Twigs, Inc. Philadelphia Chapter records


Collection MSS154

1959-1998, undated
(5.8 Linear feet ; 13 boxes)
© Historical Society of Pennsylvania1300 Locust Street
Philadelphia, PA, 19107
215-732-6200

Summary Information

Repository
Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Creator
Twigs, Inc. Philadelphia Chapter
Title
Twigs, Inc. Philadelphia Chapter records
ID
MSS154
Date
1959-1998, undated
Extent
5.8 Linear feet ; 13 boxes
Author
Finding aid prepared by Sandy VanDoren.
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 collection contains both chapter and national records, including constitutions and bylaws, minutes, correspondence, financial records, membership and alumni directories, scrapbooks, ephemera, and other items.

Preferred citation

Cite as: [Indicate cited item or series here], Twigs, Inc. Philadelphia Chapter records (MSS154), Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

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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. 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.

Although there were several early chapters--most notably Trenton, New Jersey (1963); Winston-Salem, North Carolina (1964); and King of Prussia, Pennsylvania (1969)--Philadelphia remained the parent body of the organization for many years, even after Twigs incorporated in 1967. In 1973, national officers were chosen from other chapers, though the fate of these various constituents ebbed and flowed during the next years. For example, the Trenton and King of Prussia chapters were permanently dropped from membership in 1984, and the Plainfield, New Jersey chapter left in 1985.

Some of the more ambitious undertakings of the Philadelphia TWIGs include college scholarships for high school graduates, and programs such as "Career Awareness" for the older TWIG children. The chapter also arranges numerous family and member activities to fundraise or otherwise support many charitable and religious groups.

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Scope and content note

Materials for the Philadelphia chapter of Twigs were donated over several years by three different chapter presidents, but unfortunately, none of the donations included the Twigs' first decade. Span dates from 1959 to 1997 are roughly commensurate with the incumbencies of the donors. Despite this lack, this is a surprisingly complete collection, with a respectable run of minutes, a good sampling of correspondence, useful financial data, and a considerable amount of information about the youth activities and programs. The accompanying national office materials date mainly from the years that Margaret Palmer, an active local Twigs member, became national president. If this collection is used in conjunction with the other Twigs collections held at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, the researcher will get a very clear idea of the Twigs mission and its implementation over the years. All the textual records, except for materials in scrapbooks, have been indexed.

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Overview of arrangement

Series I: Philadelphia Chapter Materials (1959-1997); 9 boxes

Series II: National office materials (1973-1997); 4 boxes

Series III: Scrapbooks (1978-1983); 1 box

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

 Historical Society of Pennsylvania , 2000.

1300 Locust Street
Philadelphia, PA, 19107
215-732-6200

Provenance

Gifts of Margaret Palmer, Barbara Owens, and Myra Laws, 1986-1998.

Accession numbers M86-46, M88-53, M90-98, M98-04, and M98-31.

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. Marlton, New Jersey Chapter records (MSS152)

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)

Separated materials

Several albums, scrapbooks, and loose photographs were also included in this collection. They have been processed separately into Collection PG382.

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Controlled Access Headings

Personal Name(s)

  • Laws, Myra
  • Owens, Barbara
  • Palmer, Margaret

Subject(s)

  • African American civic leaders--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia.
  • African American families.
  • African Americans--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia--Societies, etc.
  • African Americans--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia.
  • African Americans--Pennsylvania--Societies, etc.
  • African Americans--Societies, etc.
  • African Americans.

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Index of Subjects and Correspondents

Correspondence is indicated by an asterisk. Materials in minutes, newsletters, and news clippings have not been indexed. Citations are give by box and folder number.

Subject(s)

