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Littleton and Jane Mitchell papers
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Held at: University of Delaware Library Special Collections [Contact Us]181 South College Avenue, Newark, DE 19717-5267
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the University of Delaware Library Special Collections. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
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Littleton Purnell Mitchell, known as "Lit," was born on November 27, 1918, to Littleton Vann Mitchell and Helen Ann Purnell Mitchell in Milford, Delaware. He attended the Milford Colored School until eight grade and then attended Howard High School in Wilmington, Delaware, which was the only high school for African-American students in the state of Delaware at the time. Mitchell graduated from Howard High School in 1939 and was admitted to West Chester State College of Pennsylvania (now West Chester University) on a track scholarship.
After two years in college, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps and served in Tuskegee, Alabama, as a member of the "Tuskegee Airmen" during World War II. While at Tuskegee Army Air Base, he served as an instructor for instrument simulator training. Mitchell was a second generation soldier, as his father also served in the US Army during World War I. In 1943, Mitchell also married Jane Evelyn Watson, who moved to Alabama to work at the Tuskegee Institute Hospital.
When he was discharged from the army in February 1946, Littleton returned to West Chester State College and continued coursework. He graduated in 1948 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education. He later continued his formal education at the University of Delaware and Temple University, concentrating in areas of Special Education.
Mitchell remained a reserve officer in the U.S. Army, and graduated from the Athletic Directors' School, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and the Special Service Officer's School, Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, in 1950 and 1951 respectively.
When the Governor Bacon Health Center was opened in Delaware City in 1948, Dr. M. A. Tarumianz hired Mitchell as an instructor, where he would become the first African-American in Delaware to teach white students. Mitchell would spend his entire career, until his retirement in 1984, as a teacher and counselor for emotionally troubled youth at the Governor Bacon Health Center.
At the urging of his mother, Mitchell became involved with the Milford Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) at age twelve. He would join the Wilmington Branch of the NAACP during high school and eventually go on to become vice president and president of that branch. In 1961, Mitchell became president of the Delaware State Branches of the NAACP, and led the organization for over thirty years, until 1991. During his time as president, he directed efforts to ensure equal rights for African-Americans and other minorities in the state. Mitchell fought to address issues of fair housing, school desegregation, equal access to public accommodations, voting rights, and increased employment and educational opportunities for African-Americans. He worked with Louis L. Redding (1901-1998), the noted Delaware civil rights attorney and his close friend, to address many of these issues. Mitchell also was a fierce advocate for the rights of migrant workers in the state, who often lived amid squalid conditions. In addition to his leadership of the Delaware NAACP, Mitchell served as president and vice president of Region II NAACP, which is comprised of ten northeastern states from Delaware to Maine.
Lit Mitchell was also heavily involved with many community, state, and national organizations. He served as president of the New Castle Progressive Club, board member of the Delaware Alliance Federal Credit Union, president of the Gunning Bedford Kindergarten Association, member of the Governor of Delaware's Advisory Council on Affirmative Action, member of the New Castle County Executive's Transition team, president of the Governor Bacon Education Association, and board member of the African American Museum of History. He also had served on the council of the Delaware Humanities Forum from 1991 to 1997 where he advocated expanding programs to include more minorities and on the Brown v. Board of Education 50th Anniversary Commission as a presidential appointee representing Delaware.
Mitchell also had many personal hobbies and interests, such as international travel, track and field events, and bull fighting. He was also an active member of Christ Episcopal Church in Delaware City and a 32nd degree Mason and Shriner.
Mitchell received numerous awards and citations including the 1999 West Chester University President's Medallion for Service, West Chester University Distinguished Achievement Award, AARP Delaware 2008 Andrus Award, the Congressional Medal for service as a Tuskegee Airman, News Journal Distinguished Citizen Award, University of Delaware Medal of Merit, Delaware State Education Association Human and Civil Rights Award, and Delaware Bar Association's 2004 Liberty Bell Award. In 2008, Delaware Technical College created the Littleton and Jane Mitchell Scholarship which is awarded to nursing students.
Littleton Mitchell died on July 6, 2009, and is survived by his son Philip Vann Mitchell and his wife Ernestine. He was preceded in death by his wife Jane, sisters Phyllis and Angela, and his brother Kenny. Scott Pruden. "Remembering Littleton Mitchell,"Delaware Today, July 7, 2009. http://www.delawaretoday.com/Delaware-Today/July-2009/Remembering-Littleton-Mitchell (accessed April 25, 2013).Additional biographical information derived from the collection.
Jane Evelyn Mitchell was born Jane Evelyn Watson in 1921. Her immediate family included her father Charles Elmer Watson, Sr., her brother Eugene, and sisters Elaine and Arlene. She was a graduate of the Howard High School Provident Hospital Nursing Program and later graduated from the University of Delaware in 1963. She earned her Master's degree from Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland. She married Littleton Mitchell in 1943, while working at the Tuskegee Institute Hospital in Alabama.
Mitchell became the first African-American registered nurse employed in a hospital in Delaware, serving as Head Nurse at Governor Bacon Heath Center in Delaware City, Delaware. She spent the majority of her career at Delaware State Hospital in New Castle, Delaware, where she served as supervisor of Psychiatric Services, and Director of Nursing Services. Mitchell was also active in the NAACP and along with her husband, led efforts to desegregate the state's hospitals.
Mitchell also served as vice president of the Delaware Nurses Association and was president of the Delaware State Board of Nursing. She was a recipient of the University of Delaware's Medal of Merit and inducted into the Alumni Wall of Fame in 1998. She also served on the visiting committee of the University's College of Health and Nursing Sciences.
In 1999, the Delaware Psychiatric Center in New Castle was named in her honor. Other honors included being named Woman of the Year by the National Association of College Women, receiving the Award of Merit from the Delaware State Arts Council, receiving the Unsung Heroine Award from the NAACP and being inducted into the Hall of Fame of Delaware Women.
Mitchell was a member of St. Paul Catholic Church in Delaware City, volunteer for AARP, speaker for the American Cancer Society, and a member of Sigma Theta Tau, the national nursing honor society. She was also an artist, specializing in oil paintings and ceramics.
Jane Mitchell died on November 13, 2004 in Delaware City.
Carol Hoffecker. "Black Women in Delaware's History,"University of Delaware, August 4, 1997. http://www.udel.edu/BlackHistory/blackwomen.html (accessed April 25, 2013)."In Memoriam Jane E. Mitchell,"UDaily, November 16, 2004. http://www.udel.edu/PR/UDaily/2005/oct/mitchell111604.html (accessed April 25, 2013).Additional biographical information derived from the collection.
