Building the African-Americana Collections
Since the generous donation of the W. Lloyd Wright Collection in 1950, The George Washington University has maintained a notable collection of early Washington history. Within the Wright Collection are numerous letters and documents relating to African Americans in Washington, DC. Students, scholars and researchers who have used the collection have been both surprised and delighted by the variety of items contained in Mr. Wright's Collection. Among the African-Americana rarities is a copy of "Benj. Banneker's Penn., Del., Maryland Almanac" for 1795. Another treasure in Wright's Collection is a letter from former slave and abolitionist Frederick Douglass to Boston editor B. F. Underwood, arranging to send Mr. Underwood a copy of his autobiography. Wright's Collection established a core of rare and unique African-Americana items upon which subsequent collecting has built.
Tremendous changes in the political and social make-up of Washington, DC, took place during the late 1950's and early 1960's. African Americans, having secured the right to vote, became leaders in their "own backyards."
Many political leaders of all races were encouraged to place their personal and political papers in libraries and archives to ensure their 
longevity and increase their use in research, study and policy-making. Like other institutions in the Washington area, The George Washington University received several collections, including those of African Americans. The Reverend Walter E. Fauntroy donated to The Gelman Library over 800 boxes of his papers spanning several decades and profiling his role as a pastor, civil rights activist, community developer, and statehood advocate. This collection, along with others, put the Library in a position to encourage and procure other resources about the lives and deeds of Washingtonians and African Americans, in particular. These collections provide the opportunity to learn more about the role of Reverend Fauntroy and others in the changes that took place in the African-Americana community as a result of their leadership.
For a listing of collections documenting the African-American experience in Washington, D.C. and the larger metropolitan area, please see the African-Americana Collections page.
Manuscripts and artifacts shown are available for use in the Special Collections Research Center.
