Twigs, Inc. Marlton, New Jersey Chapter records

Table of Contents

Summary Information

Background note

Scope and content note

Administrative Information

Related Materials

Controlled Access Headings

Collection Inventory

Summary Information

Repository

Historical Society of Pennsylvania

Creator

Twigs, Inc. Marlton, New Jersey Chapter

Title

Twigs, Inc. Marlton, New Jersey Chapter records

ID

MSS152

Date

1982-1992, undated

Extent

0.4 Linear feet ; 1 box

Author

Finding aid prepared by Katherine Kwiatkowski.

Sponsor

EAD encoding of this collection’s finding aid in 2020 was supported by a grant from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and by the Young Friends of HSP.

Language

English

Abstract

Twigs was founded in 1948 to promote strength, growth, and life among African American families. The Marlton, New Jersey, chapter was founded in 1986. The collection contains general office files, including correspondence, directories, minutes, agendas, and materials concerning chapter activities, events, and merchandise.

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Background note

The national organization known as Twigs, Inc., was founded in 1948 in Philadelphia by Clara Bostic and a small group of African American mothers, including, with Bostic, Marion Beckett, Clara Bostic, Evelyn Brown, Margaret Carpenter, Ersula Hawkins, Frances Murray, Lillian Reid, and Mary Varleck. These women wanted to offer their children and families a richer array of cultural, educational, and social opportunities than what they could each provide alone. They met monthly, eventually organizing a variety of activities for children of all ages, ranging from the Young Twigs (nursery school to grade three), Junior Twigs, (grades four through six), Intermediate Twigs (grades seven through nine), and Teen Twigs (grades nine through twelve). The name, suggested by one of the original members, was meant to convey that as twigs depend on the tree's trunk and larger branches for growth, so do children rely upon the care of parents and the larger community.

In August 1985, eight African American families met as a Twig interest group in New Jersey, joining together to widen the social and cultural experiences of their children. Their initial outing was an evening spent at Clementon Amusement Park in Clementon, New Jersey.

Shortly after, seven families were inducted with a candelight service to form an official chapter of Twigs on April 26, 1986, at Mout Pisgah Church in Lawnside, New Jersey, with twelve children, six mothers, and six fathers present.

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Scope and content note

This collection spans the years 1985 to 1992, and it consists of office files from the Twigs' Marlton, New Jersey chapter. For this reason, the collection consists of only one record series: Series I: General Office Files. Materials concerning chapter activities, events, and merchandise can be found here, in addition to chapter correspondence, directories, minutes, and agendas. There is also information on the Marlton chapter's hosting of the 1992 Twig conclave. One folder, containing applications for the Brenda Smalls book award, holds sensitive information and is therefore restricted.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

 Historical Society of Pennsylvania 2000.

Access restrictions

Folder 2 (Brenda Small's book award) is restricted until 2061-2065.

Provenance

Gift of Olivia Brown, 1992.

Accession number M92-121.

Processing note

Finding aid reformatted by Lindsey Schwartz, 2020.

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Related Materials

Related materials

At the Historical Society of Pennsylvania:

Twigs, Inc. National Office records (MSS 151)

Twigs, Inc. North Montgomery County (Pa.) Chapter photograph (PG379)

Twigs, Inc. North Montgomery County (Pa.) Chapter records (MSS153)

Twigs, Inc. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Chapter photographs (PG382)

Twigs, Inc. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Chapter records (MSS154)

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Controlled Access Headings

Personal Name(s)

• Brown, Olivia

Subject(s)

• African American families.
• African Americans--New Jersey--Societies, etc.
• African Americans--Societies, etc.

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Collection Inventory