The Littleton and Jane Mitchell papers document the life and career of the Delaware-based civil rights activist and educator Littleton P. Mitchell (1918-2004) and his wife Jane E. Mitchell (1921-2004). The collection contains material relating to his education, activities as a member of the Tuskegee Airmen, his three decades-long leadership of the Delaware NAACP, his career as a teacher and counselor at Governor Bacon Health Center in Delaware City, and his involvement in a number of organizations. The collection also highlights the career of Jane Mitchell, one of Delaware's first African-American nurses and former director of nursing at the Delaware State Hospital. There are also photographs, slides, and other media documenting the Mitchells' family life as well as their participation in local and national events. The collection also contains a significant amount of the many awards and citations received by Littleton and Jane Mitchell for their achievements. As a whole, the papers explore the professional, personal, and family relationships of an African-American family in the 20th century.
The Littleton and Jane Mitchell papers are divided into three subgroups. Subgroup I. of the collection contains material relating specifically to the life of Littleton Mitchell, beginning with his childhood and education, continuing through his service with the United States Army, covering his career as an educator at Governor Bacon Health Center, and documenting his participation in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and leadership of the Delaware Branch of the organization. This subgroup also contains information documenting his participation in a number of other state-level and national organizations as well as correspondence, material of personal interest collected by Mitchell, and articles about his activities and achievements.
Series I. Early Life and Education contains composition books, report cards, certificates, and other material from Mitchell's time at Howard High School, from which he graduated in 1939, and was the only school in the state of Delaware open to African-Americans at the time. There is also general information about Howard, the 50th year class reunion, and plans to preserve the historic nature of the school. This series also contains material relating to Mitchell's education at West Chester State College (West Chester University) and includes lesson plans, coursework, a graduation yearbook (1948), later information on alumni reunions, and Mitchell's keynote address given at the 1999 commencement ceremony. The series also features Littleton Mitchell's 1918 birth certificate.
Series II. Military Career documents Mitchell's service with the famed Tuskegee Airmen and subsequent service as a 2nd lieutenant in the United States Army Reserves. The Tuskegee Airmen material includes items collected by Mitchell during his service, correspondence with Jane Mitchell, and certificates of appreciation for service. Of note is documentation of a court martial conducted at Tuskegee Army Air Field and a manual used by Mitchell to instruct pilots in instrument flying. Though he did not qualify to be a pilot himself, Mitchell taught Tuskegee Airmen flyers a crucial aspect of aircraft operation. The series also contains historical information and publicity about the Tuskegee Airmen as well as material from Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., an organization created to honor the accomplishments and perpetuate the history of the group. The series contains a diary kept during his first year at Tuskegee (1942), providing a glimpse into the severe discrimination faced by Mitchell and other African-Americans in the armed forces. More detail about the diary is available in the contents list.
The second section of Series II. contains material relating primary to Mitchell's post-Tuskegee military career. Included is coursework and a certificate of completion from the Adjutant General's School at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, and a notebook containing handwritten notes and coursework created while he attended the Athletic Directors' School at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The series also includes applications for enrollment in Army Extension courses while serving in the Army Reserve, information for veterans of World War II, and Army correspondence. The correspondence is composed of orders received while Mitchell was serving at Tuskegee Army Air Field, paperwork for a transfer to the Army Reserve, and letters regarding officer training.
Series III. Governor Bacon Health Center documents Mitchell's career as a teacher and counselor of emotionally troubled youth at the Governor Bacon Health Center in Delaware City, Delaware. It contains material regarding the general business of the Center, class policies and procedures, and student activities. Much of the correspondence included in the series regards Mitchell's efforts to fight discrimination at the Governor Bacon Health Center and increase the amount of minority staff at the institution. Problems at Governor Bacon Health Center in the 1980s are detailed in a number of news articles. There are also certificates relating to Mitchell's teaching credentials and coursework relating to his continuing education at the University of Delaware and Temple University. In addition, the series contains teaching materials such as studies, publications, and other documents relating to teaching children, specifically emotionally troubled youth.
Series IV. Civil Rights Advocacy contains information pertaining to Mitchell's involvement with local and national branches of the NAACP.
Subseries IV.A. contains a significant amount of information documenting Mitchell's NAACP Delaware Branch Leadership. The subseries is arranged chronologically and folders titled "Delaware NAACP materials" contain a wide variety of materials highlighting NAACP internal affairs, agendas, causes/initiatives, and events occurring within a given time period. Significant topics, materials, and events within each folder are detailed in the item list.
Of note throughout this subseries is correspondence from the long-serving chair of the Delaware NAACP Education Committee Mary C. Baker of Dover, who represented the interests of African-American students at Delaware State Board of Education meetings. The subseries also contains articles and editorial columns by influential Delaware journalist Bill Frank (1905-1989) of the
News Journal. Frank wrote about the progress of the Civil Rights movement and followed the activities of the NAACP for decades. He frequently wrote editorials that were both critical and supportive of Mitchell's actions as president of the Delaware NAACP.Note that there may be an overlap between materials included and topics addressed in Subseries IV.A. and other subseries in the collection.
Subseries IV.A.1.a. Political Material contains selected materials relating to the Delaware NAACP's involvement in state politics, specifically state housing legislation. The subseries features articles and copies of fair housing bills and proclamations signed by Delaware officials in honor of the NAACP. There is also material documenting Mitchell's participation in Governor Michael Castle's Affirmative Action Committee in the late 1980s.
Subseries IV.A.1.b. consists of studies and publications relating to the civil rights issues and other topics of interest to Littleton Mitchell during his service with the Delaware NAACP. Some topics covered include desegregation, race relations, crime, minority students, redistricting, and housing.
Subseries IV.A.1.c. Issues and Causes, contains selected information related to the major civil rights causes championed by Mitchell and the state NAACP during the second half of the 20 th century. The Subseries is divided into six sections: migrant labor, housing discrimination, discrimination in education, employment discrimination, prisons/justice system, and other discrimination cases.
Subseries IV.B. National NAACP contains material relating to Mitchell's participation in the NAACP on a national and regional level. It contains programs for the NAACP's annual convention from 1966 to 2003, programs for NAACP leadership training conferences, annual reports, and programs for the ceremony awarding the Spingarn Medal (awarded annually by the organization for outstanding achievements). The subseries also contains publications created by the NAACP on topics such as education, conference planning, and affirmative action. Included in these publications are issues of
The Crisis, the official magazine of the NAACP. There is also correspondence, resolutions, directories, and other information relating to the activities of the national NAACP.Series V. Involvement in other Delaware events and organizations contains meeting minutes, correspondence, memorandums, and correspondence documenting Mitchell's participation in and leadership of several Delaware organizations.
Subseries V.A. contains a small amount of correspondence and a newsletter relating to Mitchell's committee work with the Delaware Humanities Forum, an organization that organizes programs and funds grant proposals to promote the humanities.
Subseries V.B. contains correspondence, meeting minutes, agendas, and by-laws documenting Mitchell's service on the board of directors of the African American Museum of History and African American Museum Foundation.
