Anacostia Community Museum Archives

Alice Bell Finlayson papers, 1901-1992, bulk 1938-1972

Summary

Collection ID:
ACMA.06-003
Creators:
Finlayson, Alice Bell
Dates:
1901-1992
bulk 1938-1972
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
5.16 Linear feet
7 boxes
Repository:
The Alice Bell Finlayson papers, which date from 1901 to 1990 and measure 5.16 linear feet, document the career of educator, community organizer, and journalist Alice Bell Finlayson. The papers are comprised of books, correspondence, curriculum vitae, documents from community organizations, journals, magazines newspaper clippings, photographs, and scrapbooks.

Scope and Contents note

Scope and Contents note
This collection documents the life of Alice Bell Finlayson between 1922 and 1990. It contains materials related to Mrs. Finlayson's employment and community service. Included in the collection are academic writings, books, correspondence, curriculum, personnel records, photographs, and printed materials.

Arrangement note

Arrangement note
The papers are organized into six series. The Biographical and Printed Materials series are further arranged into subseries. The content of each series is arranged alphabetically. The series are arranged as follows:
  • Series 1: Biographical
  • Subseries 1.1: Autobiographical
  • Subseries 1.2: Education
  • Subseries 1.3: Employment
  • Series 2: Community Organizations
  • Series 3: Correspondence
  • Series 4: Photographs
  • Series 5: Printed material
  • Subseries 5.1: Books
  • Subseries 5.2: Government publications
  • Subseries 5.3: Journal Articles
  • Subseries 5.4: Museum catalogs and curriculum
  • Series 6: Miscellaneous

Biographical/Historical note

Biographical/Historical note
Alice Bell Finlayson was born in Washington, DC in 1902. She attended Paul Lawrence Dunbar High School, and in 1922, she graduated from Miner Teachers College. She went on to earn a bachelor's and a master's degree in sociology from Howard University. While pursuing her degrees she began working for the District of Columbia Public Schools. In 1922 she took a position as a 1st grade teacher at the Garrison-Cleveland School.
For fourteen of her thirty-seven years with the District of Columbia Public Schools she served as principal of James G. Birney Elementary School. During her tenure at Birney she implemented several special programs designed to improve student outcomes. These programs addressed the needs of general education, gifted, and special education students. Students participated in reading and arts programs, as well as programs designed to promote healthy living and cultural awareness. Special education students developed life skills by working in building maintenance, and by providing other support services to the school. Mrs. Finlayson also established a research division within the school to develop testing instruments. As a result of these innovations, Birney became a training school for new teachers. Moreover, the District's Board of Education implemented some of the Birney programs district-wide. The school also won three Freedoms Foundation awards.
Mrs. Finlayson resigned as principal in January of 1959 and went on to hold other employment. She was a lecturer at Morgan State University, a program assistant at Howard University, and coordinator for several community programs. Beyond her regular employment she worked with various local and national civic organizations. She was a founding member of the Community Coordinating Organization, which was a coalition of District of Columbia community organizations. As chairman of the Women's Civic Guild she raised funds for community projects and for other organizations such as the NAACP. She was an active member of the community up until her death on November 27, 2000.

Administration

Author
Vuanya T. Cyrus
Provenance
The Alice Bell Finlayson papers were donated to the Anacostia Community Museum in 2003.
Processing Information note
Finding aid prepared by Vuanya T. Cyrus, 2009-07-01.
Finding aid encoded by Elizabeth Bauerle, 2011-12.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access note
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Preferred Citation note
Alice Bell Finlayson papers, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.
Restrictions on Access
The collection is open for unrestricted research. Use requires an appointment.
Ownership and Literary Rights
The Alice Bell Finlayson papers are the physical property of the Anacostia Community Museum. Literary and copyright belong to the author/creator or their legal heirs and assigns. Rights to work produced during the normal course of Museum business resides with the Anacostia Community Museum. For further information, and to obtain permission to publish or reproduce, contact the Museum Archives.

Related Archival Materials note
Finding aid to the Anacostia Historical Society records located in the Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.
Finding aid to the Ella B. Howard Pearis papers located in the Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.
Finding aid to the Charles Qualls papers located in the Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Clippings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Scrapbooks Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Books Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographic prints Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
African American educators Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Periodicals Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Community organization Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Washington (D.C.) Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
African American neighborhoods Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Papers Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sketches Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Finlayson, Alice Bell Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Anacostia Neighborhood Museum Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Public Schools of the District of Columbia Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
New York University. School of Education Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Anacostia Community Museum Archives
1901 Fort Place, SE
Washington, D.C. 20020
ACMArchives@si.edu