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By Christopher Harter
Collection Overview
Title: Julius Rosenwald Fund records, 1920-1948
Creator: Julius Rosenwald Fund (1917-1948)
Extent: 3.75
Arrangement: Dockets of business are arranged chronologically by committee or body, followed by reports of the comptroller, reviews of activities, minutes, and miscellaneous records.
Date Acquired: 01/01/1968
Languages: English
Scope and Contents of the Materials
The records of the Julius Rosenwald Fund consists of dockets of business and minutes of meetings held by the following bodies of the Fund: Executive Committee, Finance Committee, Board of Trustees and members. Also included are financial records, including audits and reports of the comptroller; annual reviews of activities of the Fund; documents related to the Fund's charter and by-laws; biennial reviews by Edwin C. Embree; and records of the Fund's fellowship program.
Although there are gaps in the records, primarily in the dockets of business and minutes, this collection documents to a large extent the business and activities of the Julius Rosenwald Fund during the period 1928-1948. Only one document predates 1928; it is a financial audit dated 1920.
Biographical Note
The Julius Rosenwald Fund was chartered by Sears, Roebuck and Company magnate Julius Rosenwald (1862-1932) in 1917 "for the well-being of mankind." The fund concentrated on the equalization of opportunities among Americans, including the funding of schools for African Americans in the rural South. Unlike other philanthropic organizations, the fund was not designed to last in perpetuity. During its existence, the Julius Rosenwald Fund provided over 70 million dollars in funding to a variety of college and universities, Jewish charities, and African American schools before its funds were exhausted in 1948.
Julius Rosenwald was introduced to Booker T. Washington by Paul J. Sachs and was asked to serve on the Board of Directors of the Tuskegee Institute in 1912. Guided by Washington, Rosenwald supported the growth of public education for rural southern Blacks by assisting Washington on a program administered by the Tuskegee Institute from 1913 to 1920 for the construction of school facilities for African American children in the South. One of the largest programs administered by the Rosenwald Fund was the rural school building program, which provided money for toward the construction of over 5000 schools and teachers' homes, which became known as "Rosenwald Schools."
Apart from funding educational opportunities, the Rosenwald Fund also provided monies to improve the health of African Americans, improvements in U.S. agriculture, and toward fellowships to African Americans. From 1917 until 1928, the fund remained largely under the personal control of Julius Rosenwald. The Fund was reorganized on January 1, 1928, when Edwin Rogers Embree (1883-1950) became president of the Fund and a newly created Board of Directors was created with full-time staff headquartered in Chicago.
From 1928 to 1948, the Fund's Fellowship Program awarded grants to hundreds of African American writers, educators, artists and scholars, as well as southern Whites with interests in race relations. Rosenwald Fellows included many of the leading artists and writers of the day. Having expended over $22 million dollars in funding, the Julius Rosenwald fund was dissolved in 1948.
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions:
This collection is open to research.
Use Restrictions:
Copyright to these papers has not been assigned to the Amistad Research Center. It is the responsibility of an author to secure permission for publication from the holder of the copyright to any material contained in this collection.
Acquisition Source:
Fisk University
Acquisition Method:
Gift
Related Materials:
Julius Rosenwald Fund archives (microfilm)
Individuals who were supported by the Rosenwald Fund and whose papers are housed at the Amistad Research Center include: Richmond Barthe, Elizabeth Catlett, Jessie Dent, and Hale Woodruff. The Center's fine arts collection also includes works by artists who received support from the Fund.
Related Publications:
Daniel Schulman. A Force for Change: African American Art and the Julius Rosenwald Fund. Chicago, IL: Spertus Museum; Northwestern University Press, 2009.
Ascoli, Peter Max. Julius Rosenwald : The Man Who Built Sears, Roebuck and Advanced the Cause of Black Education in the American South. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 2006.