Subseries V.C. contains correspondence, meeting minutes, agendas, and other material documenting Mitchell's lengthy service of more than 40 years with credit unions. Mitchell served as president of the Delaware Mental Health Association Federal Credit Union in the 1970s and later as a board member of the Delaware Alliance Federal Credit Union. Also included are publications relating to being an effective credit union board member and a Lightning Loan Computer, used to calculate monthly payments for loans.
Subseries V.D. contains reports, by-laws, proposals, and information about events held by the Community Progressive Club of New Castle of New Castle, Delaware. There is a significant amount of information documenting a costume ball organized by the club in 1994 as well as administrative transitions, publicity, and membership information.
Mitchell was also involved in a number of other organizations throughout his life. Material documenting a number of these organizations is contained in Subseries V.E. Other Organizations. Included is information about his role in a restructuring plan for the Ferris School, an incarceration facility for juveniles, and his activities as a member of a New Castle County Executive transition team.
Littleton Mitchell (along with his wife Jane) frequently visited schools in Delaware and spoke to students about the Civil Rights movement, his own experiences with racism, and his time in the Tuskegee Airmen. Subseries V.F. School Visits contains letters of appreciation and drawings from students, as well as other items relating to these talks.
Subseries V.G. Information Regarding Influential Delawareans contains biographical information, correspondence, and articles related to other "famous" Delawareans. The bulk of the material relates to Mitchell's colleague and close friend Louis L. Redding (1901-1998), who was the first African-American to be admitted to the Delaware bar and played a major role in the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education court case. Included is information about Redding's career, plans to create a museum in childhood home in Wilmington, and correspondence regarding the Louis L. Redding Chair for the Study of Law and Public Policy, created by the University of Delaware in Redding's honor.
Subseries V.H. Speeches consists of typed and handwritten introductions of other speakers used by Mitchell at various events as well as a script for a WDEL radio interview.
Series VI. Black History consists primarily of material relating to Mitchell's service on the Brown v. Board of Education 50th Anniversary Commission after he was selected by the White House to represent Delaware. Included is correspondence, informational packets, meeting minutes, and agendas documenting the work of the commission leading up to the 2004 anniversary as well as historical information relating to the Brown v. Board decision itself. This series also contains Black History material collected by Mitchell throughout his life. Included in this material are publications regarding racism, The Underground Railroad, and African-American achievements.
Series VII. Publicity about Littleton Mitchell, contains news clippings and articles about the life and achievements of Mitchell. Included in the series is a
News Journal Valentine's Day article Littleton and Jane Mitchell's marriage, transcripts of oral history interviews of Mitchell, and information relating to the Distinguished Citizen Award received by Mitchell.Series VIII. Correspondence, consists of correspondence generally not related to the activities of the NAACP.
Subseries VIII.A. contains selected correspondence documenting Mitchell's personal and professional relationship with a number of influential Delaware politicians. Among the politicians included are Governors (Terry, Peterson, Tribbitt, du Pont, Castle, Carper, Minner, and Markell), Senators (Biden and Carper), and other state officials. Also included is an invitation to the 1977 inauguration of President Jimmy Carter.
Subseries VIII.B. contains invitations to a number of the events attended by Mitchell since the 1970s as well as collected programs for events attended. There are also a number of congratulatory letters from friends, acquaintances, and public figures, reflecting the significant amount of awards and citations received by Mitchell. Also included in the subseries are letters of thanks for participation in events and for speeches given.
Subseries VIII.C. General Correspondence, contains correspondence to and from Mitchell regarding a variety of subjects not directly related to his NAACP or teaching activities. Of note in this subseries are two letters from individuals, one thanking him for being a figure of "inspiration" and the other from a white student at the Governor Bacon Health Center discussing her personal experiences with school integration.
Subseries VIII.D. contains works by poet Widener University Sociology professor and poet Sidney Jacobs, information regarding a recipient of the Silver Star and Purple Heart, and material relating to Mitchell's involvement in Freemasonry.
Series IX. Material of Personal Interest, consists material relating to other areas of Mitchell's life. It contains correspondence, pamphlets, newsletters, and other publications relating to religious institutions, including St. Paul M.E. Church, in Milford, Delaware, and the church attended by Mitchell when in Delaware City, Christ Episcopal Church. Mitchell had a life-long interest in sports, especially track and field. This series has a number of items relating to this topic, including publications about sports and tickets to the University of Pennsylvania Franklin Field Carnival Relay. Also included in this series are obituaries of Delawareans and others as well as speeches read at funerals or memorial services.
Subgroup II. Documents the life and career of Jane Mitchell.
Subgroup III. Contains material related to the personal lives of the Mitchell Family and includes photographs, slides, audiovisual material, calendars, ephemera, artifacts, and other items belonging to members of the family. This information documents the domestic life, family ties, professional achievements, and recreational habits of an African-American family from the early to late 20th century.
Series I. Photographs and Series II. Slides consists of images documenting the lives of the Mitchells and includes photographs and slides of family, community gatherings, vacations, and professional meetings. The unit titles for many of the photographs and slides are transcribed directly from description of the items given by the Mitchell family. More detailed descriptions of the photographs are provided at the folder level.
Series III. Vacation, documents the Littleton and Jane Mitchell's national and international travel. It includes items from Canada, Spain, the Netherlands, as well as material collected while traveling in the United States. The series also includes their passports, which feature visa stamps from various countries.
Series IV. Consists of calendars kept by Littleton Mitchell over a thirty year period. They display a schedule of events to be attended as well as Mitchell's professional and personal obligations.
Series V. consists material relating to relatives and friends of Littleton and Jane Mitchell. It contains items belonging to Littleton Vann and Helen Mitchell, the parents of Littleton. Included is a photocopy of a diary kept by Littleton Vann Mitchell during his service in World War I as well as biographical information, a daily minder, obituary and other information relating to Helen Mitchell. Littleton and Jane Mitchell's son Philip Vann Mitchell is also represented in the series by school play programs, material related to hobbies, and cards (birthday and postcard) sent to him. Several members of Littleton Mitchell's family including his grandmother Sarah, mother Helen, and sister Phyllis played musical instruments. Helen played professionally as a church organist. The series contains music sheets and instrument lessons belonging to various family members. Also included are cards from family and friends and material relating to the Mitchells' 25th wedding anniversary in 1968.
Series VI. Mitchell Domestic Material consists material relating to home improvement and the personal lives of the Mitchells. It contains selected receipts for furniture purchased in 1943 as well as material relating to alterations made to the Mitchells' Delaware City home. There are instruction manuals for home appliances and clippings of advertisements for home improvements. This series also contains other domestic material including miscellaneous publications belonging to the Mitchell family, correspondence relating to job opportunities, invoices and correspondence relating to an import business, receipts for a 4-H Club broiler chicken raising project, and certificates for the completion of civil defense courses.
