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East Mount Airy Neighbors (Philadelphia, Pa.) Records
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Held at: Temple University Libraries: Special Collections Research Center [Contact Us]
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Temple University Libraries: Special Collections Research Center. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
The East Mount Airy Neighbors, Inc. (EMAN), a neighborhood improvement association, was founded in December of 1965, largely in response to issues and concerns present in the racially changing neighborhood. Defining its boundaries as Stenton Avenue, Cresheim Valley Road, Germantown Avenue and Washington Lane, the association embraced the widest possible definition of East Mount Airy. The immediate issues to which the association addressed itself in 1966, as set forth in the first issue of the organization's newsletter (January, 1966), were the quality of the public schools in the neighborhood and the unethical real estate practices which threatened the area's residential stability as an integrated community. From this beginning, the association expanded to embrace a number of social and community programs.
Starting as an unincorporated association with approximately 200 members in January, 1966, EMAN has grown markedly over the years (with membership in the 1,500 to 2,000 range) and emerged as one of the city's most successful and influential neighborhood associations. In March, 1972, it was incorporated as a Pennsylvania non-profit corporation and, in September, 1973, secured tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service.
Over the years, one general membership meeting has been held annually, while the Board of Directors, Executive Committee and other committees met regularly (often monthly) throughout each year. During the span of these records, there have been as many as eighteen active committees, but often fewer. Some committees were active for the entire period, while others only existed for one year, at most.
Although the two areas of activity mentioned above have been important throughout the history of the organization, other projects have been undertaken as well. A subsidiary corporation, EMAN Group Homes, Inc., has established homes for the mentally retarded and Northwest Community Housing, Inc., a joint venture with seven other community organizations, was founded to promote quality housing and neighborhood stability. A day care center was set up in the building which houses the EMAN offices and community center. This center, at 820 E. Vernon Rd., was purchased in October, 1974, after having been rented for over a year. Prior to that rental, the office had been in a private home and in a small, shared office with EMAN Group Homes. EMAN has worked on programs such as organizing "Together Blocks," helping to sponsor Mt. Airy Day, working with other community groups, and continuing to be very involved in education and zoning issues.
The establishment of the day care center and of the group homes for the mentally retarded, the sponsoring of the Northwest Community Housing Association in its zoning issues, and the interaction with the school board to obtain better schools, are all major contributions to the improvement of the neighborhood.
During the period 1966-1977, EMAN was involved in:
1. Education/Desegregation issues.
2. Zoning issues.
3. Police-Community Relations.
4. Crime control and prevention.
5. Youth programs.
6. Mental health care homes.
7. Health planning.
8. Improving and maintaining the local railroad station.
9. Purchase and renovation of community center.
10. Child care center.
11. Welcoming committee for all new residents.
12. "Together Blocks" for security and general good neighborliness.
The collection consists of five and a half linear feet, and covers the period from 1954 to 1977. The overall nature of EMAN's records reflects inconsistent documentation, but there is substantial material that describes the workings of the Association, depicts the tenor of the neighborhood, and illuminates the resident concerns of East Mount Airy. Three major areas of EMAN's original mission consistently manifest themselves: concerns with housing and zoning practices, quality of education, and improving the overall quality of the neighborhood. This collection includes preserved versions of the organization's website, available through Archive-It.
This collection is arranged into 8 series as follows:
Series 1: Administration, 1966-1977
Series 2: Correspondence, 1966-1976
Series 3: Financial, 1974-1975
Series 4: Membership, 1966-1975
Series 5: Other Organizations, 1954-1976
Series 6: Publications, 1966-1967
Series 7: Miscellaneous, undated
Series 8: Website versions in Archive-It, 2004-2016
Additions to this collection are expected. Websites are captured using Archive-It periodically, and the latest additions may not yet be included in this finding aid. For information on material–physical and digital, including captured websites–that may have been added since the last finding aid update, please contact the Special Collections Research Center.
Donated by the East Mount Airy Neighbors, August 1977.
Processed by Ken Garson, Margaret Graham, Dick Hoffman, March 2000. Finding aid revised according to contemporary archival standards in May 2014 by Katy Rawdon, Coordinator of Technical Services. Finding aid updated with captured website information in July 2016.
Subject
- Citizens' associations -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia
- Education -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia
- Housing -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia
- Zoning -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia
Place
- Publisher
- Temple University Libraries: Special Collections Research Center
- Finding Aid Author
- Machine-readable finding aid created by: Rajkumar Natarajan, Sky Global Services India (P) Ltd.
- Finding Aid Date
- 2024
- Access Restrictions
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Collection is open for research.
- Use Restrictions
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The East Mount Airy Neighbors (Philadelphia, Pa.) Records the physical property of the Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries. Temple University holds intellectual property rights only for material donated to the university with such rights specifically assigned. For all other material, intellectual property rights, including copyright, belong to the authors or their legal heirs and assigns. Researchers are responsible for determining the identity of rights holders and obtaining their permission for publication and for other purposes where stated.
Collection Inventory
Series 1. Administration, contains the largest amount of material (two boxes) and details the organization's business and activities. Material describing many EMAN activities and neighborhood issues will be found in the sub-series Committees and Programs. The evolution and affairs of primary programs are documented, including the establishment of a day care center and of group homes for the mentally retarded. This series includes materials from the following sub-series: Board of Directors, with sub-sub-series of Annual Meetings/Reports 1966-1975, Articles of Incorporation 1972-1973, By-Laws 1966-1975, Correspondence 1973-1975, History and Maps c. 1974, Job Descriptions 1972, Lists 1971-1977 and Minutes 1966-1976; Executive Committee, with sub-sub-series of Minutes 1966-1976, and Membership Lists and Correspondence 1975-1976; Committees and Programs, with twenty sub-sub series covering a number of activities and various years between 1966 and 1976. Of these, Education, Group Homes, and Zoning have sub-sub-sub series, indicating that these are among the most significant activities.
Series 2. Correspondence. This series contains general correspondence, communication with City Council, state agencies and legislators. Evidence of EMAN's efforts on policy and legislation on both the city and state levels is seen in the sub-series City Council and Congresspersons.
Series 3. Financial. This series includes Budget/Financial Statements 1967-1976, a financial audit for 1974, and Grant Applications, both successful and unsuccessful, to purchase the EMAN headquarters.
Series 4. Memberships. This series contains lists, labels and applications. Information on members, the number of members at different times, and leadership in the community is outlined in Series IV. Profiles of members can be found in the Membership Application folders.
Series 5. Other Organizations. Includes information on local, regional and city organizations with which EMAN has worked and/or cooperated. An expanded picture of East Mount Airy's relationship with adjoining neighborhoods and with the City of Philadelphia is reflected in Series 5. Materials of two outside organizations in this series actually pre-date the start of EMAN. Sedgwick Neighbors and the Stenton Neighbors Assistance Committee materials are dated 1961 and 1954, respectively.
Series 6. Publications. This series holds copies of the minutes of the Philadelphia Board of Education, the EMAN Newsletter, newspaper clippings, and publicity releases. The EMAN Newsletter provides a consistent overview of EMAN and is a good orientation to the organization's activities and concerns.
Series 7. Miscellaneous. This series contains various items which were not filed in any folders and did not fit in any other series.
Physical Description(6 items)
Series 8 contains preserved versions of the EMAN website. To access these sites, see the Temple University Special Collections Urban Archives Archive-It web page: https://www.archive-it.org/collections/4487