Papers of the Benjamin Franklin Yancey Family

May Elizabeth Yancey to Harriet Anna Yancey, undated
May Yancey discusses her senior year activities at the Virginia Normal & Industrial Institute with her mother, Harriet Yancey. She tells her mother about fees that need to be paid before graduation.

J.L. Nichols to May Elizabeth Yancey, Undated
J.L. Nichols sends May Yancey an advertisement for an African American history book, The Progress of a Race-ul

Benjamin Franklin Yancey to Harriet Anna Yancey, July 23, 1905
Benjamin Franklin Yancey, writing from the Greenbriar resort in Ronceverte, West Virginia, is ill but wants to try and continue working at the hotel until his planned time to return home at the end of August. He urges Harriet, his wife, to try to find out which school he will be assigned to the following year.

Benjamin Franklin Yancey to Harriet Anna Yancey, June 17, 1908
B.F. Yancey, writing from Richmond (Ford's Hotel), thanks his wife for financial business she has conducted for him and discusses problems he is having with the Jeane Fund and with obtaining money from patrons for the upcoming school year. He requests that his wife, Harriet, not speak of his problems with the patrons, that instead he will wait and see how things play out when he returns in the fall.

William A. White to Benjamin Franklin Yancey, December 29, 1909
William White inquires whether B.F. Yancey received a previous letter in which White had requested help with an application.

Rosa Bell Simpson to Benjamin Franklin Yancey, October 30, 1910
Rosa Simpson, a student at the Virginia Normal and Industrial Institute, writes her former teacher, B.F. Yancey, to say thank you and wish him well.

Rosa Simpson to Benjamin Franklin Yancey, February 24, 1911
Rosa Simpson asks her former teacher, B.F. Yancey, for news and to remember her to all of her old friends and teachers.

Josephine Pride to Harriet Anna Yancey, March 30, 1911
Josephine Pride discusses a recent teacher's meeting and visit from Benjamin Franklin Yancey.

Susan P.H. Winslow to Benjamin Franklin Yancey, April 6, 1911
Susan Winslow informs Yancey that all of his students would be accepted, though none passed in all subjects.

Myrtilla J. Sherman to Harriet Anna Yancey, March 30, 1918
Myrtilla Sherman, of the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, writes Harriet Yancey concerning the death of her husband, Benjamin Franklin Yancey.

Roger McKinley Yancey to Harriet Anna Yancey, October 16, 1918
Roger Yancey tells his mother, Harriet, about the Spanish flu epidemic and war preparations.

Roger McKinley Yancey to Harriet Anna Yancey, October 21, 1918
Roger Yancey, writing from school, tells his mother about the enforced quarantine resulting from a deadly flu outbreak. He discusses war preparations.

Roger McKinley Yancey to Harriet Anna Yancey, December 17, 1918
Roger Yancey tells his mother about events in Hampton. He mentions a talk he heard concerning the role African Americans played in World War I.

Roger McKinley Yancey to Harriet Anna Yancey, June 1, 1919
Roger Yancey requests his mother, Harriet, to buy him a new military style suit.

William Scott to Harriet Anna Yancey, August 14, 1919
William Scott talks about his life in Hampton, Virginia. He reflects briefly on how education has shaped his life.

William M. Scott to Harriet Anna Yancey, November 28, 1919
William Scott tells his cousin Harriet Yancey about his decision to attend theology school.

unknown to Harriet Anna Yancey, May 1920
Unknown cousin writes Harriet Anna Yancey that he convinced Roger to stay in the South for the summer and discusses the importance of education.

Roger McKinley Yancey to Harriet Anna Yancey, May 29, 1920
Roger Yancey tells his mother, Harriet, about his summer job in Hampton. He regrets not going north for the summer where he could have made more money. Roger passed all of his final exams.

May Elizabeth Yancey to Harriet Anna Yancey, October 18, 1920
May Yancey writes home to her mother, Harriet, from school and begs her to send her food. May and her friends are hungry.

Roger McKinley Yancey to May Elizabeth Yancey, November 28, 1920
Roger Yancey tells his sister, May about a slight operation he had on his left ear. He tells May how much he enjoyed visiting her at the Virginia Normal and Industrial Institute.

Harriet Anna Yancey to May Elizabeth Yancey, April 13, 1921
Harriet Yancey writes her daughter, May, to tell her the news from Esmont, Virginia. She is trying to decide whether she can afford to send her youngest son, Benjamin Franklin Yancey, Jr., to seminary in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Roger McKinley Yancey to May Elizabeth Yancey, May 1, 1921
Roger Yancey writes his sister, May, to discuss his and her summer plans.

Henry Goodwin to May Elizabeth Yancey, January 17, 1923
Henry Goodwin writes a letter of greetings to May Yancey. He discusses the weather and Christmas holidays.

Henry Goodwin to May Elizabeth Yancey, February 6, 1923
Henry Goodwin confides to May Yancey how much he enjoys receiving her letters.

Roger McKinley Yancey to Harriet Anna Yancey, Janurary 27, 1925
Roger Yancey tells his mother, Harriet, about his efforts to pay all of his debts. He mentions a speech he gave at the YMCA entitled "Personal Efficiency, Motives, and High Ideals."

William L. Eason to May Elizabeth Yancey, March 26, 1925
Wiliam Eason confides to May Yancey that he is tired of his busy social life.

May Elizabeth Yancey to Harriet Anna Yancey, April 14, 1925.
May Yancey tells her mother, Harriet, about her recent trip to Richmond, Virginia.

Adele Smith to Harriet Anna Yancey, April 15, 1925
Adele Smith tells Harriet Yancey, her future mother in law, about her preparations for graduation. She also mentions the Tuskegee endowment campaign fund and Billy Sunday's refusal to speak to an integrated audience.

Roger McKinley Yancey to Harriet Anna Yancey, May 12, 1925
Roger Yancey confides to his mother how much he loves her and appreciates her work in raising him. He is waiting to hear whether he will be accepted into Law School.

Roger McKinley Yancey to Harriet Anna Yancey, May 24, 1925
Roger writes home to his mother, Harriet, about commencement week, financial difficulties, campus scandals, and law school preparations.

William L. Eason to May Elizabeth Yancey, February 25, 1926
William Eason gives May Yancey all the details concerning his latest boxing match. He discusses May's graduation.

George A. Owens to May Elizabeth Yancey, August 11, 1926
George Owens inquires about May Yancey's summer. He plans to attend the World Exposition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

J. Alvin Russell to May Elizabeth Yancey, January 18, 1929
J. Alvin Russell sends May Yancey a notice of a summer course for teachers held at St. Paul's in Lawrenceville.

Roger McKinley Yancey to May Elizabeth Yancey, April 15, 1929
Roger Yancey writes his sister, May, to wish her a speedy recovery.

Roger McKinley Yancey to Harriet Anna Yancey, March 8, 1932.
Roger Yancey writes his mother, Harriet, and wishes her well. He tells her how well her grandchildren doing.

Emella to Harriet Anna Yancey, October 4, 1934.
Emella requests Harriet Yancey to write promptly and inform her as to her mother's health.

Eva L. Spell to Mr. Yancey, September 20, 1939
Eva Spell asks for donations to help purchase a well for the Piney Woods Country Life School in Piney Woods, Mississippi.

Jackie Yancey to Harriet Anna Yancey, January 28, 1950
Jackie Yancey tells her grandmother, Harriet, about her school work. Her brother, Junior, graduated the week before.

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