of the Meharry Medical College]
- Jack and Jill of America, Inc. Metropolitan Chapter Records, 1940-1991
- Delta Sigma Theta, Inc., New York Alumnae Chapter Newsletters
- Delta Sigma Theta Sorority collection, 1960-1995
- Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority scrapbook, 1942-1996
- Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority collection, 1966 -1986
- Prince Hall Masonic yearbook
African American School children; Howard Orphanage and Industrial School