  • "Career Awareness":  Box 2, Folders 5, 7; Box 8, Folders 10-14; Box 9, Folders 1-2
  • *Adams, Ollie:  Box 2, Folder 9; Box 9, Folder 2; Box 10, Folder 6
  • *Barnes, Brenda:  Box 7, Folder 4
  • *Beale, Eleanor:  Box 1, Folders 7, 9; Box 2, Folders 1-2; Box 4, Folder 11; Box 8, Folder 3; Box 9, Folders 3, 5-6; Box 10, Folder 12
  • *Blakney, Bill:  Box 2, Folder 8
  • *Blakney, Joan:  Box 2, Folder 8; Box 7, Folder 5
  • *Bostic, Anna:  Box 2, Folder 9
  • *Bostic, Clara:  Box 1, Folders 6-9
  • *Bostic, LeRoy:  Box 9, Folder 3
  • *Bowen, Ella:  Box 2, Folders 4, 6-7
  • *Boyd, Kathryn:  Box 1, Folders 6-8
  • *Bradley, Edward:  Box 9, Folder 1
  • *Brodie, Audrey:  Box 1, Folders 9-11; Box 2, Folder 4; Box 10, Folder 3
  • *Byrd, Camille:  Box 7, Folder 7
  • *Calwell, Della:  Box 1, Folder 6
  • *Chamberlain, Wilt:  Box 8, Folder 13; Box 9, Folder 1
  • *Clarke, Margaret:  Box 2, Folder 2; Box 10, Folder 3
  • *Clayton, Constance:  Box 8, Folder 13
  • *Collier, Maxcine:  Box 8, Folder 3
  • *Deas, Linda:  Box 1, Folder 8
  • *Foglietta, Thomas:  Box 1, Folder 11
  • *Forbes, Cornelia:  Box 1, Folder 8
  • *Gilliam, Lillian:  Box 1, Folders 8-9; Box 4, Folder 3
  • *Goode, Wilson:  Box 8, Folder 14
  • *Gordon, Michele:  Box 8, Folder 5; Box 9, Folder 3
  • *Graves, Margaret:  Box 4, Folder 3; Box 8, Folders 5, 7
  • *Gray, Bill:  Box 2, Folder 2
  • *Green, Cheryl:  Box 4, Folder 5
  • *Grey, John:  Box 4, Folder 11
  • *Hope, Leslie:  Box 2, Folder 9
  • *Howard, Uvonne:  Box 1, Folders 12-13; Box 2, Folders 1-3, 6; Box 8, Folders 3, 11; Box 10, Folder 3
  • *Jackson, Doris:  Box 2, Folder 8; Box 9, Folder 13; Box 10, Folder 6
  • *Johnson, Maurice:  Box 1, Folder 7
  • *Johnson, Ursula:  Box 1, Folder 7
  • *Jones, Elizabeth:  Box 1, Folders 12-13; Box 10, Folders 2-3, 11-12
  • *Jones, Margaret:  Box 1, Folders 10-11
  • *Jordan, Barbara:  Box 1, Folder 7
  • *Lane, Georgene:  Box 2, Folders 5, 7; Box 8, Folders 11-14; Box 9, Folders 1-2
  • *Laws, Myra:  Box 2, Folder 9; Box 10, Folder 6
  • *Leath, Barbara:  Box 2, Folder 8
  • *Lowe, Alease:  Box 2, Folders 6, 8
  • *Lyons, Irma:  Box 1, Folders 7-9; Box 2, Folder 4; Box 4, Folder 11; Box 9, Folders 5-6; Box 11, Folder 6
  • *McIntosh, Hattie:  Box 10, Folders 2-3
  • *Moses, Ruth:  Box 4, Folder 4
  • *Ogburn, Helen:  Box 7, Folder 6
  • *Owens, Barbara:  Box 1, Folder 13; Box 2, Folders 1-8; Box 4, Folders 2, 4, 6, 10; Box 7, Folders 3, 6; Box 8, Folders 12, 14; Box 9; Folders 1, 3, 11-12, Box 10, Folder 4
  • *Palmer, Margaret:  Box 1, Folders 8-9, 13; Box 2, Folders 1-2, 4, 6-8; Box 9, Folders 3, 10, 12, Box 10, Folders 3-6, 11-12
  • *Richardson, Marguerite:  Box 4, Folder 1
  • *Robinson, Mollie:  Box 2, Folders 5-6; Box 8, Folder 8
  • *Satterwhite, Naomi:  Box 1, Folders 7, 10, 12-13; Box 2, Folders 1-3; Box 9, Folders 10, 13; Box 10, Folders 2-3
  • *Stith, Louise:  Box 7, Folder 2; Box 8, Folder 2
  • *Sullivan, Leon:  Box 9, Folder 1
  • *Talley, Geraldine:  Box 1, Folders 6-8; Box 3, Folder 3; Box 4, Folder 10; Box 9, Folder 5; Box 10, Folder 2, 11
  • *Thornton, Marguerite:  Box 1, Folders 4, 7-8; Box 9, Folder 4; Box 11, Folder 6
  • *Turner, Mary:  Box 1, Folder 9
  • *Uzzle, Lorraine:  Box 1, Folder 11
  • *Valentine, David:  Box 1, Folders 9, 12; Box 8, Folders 2, 13; Box 9, Folder 9
  • *Waters, Betty:  Box 7, Folder 6; Box 10, Folder 5
  • *Wells, Marguerite:  Box 8, Folder 10
  • *White, Millicent:  Box 1, Folders 10-11, 13; Box 2, Folders 1-2; Box 8, Folders 3, 11
  • American Federation of State, County and Municipal Workers, District Council 33:  Box 8, Folder 14
  • Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies:  Box 2, Folders 3, 6; Box 8, Folder 7; Box 10, Folders 3-5
  • Bostic, Clara:  Box 1, Folders, 9, 12; Box 4, Folders 1-2, 11; Box 9, Folders 3, 12
  • Brodie, Audrey:  Box 2, Folder 9
  • Caribbean cruise:  Box 2, Folders 1-2
  • City of Philadelphia: Task Force on Teen Pregnancy in the Black Community:  Box 2, Folder 3-4
  • Cox, Barbara Daniel:  Box 2, Folder 3-7
  • Grace Baptist Church of Germantown:  Box 1, Folder 13
  • Incorporation:  Box 1, Folder 4; Box 10, Folder 2
  • Leisure Line:  Box 2, Folders 1-2
  • Overbrook Presbyterian Church:  Box 2, Folders 2-3, 7-9; Box 9, Folder 3
  • Salem Baptist Church of Jenkintown:  Box 2, Folder 4
  • Tax code, non-profit status:  Box 3, Folder 3
  • Twigs, Inc. chapter: Cheyney, Pennsylvania:  Box 8, Folder 10; Box 9, Folder 8; Box 12, Folder 8
  • Twigs, Inc. chapter: King of Prussia, Pennsylvania:  Box 1, Folders 11-13; Box 8, Folder 10; Box 10, Folders 2-3; Box 12, Folder 8
  • Twigs, Inc. chapter: Marlton, New Jersey:  Box 2, Folders 4-5; Box 9, Folder 12; Box 12, Folder 9
  • Twigs, Inc. chapter: North Montgomery County ("North Montco"):  Box 1, Folder 13; Box 9, Folders 11, 13; Box 10, Folders 3, 6; Box 12, Folder 10
  • Twigs, Inc. chapter: Plainfield, New Jersey:  Box 1, Folders 9-10; Box 10, Folders 2-3; Box 12, Folder 11
  • Twigs, Inc. chapter: Richmond, Virginia:  Box 1, Folders 10-12; Box 9, Folders 10-11; Box 10, Folder 2; Box 12, Folder 12
  • Twigs, Inc. chapter: Trenton, New Jersey:  Box 8, Folder 10; Box 10, Folder 3; Box 12, Folder 13
  • Twigs, Inc. chapter: Willingboro, Pennsylvania:  Box 12, Folder 14
  • Twigs, Inc. chapter: Winston-Salem, North Carolina:  Box 9, Folder 8; Box 10, Folders 3, 8; Box 12, Folder 14