Preferred Citation:
Julius Rosenwald Fund records, Amistad Research Center at Tulane University, New Orleans, Lousiana
Processing Information:
Processed April 2010 by Christopher Harter
Box and Folder Listing
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- Box 1
- Folder 1: Executive Committee: dockets of business, 1929 February 6 and March 20
- Folder 2: Executive Committee: dockets of business, 1929 May 15 and June 20
- Folder 3: Executive Committee: dockets of business, 1929 October 30 and December 18
- Folder 4: Executive Committee: dockets of business, 1930 March 24 and April 27
- Folder 5: Executive Committee: dockets of business, 1930 May 28 and September 24
- Folder 6: Executive Committee: dockets of business, 1931-1932
- Folder 7: Executive Committee: docket of business, 1932 October 4
- Folder 8: Executive Committee: dockets of business, 1933-1935
- Folder 9: Executive Committee: dockets of business, 1936
- Folder 10: Executive and Finance Committees: docket of business, 1936 June 4
- Folder 11: Executive Committee: dockets of business, 1937-1939
- Folder 12: Executive Committee: dockets of business, 1940-1941
- Folder 13: Executive Committee: dockets of business, 1942-1943
- Box 2
- Folder 1: Executive Committee: dockets of business, 1944-1945
- Folder 2: Executive Committee: dockets of business, 1946
- Folder 3: Executive Committee: dockets of business, 1947-1948
- Folder 4: Conference of Trustees and Guests: docket of business, 1928 April 29
- Folder 5: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1928 April 30
- Folder 6: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1928 November 4
- Folder 7: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1928 December 30
- Folder 8: Special Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1929 May 11
- Folder 9: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1929 November 16
- Folder 10: Special Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1930 April 26
- Folder 11: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1930 November 14
- Folder 12: Special Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1931 May 2
- Box 3
- Folder 1: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1931 November 7
- Folder 2: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1932 May 14
- Folder 3: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1932 November 12
- Folder 4: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1933 May 28
- Folder 5: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1933 October 1
- Folder 6: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1934 May 19
- Folder 7: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1934 November 10
- Folder 8: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1935 May 18
- Folder 9: Meeting of Members and Trustees: docket of business, 1935 November 9
- Folder 10: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1936 May 15
- Folder 11: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1936 November 14
- Folder 12: Meeting of Trustees: special memorandum on medical economics, 1936 November 14
- Folder 13: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1937 April 10
- Folder 14: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1937 November 13
- Box 4
- Folder 1: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1938 April 2
- Folder 2: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1938 November 11
- Folder 3: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1939 April 29
- Folder 4: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1940 April 20
- Folder 5: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1940 November 11
- Folder 6: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1941 March 28
- Folder 7: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1941 November 10
- Folder 8: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1942 April 10
- Folder 9: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1942 November 7
- Folder 10: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1943 April 17
- Folder 11: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1943 November 13
- Folder 12: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1944 March 20
- Folder 13: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1944 November 20
- Box 5
- Folder 1: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1945 April 21
- Folder 2: Meeting of Members and Trustees: docket of business, 1945 November 16
- Folder 3: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1945 November 16
