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Clementine Martin family papers

 Collection
Call Number: RH MS 632

Overview

Clementine (Phelps) Martin (1910-1995), was an active resident of Topeka, Kansas, serving the Topeka and broader Northeast Kansas communities for many years. Her community service and involvement included membership in the Kansas Association of Colored Womens Clubs, Ne Plus Ultra Literary Club, and many other organizations. Martin's papers consist of the records of clubs and other organizations with which she was involved and personal papers, including those of her husband and daughter.

Dates

  • Creation: 1918 - 2021

Creator

Biography of Clementine Martin (1910-1995)

Clementine Prim Phelps was born Sept 7, 1910 at Newton, Kansas to Eva (Bradshaw) and C. James Phelps. She had two siblings, including clinical psychologist C. Kermit Phelps.

Clementine Phelps married Eugene "Billy" Martin on August 25, 1939. He worked as a Radio Patrolman, one of the few African Americans to serve the Topeka Police Department, before beginning two years of service in the United States Navy Radio Patrol. Eugene Martin died November 21, 1949, at the age of 37. Their daughter Eva Martin was born a few months later in January 1950.

A longtime resident of Topeka, Kansas, Clementine Martin was an active member of the community. She was involved with the Kansas Association of Colored Women's Clubs, having held the office of President, as well as the Ne Plus Ultra Literary Club, and other community and civil rights organizations throughout the Northeast Kansas region.

Martin was a professional cook and caterer who worked in the Kansas Governor's Mansion during the Docking administration. She passed away on July 14, 1995. Her legacy has been remembered by the Topeka community through the Clementine "Prim" Martin community service award, given annually.

Extent

6.5 Linear Feet (13 boxes, 3 oversize boxes, 13 audio cassette tapes)

Language of Materials

English

Scope and Contents

The Clementine Martin collection is divided into six series: Kansas Association of Colored Womens Clubs (KACWC), Organizations, Personal Papers, Audio Cassette Recordings, Newsletters and Newspaper Clippings, and Photographs.

The Kansas Association of Colored Womens Clubs series includes club records, financial records, minutes, announcements and other assorted materials from the 1950s-1990s.

The Organizations series includes announcements, correspondence and assorted material from various community and civil rights organizations, 1920s-1990s.

The Personal Papers series is comprised of Martin's day planners, correspondence, clippings and miscellaneous material, 1920s-1990s, along with her daughter Eva Martin Blythe's papers, 1974 - 2021, and materials regarding Martin's husband Eugene Martin.

The Audio cassette recordings series includes tape recordings of executive board meetings, most likely of the KACWC, during the 1980s.

Newsletters and Newspaper Clippings consists primarily of a collection of local and regional publications of interest, dating from the late 1960s through the 1980s, along with her daughter's clippings, 1990s - 2010s.

A small group of photographs depicting diverse subjects makes up the final series. Materials from later additions were added to the existing series but may be located at other call numbers. Oversize materials and audiovisual materials were also physically separated and are described throughout this finding aid.

Physical Location

RH MS 632

Physical Location

RH MS 1251

Physical Location

RH MS-P 632

Physical Location

RH Cassette Tape 23, RH Cassette Tape 55

Physical Location

RH MS Q122, RH MS Q350, RH MS Q405

Physical Location

RH MS R317

Physical Location

RH MS 1372

Physical Location

RH MS-P 1372

Physical Location

RH MS-P 1372(f)

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gifts, Eva Martin Blythe, 1995, 2010, 2014, 2021.

Related Materials

Dr. C. Kermit Phelps papers, RH MS 687, Kenneth Spencer Research Library, University of Kansas

Separated Materials

Issues of the Topeka Ebony Times included in this collection have been catalogued separately at RH Ser G1.

Title
Guide to the Clementine Martin Collection
Subtitle
Clementine Martin family papers
Author
Finding aid prepared by bkm, 2006. Finding aid encoded by bkm, 2006. Finding aid revised by mbw, 2010, 2012; awo, 2015; eje, 2022.
Date
2006
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Sponsor
Support for the processing of this Collection was provided by the Dana and Sue Anderson African American Collecting Program Endowment Fund.
Finding aid permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/10407/2730375447
Preferred citation
Clementine Martin family papers, Kansas Collection, RH MS 632, Kenneth Spencer Research Library, University of Kansas

Repository Details

Part of the University of Kansas. Kenneth Spencer Research Library Repository

Contact:
1450 Poplar Lane
Lawrence KS 66045-7616 United States
785-864-4334