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Collection Inventory

 Series I: Philadelphia Chapter materials (1959-1997, undated) 

 Box
1-9

 Subseries A:  General office files (1959-1997, n.d.) 

Scope and content note

This is the largest section of the collection, and contains a useful variety and amount of key records such as constitutions, correspondence, minutes, financial data, histories, membership information, by-laws, and a copy of the chapter and national charter of incorporation. It also includes annual and other reports, handbooks, newspaper clippings, newsletters, and some election materials. The only drawback is the rather short date span – about 1973 through the late 1980s – of these records, which are arranged alphabetically.

 Box
1-6
Box Folder

Alumni (1959-1980) 

 1 1

Annual and other reports (1974-1997, undated) 

 1 2-3

Charter of incorporation (1967-1974) 

 1 4

Constitutions and by-laws (1973-1976) 

 1 5

Correspondence and other materials (1971-1984) 

 1 6-13

Correspondence and other materials (1985-1998, undated) 

 2 1-9

Election materials (1976-1989) 

 3 1

Financial data (1986-1997) 

 3 2

Financial data - Audits (1979-1995) 

 3 3

Financial data - Budgets (1977-1997) 

 3 4

Financial data - Dues (1977-1997) 

 3 5

Financial data - Income & expenditures (1975-1997) 

 3 6-7

Financial data - Reports (1977-1997, undated) 

 3 8-10

Handbooks & manuals (n.d.) 