- Folder 4: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1946 May 18
- Folder 5: Meeting of Members and Trustees: docket of business, 1946 November 16
- Folder 6: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1947 May 24
- Folder 7: Meeting of Members and Trustees: docket of business, 1947 November 8
- Folder 8: Conference of Foundation officers with Trustees of the Julius Rosenwald Fund: docket of business, 1947 November 8-9
- Folder 9: Meeting of Trustees: docket of business, 1948 May 29
- Folder 10: Meeting of Members: dockets of business, 1930-1934
- Folder 11: Meeting of Members: dockets of business, 1936-1944
- Folder 12: Meeting of Members: docket of business, 1948 May 29
- Folder 13: Report of the Controller: fiscal year ending, 1929 June 30
- Folder 14: Report of the Comptroller: fiscal year ending, 1930 June 30
- Folder 15: Report of the Comptroller: fiscal year ending, 1931 June 30
- Folder 16: Report of the Comptroller: fiscal year ending, 1932 June 30
- Folder 17: Report of the Comptroller: fiscal year ending, 1933 June 30
- Folder 18: Report of the Comptroller: fiscal year ending, 1934 June 30
- Folder 19: Report of the Comptroller: fiscal year ending, 1935 June 30
- Folder 20: Report of the Comptroller: fiscal year ending, 1936 June 30
- Box 6
- Folder 1: Report of the Comptroller: fiscal year ending, 1937 June 30
- Folder 2: Report of the Comptroller: fiscal year ending, 1938 June 30
- Folder 3: Report of the Comptroller: fiscal year ending, 1939 June 30
- Folder 4: Report of the Comptroller: fiscal year ending, 1940 June 30
- Folder 5: Report of the Comptroller: fiscal year ending, 1941 June 30
- Folder 6: Report of the Comptroller: fiscal year ending, 1942 June 30
- Folder 7: Report of the Comptroller: fiscal year ending, 1943 June 30
- Folder 8: Report of the Comptroller: fiscal year ending, 1944 June 30
- Folder 9: Report of the Comptroller: fiscal year ending, 1945 June 30
- Folder 10: Report of the Comptroller: fiscal year ending, 1946 June 30
- Folder 11: Report of the Comptroller: fiscal year ending, 1947 June 30
- Folder 12: Review of Activities, 1928 July 1-1935 June 30
- Folder 13: Review of Activities: Exhibit A, Early Period, 1928 July 1-1935 June 30
- Folder 14: Review of Activities: Exhibit B, Negro Fellowships, 1928 July 1-1935 June 30
- Folder 15: Review of Activities: Exhibit C, Future Program, 1928 July 1-1935 June 30
- Folder 16: Review of Activities: Exhibit D, Index and Financial Statements, 1928 July 1-1935 June 30
- Folder 17: Review of Activities, 1936 July 1-1937 June 30
- Box 7
- Folder 1: Review of Activities, 1937 July 1-1938 June 30
- Folder 2: Review of Activities, 1938 July 1-1939 June 30
- Folder 3: Review of Activities, 1939 July 1-1940 June 30
- Folder 4: Review of Activities, 1940 July 1-1941 June 30
- Folder 5: Review of Activities, 1941 July 1-1942 June 30
- Folder 6: Review of Activities, 1942 July 1-1943 June 30
- Box 8
- Folder 1: Review of Activities, 1943 July 1-1944 June 30
- Folder 2: Review of Activities, 1944 July 1-1945 June 30
- Folder 3: Review of Activities, 1945 July 1-1946 June 30
- Folder 4: Review of Activities, 1946 July 1-1947 June 30
- Folder 5: Review of Activities in Race Relations, 1941 July 1-1946 June 30
- 2 copies
- Folder 6: Minutes, 1928 April 18-December 30
- pp. 1-94
- Folder 7: Minutes, 1929 January 17-December 18
- pp. 95-235
- Box 9
- Folder 1: Minutes, 1930 January 13-December 12
- pp. 236-322
- Folder 2: Minutes, 1931 January 2-1933 December 4
- pp. 323-451
- Folder 3: Minutes, 1934 February 2-July 2
- pp. 452-496
- Folder 4: Minutes, 1945 January 5-1946 December 17
- pp. 997-1118 (p. 1093 missing)
- Folder 5: Minutes, 1947 January 16-June 19
- pp. 1119-1144
- Folder 6: Revision of constitution and by-laws, 1929 May 11
- Folder 7: Charter and by-laws, 1938
- Folder 8: Biennial review, 1933
- Review for the Two-Year Period 1931-1933 / by Edwin R. Embree
- Folder 9: Biennial reviews, 1942-1944
- Item 1: Review for the Two-Year Period 1940-1942 / by Edwin R. Embree, 1942
- Item 2: Review for the Two-Year Period 1942-1944 / by Edwin R. Embree, 1944
- Folder 10: Financial audits, 1920, 1934, 1941
- Folder 11: Fellows of the Julius Rosenwald Fund, 1937-1940
- Folder 12: Fellowships and grants-in-aid, 1945
- Folder 13: Fellowship grants, 1946
- Folder 14: Resolution of the Trustees on Future Program, 1936
- Folder 15: Officers and Employees' Benefit Trusts: fiscal year ending, 1941 June 30
- Folder 16: Exhibit A: Life of the Fund, 1945 April 21
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