Series VII. consists of citations and awards received by Littleton and Jane Mitchell from the 1970s until 2009. The series is organized chronologically and by individual.
Series VIII. Ephemera and Realia contains items and artifacts collected by Littleton and Jane Mitchell throughout their lives. Items include medals, nametags, souvenirs, pins, and caps received as gifts and collected by the Mitchells during various events such as NAACP conventions. The series also includes a significant amount of buttons, both attached large fabric sashes and arranged by theme (politics, businesses, healthcare, etc.).
Series IX. Media contains VHS tapes, audiocassettes, film reels, and other media related to black history, events attended by the Mitchells, family vacations, and other material of general interest to Littleton and Jane.
Subseries IX.A. contains VHS tapes on a variety of subjects including black history, the Civil Rights movement, family events, and the Tuskegee Airmen. Included are tapes relating to dedication of the Jane E. Mitchell building and Jane's induction into the University of Delaware Hall of Fame as well as several interviews, including one conducted by The HistoryMakers project.
Subseries IX.B. contains audiocassettes featuring recordings of NAACP meetings, interviews with Littleton and Jane Mitchell, and material related to black history. The series features an interview of Louis L. Redding conducted by Lit Mitchell on Redding's 96th birthday.
Subseries IX.B. contains film reels documenting Mitchell family vacations, domestic and career events, and commercial productions. It also contains tape reels and phonograph records. Of particular note are two phonograph records featuring voice messages from Littleton Mitchell to Jane, while he was serving at the Tuskegee Army Air Field. Further descriptions of the voice messages are available in the contents list.
Series X. Books contains books belonging to the Mitchell family. The first subseries contains books on bullfighting, a topic that fascinated Littleton Mitchell throughout his life. The second subseries contains books on a variety of topics including Masonic Rituals and religion.
- Boxes 1-18: Shelved in SPEC MSS record center cartons
- Boxes 28-34: Shelved in SPEC MSS record center cartons
- Boxes 26-27 : Shelved in SPEC MSS manuscript boxes
- Boxes 38-39: Shelved in SPEC MSS record center cartons
- Boxes 35-37: Shelved in SPEC MSS manuscript boxes
- Boxes 41-44: Shelved in SPEC MSS manuscript boxes
- Boxes 19-25: Shelved in SPEC MSS shoeboxes
- Box 45: Shelved in SPEC MSS oversize boxes (24 inches)
- Boxes 40, 46-47: Shelved in SPEC MSS media
- Boxes 47, F16: Shelved in SPEC MSS media removals
- Box 1, F11; Box 2, F26; Box 4, F52; Box 5, F73; Box 6, F88; Box 14, F13-F14; Box 15, F21b, F29b, F57b, F66; Box 17, F6-F7; Box 29 F13, F15; Box 31, F45; Box 41, F31-F3 : Shelved in SPEC MSS oversize mapcases
Gift of Philip Vann Mitchell, 2010.
Processed by E. Evan Echols and Jaime Margalotti, May 2013. Encoded by E. Evan Echols, May 2013.
People
- Mitchell, Littleton P. (Littleton Purnell), 1918-2009
- Redding, Louis L.
- Mitchell, Jane E. (Jane Evelyn), 1921-2004
- Frank, Bill, 1905-1989
Organization
- National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
- National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Delaware State Conference of Branches
- Governor Bacon Health Center
- Tuskegee Airmen, Inc.
- United States. Army
- Delaware Humanities Forum
- Progressive Club of Delaware
- Delaware Alliance Federal Credit Union
- Brown v. Board of Education 50th Anniversary Commission
- Howard High School (Wilmington, Del.)
- West Chester University of Pennsylvania
- University of Delaware
- United States. Army. Air Corps
Subject
- Civil rights movements--United States--History--20th century
- Civil rights movements--Delaware--History--20th century
- African Americans--Civil rights--Delaware--History--20th century
- Migrant labor--Delaware
- Segregation--Delaware--History--20th century
- School integration--Delaware--History--20th century
- African Americans--Education--Delaware--History--20th century
- Special education--Delaware
- Nursing--Delaware--History--20th century
- United States. Army--Reserves
- World War, 1939-1945--Participation, African American
- Discrimination in housing--Delaware
- Busing for school integration--Law and legislation--Delaware
- Credit unions
- Affirmative action programs--Delaware
- Segregation in education--Law and legislation--United States
- Delaware--Race relations
- African American civil rights workers
- Bills, Legislative--United States
- Psychiatric hospitals--Delaware
- African Americans--Race identity
- African Americans--Domestic life
- African American churches--Delaware
- Bullfights--History
Place
- Tuskegee Army Air Field (Ala.)
- Delaware
- Wilmington (Del.)
- Milford (Del.)
- Delaware City (Del.)
- West Chester (Pa.)
Occupation
- Publisher
- University of Delaware Library Special Collections
- Finding Aid Author
- University of Delaware Library, Special Collections
- Finding Aid Date
- 2013 May 31
- Access Restrictions
-
The collection is open for research.
- Use Restrictions
-
Use of materials from this collection beyond the exceptions provided for in the Fair Use and Educational Use clauses of the U.S. Copyright Law may violate federal law. Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. Please contact Special Collections Department, University of Delaware Library, https://library.udel.edu/static/purl.php?askspec
Collection Inventory
Subgroup I. of the collection contains material relating specifically to the life of Littleton Mitchell, beginning with his childhood and education, continuing through his service with the United States Army, covering his career as an educator at Governor Bacon Health Center, and documenting his participation in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and leadership of the Delaware Branch of the organization. This series also contains information documenting his participation in a number of other state-level and national organizations as well as correspondence, material of personal interest collected by Mitchell, and articles about his activities and achievements.
Series I. Early Life and Education contains composition books, report cards, certificates, and other material from Mitchell's time at Howard High School, from which he graduated in 1939, and was the only school in the state of Delaware open to African-Americans at the time. There is also general information about Howard, the 50th year class reunion, and plans to preserve the historic nature of the school. This series also contains material relating to Mitchell's education at West Chester State College (West Chester University) and includes lesson plans, coursework, a graduation yearbook (1948), later information on alumni reunions, and Mitchell's keynote address given at the 1999 commencement ceremony. The series also features Littleton Mitchell's 1918 birth certificate.
This letter was sent to Mitchell from a romantic interest attending State College for Colored Students in Dover, Delaware.
Contains news clippings regarding African-American sports figures such as Jesse Owens.
Football certificates.
The Lantern is a Howard High School publication.
State Teachers College Department of Physical Education.
Mitchell is featured as a recipient of the 1979 Distinguished Alumni Award.
Congratulatory postcard recalling Mitchell's time as a "meet and quiet" student at West Chester.
Mitchell was the commencement speaker.
