Collection context
Summary
- Abstract:
- The Men of Tomorrow, Inc. was a male African American civic and professional organization started in Oakland, California in 1954. Founded by Jefferson Beaver, Richard A.G. Foster, Aramis Fouche, Theodore R. Hardeman, H. Solomon Hill, L. Sylvester Odom, Kenneth F. Smith, and George R. Vaughns, the group eventually grew to include over 300 members including many notable judges and politicians, including Evelio Grillo, Lionel Wilson, and Allen Broussard, and would eventually establish additional chapters in San Francisco, Richmond, Sacramento, and Los Angeles. The Men of Tomorrow, Inc Oakland Chapter records document meetings, conferences, and the administration of the organization between 1959-1985.
- Extent:
- 1.25 linear feet (3 boxes)
- Language:
- Languages represented in the collection: English
- Preferred citation:
-
Men of Tomorrow, Inc. Oakland Chapter records , MS 3, African American Museum and Library at Oakland, Oakland Public Library. Oakland, California.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The Men of Tomorrow, Inc Oakland Chapter records document meetings, conferences, and the administration of the organization between 1959-1985. The bulk of the collection consists of the Men of Tomorrow, Inc. Oakland Chapters constitution and by-laws, meeting minutes, agendas, newsletters, membership directories, and four scrapbooks assembled by the organizations publicity chairman, Edward Douglas Jr. The scrapbooks include photographs of weekly meetings, newspaper clippings, conference programs, and luncheon invitations. The records are organized into three series: administrative files (.25 ft), scrapbooks (1 ft.), and artifacts (4 items).
- Biographical / historical:
-
The Men of Tomorrow, Inc. was a male African American civic and professional organization started in Oakland, California in 1954. Founded by Jefferson Beaver, Richard A.G. Foster, Aramis Fouche, Theodore R. Hardeman, H. Solomon Hill, L. Sylvester Odom, Kenneth F. Smith, and George R. Vaughns, the group eventually grew to include over 300 members including many notable judges and politicians, including Evelio Grillo, Lionel Wilson, and Allen Broussard, and would eventually establish additional chapters in San Francisco, Richmond, Sacramento, and Los Angeles. The organizations membership consisted chiefly of lawyers, judges, politicians, doctors, pastors, educators, and businessmen from Oakland and was dedicated to foster the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations and the dignifying by each member of his occupation or profession as an opportunity to serve society through fellowship. The Men of Tomorrow, Inc. was governed by a moderator, Board of Directors, and a Chairman of the Board and was organized into seven standing committees: membership, program, finance and budget, charter and extension, community relations, youth services, and publicity. The group held weekly business meetings at Jack London Inn, where they would often invite notable speakers to give lectures on politics, education, civil rights, religion, sports, international relations, labor relations, and economics. Beginning in 1959, the group also held a biennial conference on social and economic issues related to the African American community.
- Arrangement:
-
Series I. Administrative files, 1959-1985 Series II. Scrapbooks, 1959-1973 Series III. Artifact, undated
- Rules or conventions:
- Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
No access restrictions. Collection is open to the public.
Materials are for use in-library only, non-circulating.
- Terms of access:
-
Permission to publish from the Men of Tomorrow, Inc. Oakland Chapter Records must be obtained from the African American Museum and Library at Oakland.
- Preferred citation:
-
Men of Tomorrow, Inc. Oakland Chapter records , MS 3, African American Museum and Library at Oakland, Oakland Public Library. Oakland, California.
- Location of this collection:
-
659 14th StreetOakland, CA 94612, US
- Contact:
- (510) 637-0198