 3 11

History and philosophy (1967-1988) 

 4 1-2

History and philosophy - History committee (1980-1988) 

 4 3

Membership- Admissions and withdrawals (1982-1998) 

 4 4-5

Membership- Associate and life members (1975-1988) 

 4 6

Membership - Installation and other ceremonies (1975-1997) (1975-1997) 

 4 7

Membership - Lists (1974-1998) 

 4 8-9

Membership - Personal materials (1975-1986) 

 4 10

Membership - Songs, poems, and prayers (1974-1980) 

 4 11

Minutes, meeting notices, and agendas (1974-1984) 

 5 1-9

Minutes, meeting notices, and agendas (1985-1997) 

 6 1-5

Newspaper clippings (1980-1997) 

 6 6

Newsletters and releases (1974-1996) 

 6 7-8

Officers and committee memberships (1972-1986, undated) 

 6 9

Scholarship application form (undated) 

 6 10

Stationary (undated) 

 6 11

Telephone relays (1976-1988, undated) 

 6 12

 Subseries B: Committee and other activities (1967-1997) 

Scope and content note

This subseries reflects the active nature of this chapter with information about its many committees. A substantial amount of material, including programs, reports, members, budgets, with special attention to the “Career Awareness” program, details the variety and depth of activities designed for youth. Committee materials have been arranged alphabetically, and the folders on youth activities are chronological.

 Box
7-9

Committees (1973-1997, n.d.) 
Box Folder

Admissions and withdrawals - Amenities (1978-1980) 

 7 1

Charity - Community project (1984-1988, undated) 

 7 2

Dance (see also Box 7, Folders 8-10) (1978-1980) 

 7 3

History (See also Box 4, Folder 3) (undated) 

 7 3

Hostess (1977-1997, undated) 

 7 4

Program - Publicity (1980-1988) 

 7 5

SAT/PSAT (1984-1988) 

 7 6

Scholarship (1978-1997, undated) 

 7 7

Ways and Means (1973-1997) 

 7 8-10

Other (1974-1980) 

 7 11
Box Folder

Social activities (1967-1997) 

 7 12

Youth activities (1971-1997, undated) 

 8 1-9

Youth activities - "Career Awareness" (1974-1985) 

 8 10-14

Youth activities - "Career Awareness" (1986-1997) 

 9 1-2

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 Series II: National office materials (1973-1997, undated) 

Scope and content note

These national materials- which should be used with MSS 151- were amassed largely during the presidency of Margaret Palmer in the early to mid 1980s. They consist of constitutions, correspondence, minutes from the Executive Board, conclave (national, biennial conference) information, histories, some membership and financial data, a few newsletters, and materials about some of the other chapters. Some of the correspondence is substantive, as are parts of chapter records. All are arranged alphabetically.

 Box
9-12
Box Folder

Clara Bostic memorial (1983-1985) 

 9 3

Committees (1976-1987, undated) 

 9 4

Conclaves (1974-1988) 

 9 5-13

Constitutions (1975-1984, undated) 

 10 1

Correspondence and other materials (1974-1997, undated) 

 10 2-6

Election materials (see also Box 10, Folders 2-6) (1976-1988, undated) 

 10 7

Financial data (1974-1988) 

 10 8-12

Financial data - Dues (1974-1978) 

 11 1-4

Handbooks and manuals (1978-1984) 

 11 5

Histories (1977-1985, undated) 

 11 6

Membership - Instructions (undated) 

 11 7

Membership - Lists (1977-1982) 

 11 8-10

Minutes, meeting notices, and agendas for the National Executive Board (1974-1988) 

 12 1-6

Newsletters (1976-1988) 

 12 7

Other chapters (1974-1988, n.d.) 
Box Folder

Cheyney, Pennsylvania - King of Prussia, Pennsylvania (1974-1983) 

 12 8

Marlton, New Jersey (1986-1988) 

 12 9

North Montco, Pennsylvania (1984-1988) 

 12 10

Plainfield, New Jersey (1979) 

 12 11

Richmond, Virginia (1980-1987, undated) 

 12 12

Trenton, New Jersey (1974-1982) 

 12 13

Willingboro, New Jersey - Winson-Salem, North Carolina (1973-1986) 

 12 14

 Series III:  Scrapbooks (1978-1983) 

 Box
13
Item

Chapter memorabilia (1 removed from 3-ring binder) (circa 1978-1980) 

 1

Young TWIGs (oversize brown binding) (1980-1982) 

 2

All levels of youth (white binding) (1981-1983) 

 3

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