Series II. Military Career documents Mitchell's service with the famed Tuskegee Airmen and subsequent service as a 2nd lieutenant in the United States Army Reserves. The Tuskegee Airmen material includes items collected by Mitchell during his service, correspondence with Jane Mitchell, and certificates of appreciation for service. Of note is documentation of a court martial conducted at Tuskegee Army Air Field and a manual used by Mitchell to instruct pilots in instrument flying. Though he did not qualify to be a pilot himself, Mitchell taught Tuskegee Airmen flyers a crucial aspect of aircraft operation. The series contains a diary kept during his first year at Tuskegee (1942), providing a glimpse into the severe discrimination faced by Mitchell and other African-Americans in the armed forces. The series also contains historical information and publicity about the Tuskegee Airmen as well as material from Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., an organization created to honor the accomplishments and perpetuate the history of the group. The second section of Series II. contains material relating primary to Mitchell's post-Tuskegee military career. Included is coursework and a certificate of completion from the Adjutant General's School at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, and a notebook containing handwritten notes and coursework created while he attended the Athletic Directors' School at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The series also includes applications for enrollment in Army Extension courses while serving in the Army Reserve, information for veterans of World War II, and Army correspondence. The correspondence is composed of orders received while Mitchell was serving at Tuskegee Army Air Field, paperwork for a transfer to the Army Reserve, and letters regarding officer training.
News clippings collected by Mitchell on pre-WWII conflicts such as the Italian Invasion of Ethiopia and the portion of a publication about the sinking of the Bismark.
Mitchell was not accepted as a pilot but went on to serve at the Tuskegee Army Airfield as an instrument flight instructor.
This diary was kept by Littleton Mitchell during 1942 documents the events of his first year in the United States Army. Entries begin on January 13, when he travelled to Trenton, NJ, for a military induction examination. Mitchell was inducted with his friend and fellow Milford, Delaware, resident Bill Walls, with whom he would train and serve in the army. XXX Subsequent diary entries discuss the trip from Trenton to Ft. Dix in February, followed by his arrival at Tuskegee Army Air Field. He describes in colorful language, the discomfort of army training, dynamics between the soldiers, and details frequent incidents of poor treatment by white officers and civilians at Tuskegee. Mitchell was frequently incensed by injustices such as the forbidding of the carrying of firearms by black soldiers on and off the base. XXX Beginning in April, Mitchell discusses his ultimately unsuccessful flight training. He details his first flight in a plane, subsequent flights during which he took control, and a later crash landing incident. He eventually transitioned to link trainer (flight simulator) to train pilots to fly. XXX The diary also gives a glimpse into Mitchell’s family and love life. He discusses being torn between two women, “Annie” and Jane Watson. He was initially closer to Annie, but ultimately chose Jane after a visit to Delaware in September and the couple made the decision to get married in November. XXX Mitchell was promoted to the rank of Corporal in October and Sergeant in November of 1942.
Diploma for flight simulator instrutor course completed by Mitchell at Chanute Field, Illinois.
Record of a court martial trial of a Staff Sergeant at Tuskegee Army Airfield accused, and found guilty, of disobeying orders from a superior officer.
Signed by Henry Truman and Henry H. Arnold.
Removed to Spec mapcase
Series III. Governor Bacon Health Center documents Mitchell's career as a teacher and counselor of emotionally troubled youth at the Governor Bacon Health Center in Delaware City, Delaware. It contains material regarding the general business of the Center, class policies and procedures, and student activities. Much of the correspondence included in the series regards Mitchell's efforts to fight discrimination at the Governor Bacon Health Center and increase the amount of minority staff at the institution. Problems at Governor Bacon Health Center in the 1980s are detailed in a number of news articles. There are also certificates relating to Mitchell's teaching credentials and coursework relating to his continuing education at the University of Delaware and Temple University. In addition, the series contains teaching materials such as studies, publications, and other documents relating to teaching children, specifically emotionally troubled youth.
Postcard showing Mitchell teaching a swimming class. He was the only certified life guard but was not permitted to enter the pool with the white students. Therefore, he stood at the side of the pool and told another worker how to demonstrate swimming techniques.
Correspondence, memos, classroom materials, and other materials created during Mitchell's teaching career at the Governor Bacon Health Center
News articles regarding financial woes, cutbacks, and operational difficulties at the Governor Bacon Health Center in the early 1980s.
The news letter Includes a "summary of major education legislation passed during 1957 session, 119th general assembly."
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Series IV. Civil Rights Advocacy contains information pertaining to Mitchell's involvement with local and national branches of the NAACP.
Open letter addressed to the Governor of Delaware (J. Caleb Boggs) and the leading citizens of Delaware on the dangers of segregation. Committee reports on voting statistics,
Correspondence regarding fund raising and the appointment of an African-American to the Del. Board of Education.
Includes a letter from Jackie Robinson to Pauline A. Young turning down an invitation to be a guest speaker at the banquet.
Includes a letter from Louis Redding to Mitchell and Maurice Moyer, president of the Wilmington Branch NAACP, discussing a proposed state bill that he believed would perpetuate segregation.
Includes material related to the NAACP's push for open housing legislation in Delaware and it's relationship with Governor Charles Terry.
Transcript of a radio interview with Mitchell discussing Del. NAACP activities
Correspondence from Delaware educator and NAACP member Pauline A. Young regarding the progress of Middletown, Delaware, desegregation efforts. Young was a well-known civil rights activist, Delaware educator, and librarian. She preceded Littleton Mitchell as president of the Delaware NAACP.
Major issues discussed include the process of school desegregation in Delaware and perceived failures in these efforts, hiring discrimination at various institutions, and KKK activities in Southern Delaware.
Contains material regarding Delaware State University integration and Mitchell's push to close the historically-black institution.
Contains material relating to housing discrimination and open housing legislation in Delaware as well as information about migrant labor camps.
Contains information relating to open housing legislation and school desegregation efforts.
Clippings news clippings and correspondence regarding the death of Martin Luther King, Jr., civil disorder in Delaware and the occupation of Wilmington by the National Guard and State Police, which lasted from April 1968 until January 1969. Also included is information relating to NAACP accusations of police misconduct and discrimination at the Governor Bacon Health Center.
Contains news clippings discussing a Delaware open housing bill, discrimination at the Governor Bacon Health Center, and Mitchell's concerns with unrest in Milford, Delaware.
Contains a 1969 issue of the Wilmington, Delaware, Fraternal Order of Police publication "The Guardian Call", which discusses the Black Panthers.
Contains news clippings and correspondence relating to Mitchell's criticism of Delaware political parties and politicians, especially Governor Charles L. Terry. Also included is a letter promoting the election of Mitchell as National Board Member for NAACP Region II over the unnamed President of the Pennsylvania State Conference of Branches, who is accused of associating with extremists and ignoring the NAACP constitution.
At the NAACP 59th Annual Convention, the Delaware State Conference of Branches accused the New York and Pennsylvania delegations of attempting to eliminate Delaware delegation from participation in policy-making.
Contains a speech given by Mitchell at Central Baptist Church about his role in the NAACP and race relations in Delaware. Also included are news clippings relating to Delaware politicians and the NAACP.
Contains information relating to the passage in the State Senate of an open housing bill (S.B. 67), which was opposed by the NAACP and Mitchell because of exemptions to the law given to owners of dwellings containing four or fewer apartments.
Contains information relating to migrant labor and alleged police misconduct.
Contains a report of a NAACP Veteran's Seminar held July 25, 1970, focusing on the welfare of black veterans.
Contains written complains from black students of discrimination and information about the NAACP effort to investigate housing discrimination in Millsboro, Delaware.
Contains correspondence and news clippings regarding school integration, and hiring discrimination in the public and private sector (including the Delaware Governor's office). There is also a significant amount of material relating to Mitchell's efforts to focus attention on the conditions in migrant labor camps in 1973.
Though the Delaware NAACP and Mitchell had significant clashes with previous governors (Terry and Peterson), their relationship with Governor Sherman W. Tribbitt was particularly troubled. Relations reached an all time low when Tribbitt refused an invitation to the annual banquet of the Wilmington Branch NAACP.
Contains correspondence to and from Mary C. Baker, Chair of the Delaware NAACP Education Committee regarding Department of Public Instruction policies as well as material from the Wilmington Branch NAACP.
Contains correspondence relating to the number of blacks employed in Delaware school districts and in Governor Tribbitt's administration.
Contains material regarding alleged police misconduct, Wilmington Branch NAACP elections, and meeting minutes.
Contains State of Delaware Affirmative Action plans, information on hiring bias, and migrant labor.
Contains material related to a NAACP march in Boston, Massachusetts to commemorate the 21st anniversary of the Brown vs. Board of Education decision. Also notable is a statement by Governor Sherman Tribbitt in observance of "Afro-American (Black History) Week."
Contains material relating to the efforts to limit or end the practice of busing as a method to desegregate schools and NAACP statements on "white flight" in Wilmington, Delaware.
Contains correspondence primarily relating to fundraising and donations from individuals and churches.
Contains information related to the controversy over Governor Tribbitt's attempt to appoint Dean C. Steele, who the NAACP believed to be extremely prejudiced, to the State Board of Education.
Contains a letter to Mitchell from the mother of one of a number of black children sexually assaulted at a migrant labor camp day care in 1979. Also included are news clippings about the event.
Contains news articles regarding the perceived lack of leadership within the NAACP and Mitchell's criticism of then Republican Presidential nominee Ronald Reagan for not attending the National NAACP Annual convention
Includes a telegram from Mitchell on behalf of the Delaware NAACP to President Ronald Regan wishing him well after the 1981 assassination attempt.
Correspondence, memos, and minutes related to the activities of the Wilmington, Delaware, branch of the NAACP.
Contains mostly NAACP business including annual NAACP State Conference agendas and minutes, workshop publications, and programs for award ceremonies.
"The Morning News" front page (1969) and "State News Topic" article on Desegregation 30 years later (1984).
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Contains correspondence relating to the appointment of minorities to local government positions and continuing desegregation efforts. Also includes news clippings and correspondence regarding Michael Castle's run for the position of Governor and his differences with the NAACP.
Contains material relating to NAACP opposition to South African apartheid and includes a Proclamation of a Wilmington Day of Mourning in response to continued oppression of black citizens in South Africa.
Contains correspondence and news articles on a row between Mitchell and Wendell Howell, President of the Citizens Coalition for Justice over the latter's support for the release of an inmate convicted of killing a 13 year-old black girl in 1975.
Protest sign and list of Delaware attendees.
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Contains a folder titled "Recommendations for State Board per State NAACP and Other Info" which includes, along with material related to Delaware NAACP business, correspondence to the State Board of Education regarding policies and hiring practices.
Contains almost entirely meeting minutes, memos, and agendas. Includes a partial NAACP member list.
Contains correspondence from Mitchell written to state officials regarding signs posted at businesses stating their right to refuse service to anyone. Also included are news articles discussing NAACP objections to Governor Michael Castle's nominee to the state Board of Education, a controversial police shooting, and Mitchell's efforts to stop a proposed welfare bill.
Contains a copy of the Delaware State Conference of Branches bylaws and NAACP Region II correspondence.
Contains material relating to a lawsuit filed by the Central Delaware Branch against the City of Dover over alleged disenfranchisement of black voters.
Contains material relating to a lawsuit filed by the Central Delaware Branch against the City of Dover over alleged disenfranchisement of black voters.
Correspondence relates to black athletes and diversity at the University of Delaware.
Contains mostly meeting minutes and NAACP financial information.
In 1988 the head of the Wilmington Branch NAACP, Larry M. Morris, was forced to step down during a scandal involving missing funds. 15,000 dollars in unauthorized expenditures were made over a period of a year and half, leading to significant financial difficulties for the organization. After the removal of Morris, Mitchell was chosen by the national NAACP to temporarily oversee the affairs of the Wilmington Branch.
Material created during Mitchell's tenure as branch administrator
Contains agendas, minutes, and financial information of the Wilmington Branch.
Contains news stories regarding Mitchell's criticism of the Castle administration's progress in eliminating hiring discrimination and disapproval of the actions of the state's Affirmative Action Equal Employment Opportunities Advisory Council, of which he was a member. Also included is material relating to the graduation of the 56th Delaware State Police Class, during which Mitchell gave the keynote address (a first for the NAACP).
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In 1989, Louis Redding was the recipient of the National Education Association Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Award as well as the NAACP William Robert Ming Advocacy Award.
Contains agendas, minutes, and other material documenting the activities for the Delaware NAACP immediately prior to and after Mitchell's retirement as president of the state organization.
Correspondence relating to an incident during which a Middletown Transcript (newspaper) article celebrating the graduates of Middletown High School failed to recognize valedictorian of the graduating class, only acknowledging the two white salutatorians.
Memo from the Delaware NAACP highlighting events in the state to the NAACP Region II.
Benjamin Chavis, Executive Director of the NAACP, was the target of a suit filed by an aide alleging sexual harassment and discrimination. After attempting to settle with suit using 300,000 dollars of NAACP funds, he was dismissed.
Contains agendas, minutes, and other material relating to the business of the Newark, Delaware, NAACP branch, of which Jane Mitchell was a member.
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Includes a telegram from Mitchell regarding the death of Martin Luther King, Jr. and results of restaurant visits by civil rights activists in 1961.
Selected bills, proclamations
Signed by Rita Justice, New Castle County Executive
Includes a picture and letter from Governor Pierre S. du Pont regarding his signing of the 1979 Affirmative Action Executive Order
Includes the report, meeting minutes, correspondence related to the report, the creation of which Mitchell participated in.
A relocation plan written by the Wilmington Housing Authority Slum Clearance Redevelopment Agency
Commentary.
Contains only the conclusions section of the report.
Report on the nomination and confirmation process of the United States Supreme Court.
Pamphlet distributed by the Delaware Fellowship Commission with the text of the opinion by Chancellor Collins J. Seitz in suits relating to school segregation in Claymont and Hockessin, Delaware.
Contains material relating to a suit brought against the owners of the Timmons-Evans trailer park by the 32 black residents of the community because of extremely poor living conditions and lack of utilities. The NAACP and Mitchell supported the suit and lobbied state officials on behalf of the residents.
Contains material relating to a suit brought against the owners of the Timmons-Evans trailer park by the 32 black residents of the community because of extremely poor living conditions and lack of utilities. The NAACP and Mitchell supported the suit and lobbied state officials on behalf of the residents.
Contains material relating to a suit brought against the owners of the Timmons-Evans trailer park by the 32 black residents of the community because of extremely poor living conditions and lack of utilities. The NAACP and Mitchell supported the suit and lobbied state officials on behalf of the residents.
Littleton Mitchell and the NAACP (which has a Correctional Center branch) received a significant amount of correspondence from individuals who were either incarcerated or facing legal action, seeking assistance in discrimination complaints against the Delaware Department of Corrections and police departments.
Contains resolutions and publications relating to educational issues of concern to the NAACP such as school desegregation and employment of minority teachers.
Contains resolutions and publications on education as well as a NAACP workshop on education.
Contains National NAACP resolutions including ones regarding desegregation, housing, voting rights, and opposition to US involvement in foreign wars.
Contains biographical information about prominent civil rights activist and NAACP executive secretary Roy Wilkins.
Contains NAACP correspondence and resolutions related to a series of racist comments made by high-level Japanese officials in the late 1980s.
Contains material related to Mitchell's position as Impartial Chairman for Branch Elections at the Cincinnati, Ohio, East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, and Pottstown, Pennsylvania, NAACP branches.
Contains National NAACP resolutions including ones regarding affirmative action, education, and boxing promoter Don King.
Series V. Involvement in other Delaware events and organizations contains meeting minutes, correspondence, memorandums, and correspondence documenting Mitchell's participation in and leadership of several Delaware organizations.
Contains correspondence to Mitchell during his tenure on the Delaware Humanities Council, invitations to Delaware Humanities Forum (DHF) events, and an issue of the DHF newsletter featuring a front page story on Mitchell's service and accomplishments.
Includes a
News Journal article on the visit.Contains correspondence from Redding inviting US Representative Shirley Chisholm to speak before the Delaware NAACP.
Series VI. Black History consists primarily of material relating to Mitchell's service on the Brown v. Board of Education 50th Anniversary Commission after he was selected by the White House to represent Delaware. Included is correspondence, informational packets, meeting minutes, and agendas documenting the work of the commission leading up to the 2004 anniversary as well as historical information relating to the Brown v. Board decision itself. This series also contains Black History material collected by Mitchell throughout his life. Included in this material are publications regarding racism, The Underground Railroad, and African-American achievements.
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Contains a copy of the "Bryant Bowles Report" published by the NAAWP or National Association for the Advancement of White People.
Classroom poster.
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Published by the Harriet Tubman Historical Society
Book on Clarendon County, South Carolina.
Contains lists of black inventors, members of congress, population statistics, etc.
Posters featuring images created by "noted black artists" and information about African "Kings", published by Budweiser
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Features famous African-Americans, published by Miller Brewing Company.
Features African-American musicians, published by Miller Brewing Company.
Published by Miller Brewing Company
Issues of Delaware History containing articles about black history.
A quarterly review of the negro freedom movement
A salute to blacks in cinema.
A book written by Dr. Lorraine Hale about the creation of the Hale House, a home for children born addicted to drugs, located in Harlem, New York.
Contains an article on Jesse Jackson, Jr.
Series VII. Publicity about Littleton Mitchell, contains news clippings and articles about the life and achievements of Mitchell. Included in the series is a News Journal Valentine's Day article Littleton and Jane Mitchell's marriage, transcripts of oral history interviews of Mitchell, and information relating to the Distinguished Citizen Award received by Mitchell.
Contains correspondence and a news article related to Mitchell being awarded a 1977 award celebrating distinguished Delawareans.
An issue of the Harriet Tubman focusing on Mitchell's life and accomplishments.
In 2005 Lit Mitchell was interviewed by The HistoryMakers, an organization that creates oral histories of African-Americans. The interview is located in Series III.IX.A.
Includes a quote from Mitchell.
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Series VIII. Correspondence, consists of correspondence generally not related to the activities of the NAACP.
Contains correspondence from Caleb Boggs, Russell Peterson, Ruth Ann Minner, John Carney, Jim Sills, James Baker, Chris Coons, and others.
The Mitchell Fellows Program Civil Rights and Social Justice provides students with funds to pursue higher education.
Contains correspondence with organizations and individuals. Includes letters to journalists about what he perceived as incorrect information or insulting wording in various articles.
A letter from a resident Millville, Delaware, thanking Mitchell for his work and relaying his admiration for Mitchell personally.
Two letter thanking David Roselle, President of the University of Delaware, for his words during an event in which Mitchell received the University of Delaware Medal of Merit.
A letter from a student at Governor Bacon Health Center regarding integration at the school. She recounts her changing attitude towards people of other races after attending class with black students and laments her parents' intransigent attitudes regarding race, especially following an incident where black and white students danced together.
Contains information on a US Airman who was awarded a Silver Star and Purple Heart for his actions during the Vietnam War.
Mitchell was a 32nd Degree Mason and a Shriner. Contains a pamphlet titled "A Lecture in the Second Degree Free and Accepted Masons", correspondence from a Masonic lodge (The Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge) in Wilmington, Delaware, a card confirming Mitchell's membership in a Masonic order, and a certificate confirming his good standing a Shriner order.
Series IX. Material of Personal Interest, consists material relating to other areas of Mitchell's life. It contains correspondence, pamphlets, newsletters, and other publications relating to religious institutions, including St. Paul M.E. Church, in Milford, Delaware, and the church attended by Mitchell when in Delaware City, Christ Episcopal Church. Mitchell had a life-long interest in sports, especially track and field. This series has a number of items relating to this topic, including publications about sports and tickets to the University of Pennsylvania Franklin Field Carnival Relay. Also included in this series are obituaries of Delawareans and others as well as speeches read at funerals or memorial services.
A letter to Bishop A.P. Shaw in Baltimore, Maryland, regarding discord in the Milford, Delaware, church caused by dissatisfaction with the pastor, who Mitchell believed was using his power to settle personal vendettas. Mitchell states that he would prefer a pastor who would inspire confidence in the congregation and requests counsel from Shaw.
Tribute to the Negro League Baseball.
Subgroup II. Documents the life and career of Jane Mitchell.
Subgroup III. Contains material related to the personal lives of the Mitchell Family and includes photographs, slides, audiovisual material, calendars, ephemera, artifacts, and other items belonging to members of the family. This information documents the domestic life, family ties, professional achievements, and recreational habits of an African-American family from the early to late 20th century.
Series I. Photographs and Series II. Slides consists of images documenting the lives of the Mitchells and includes photographs and slides of family, community gatherings, vacations, and professional meetings. The unit titles for many of the photographs and slides are transcribed directly from description of the items given by the Mitchell family. More detailed descriptions of the photographs are provided at the folder level.
Photographs of Littleton Mitchell during his World War II service with the Tuskegee Airmen. Includes a photograph of Mitchell sitting in a "flight simulator."
Small photographs of track events and Tuskegee Airmen watching a performance.
Photographs of Littleton Mitchell participating in instruction sessions at the Athletic Director's School
Includes photographs of the Health Center grounds.
Includes photographs of personnel and classes.
Includes photographs of personnel, classes, students, and events.
Photographs of Littleton Mitchell ranging from the late 1930s to the 1990s.
Assorted photographs of Lit, Jane, and family members in before 1950.
Includes photographs of Jane painting.
Includes photographs of Helen Mitchell, Phyllis Mitchell, and other family members.
Photographs of the Mitchell family at home.
Includes a photograph of a statue dedicated to the Tuskegee Airmen.
Includes photographs of Jane's artwork and events attended.
Photographs of children at a birthday party (possibly Phillip Mitchell's).
Delaware Humanities Forum events and the dedication of the Jane E. Mitchell building at the Delaware Psychiatric Center. Also includes photographs of Lit Mitchell with Delaware politicians including Joe Biden and Tom Carper.
Includes photographs of 1991 Delaware NAACP Annual Meeting.
Includes a photograph of a crashed plane and a Springer Middle School (Wilmington, DE) basketball team.
Photographs of a champion harness racing horse named "Silk Stockings," owned by a Delaware resident. Includes a photo of the Mitchells with Silk Stockings and two photos of the horse with captions wishing the Mitchell family a Merry Christmas.
A photograph of the team who argued the Brown v. Board of Education case in from of the US Supreme Court. Individuals in the photograph are listed on the reverse side.
Contains vacation photographs and domestic photographs from the 1930s or 1940s.
Photographs of Jane's retirement from the Delaware State Hospital. Features photographs of hospital employees with captions and quotes.
Award for a "lifetime of service."
Includes photos of Delaware journalist Bill Frank.
Series III. Vacation, documents the Littleton and Jane Mitchell's national and international travel. It includes items from Canada, Spain, the Netherlands, as well as material collected while traveling in the United States. The series also includes their passports, which feature visa stamps from various countries.
Memorabilia from a cruise ship voyage.
Series IV. Consists of calendars kept by Littleton Mitchell over a thirty year period. They display a schedule of events to be attended as well as Mitchell's professional and personal obligations.
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Series V. consists material relating to relatives and friends of Littleton and Jane Mitchell. It contains items belonging to Littleton Vann and Helen Mitchell, the parents of Littleton. Included is a photocopy of a diary kept by Littleton Vann Mitchell during his service in World War I as well as biographical information, a daily minder, obituary and other information relating to Helen Mitchell. Littleton and Jane Mitchell's son Philip Vann Mitchell is also represented in the series by school play programs, material related to hobbies, and cards (birthday and postcard) sent to him. Several members of Littleton Mitchell's family including his grandmother Sarah, mother Helen, and sister Phyllis played musical instruments. Helen played professionally as a church organist. The series contains music sheets and instrument lessons belonging to various family members. Also included are cards from family and friends and material relating to the Mitchells' 25th wedding anniversary in 1968.
Letter regarding veteran's compensation.
The article discusses Helen Mitchell's career as a church organist.
Certificate "for regular attendance and faithful work."
Birthday cards and postcards from Littleton and Jane Mitchell.
Patriotic music from the World War I era.
These player piano music rolls are in fragile condition and feature songs such as "Thanks for the Lobster," "Demon of the Woods," and "Take Me Back to Paradise."
These player piano music rolls are in fragile condition and feature songs such as "Thanks for the Lobster," "Demon of the Woods," and "Take Me Back to Paradise."
Cards from the Markel, Carper, and Biden families.
Series VI. Mitchell Domestic Material consists material relating to home improvement and the personal lives of the Mitchells. It contains selected receipts for furniture purchased in 1943 as well as material relating to alterations made to the Mitchells' Delaware City home. There are instruction manuals for home appliances and clippings of advertisements for home improvements. This series also contains other domestic material including miscellaneous publications belonging to the Mitchell family, correspondence relating to job opportunities, invoices and correspondence relating to an import business, and receipts for a 4-H Club broiler chicken raising project.
Contains a receipt for the purchase of furniture and the purchase of a 1949 Mercury 4 door car.
Contains instruction manuals to a sewing machine, dish washer, and televisions.
Clippings from magazines featuring furniture and homes.
A bound ledger containing purchases for the Mitchells' Delaware City property, rent received, and mail orders received through Mail Order Associates, Pleasantville, New Jersey.
Contains notes on Social Aspects of Broadcasting and radio console operating instructions.
Contains correspondence related to Littleton Mitchell's (unsuccessfully) pursuit of employment opportunities in the 1950s at a variety of institutions including Delaware organizations, the Federal government, the United Nations, and overseas Army posts. Also included is correspondence from export businesses in foreign countries (Mexico, Egypt, and Thailand) regarding purchases made for a possible import business.
Correspondence and receipts for chickens, incubators, and other items related to Littleton Mitchell's raising of broiler chickens for a New Castle County 4-H Club project. K253
Littleton Mitchell was a Certified Radiological Monitor. This map shows evacuation routes in the event of a nuclear disaster at Salem Nuclear Power Plant in New Jersey.
Contains certificates award to Littleton Mitchell for completing a course in fire fighting, radiological monitoring, and the "I. & E. O. R." course.
Series VII. consists of citations and awards received by Littleton and Jane Mitchell from the 1970s until 2009. The series is organized chronologically and by individual.
Includes newsclipping.
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Series VIII. Ephemera and Realia contains items and artifacts collected by Littleton and Jane Mitchell throughout their lives. Items include medals, nametags, souvenirs, pins, and caps received as gifts and collected by the Mitchells during various events such as NAACP conventions. The series also includes a significant amount of buttons, both attached large fabric sashes and arranged by theme (politics, businesses, healthcare, etc.).
Contains service ribbon and medal awarded to Littleton Vann Mitchell for service in France during WWI. Also contains New York City transportation tokens.
Contains American Campaign Military Ribbon and Good Conduct Ribbon
Contains various track relay medals awarded to Lit Mitchell in the 1930s.