Summary Information
Dorsey-Turfley Family Photographs,
MSP#455
Dorsey-Turfley Family
1880-1987
1.25 linear feet
linear feet (3 boxes)
The Dorsey and Turfley families were prominent members of Pittsburgh's Hill District neighborhood. James A. Dorsey was Pittsburgh's first African American physical education instructor, serving as director at Washington Park, the Centre Avenue YMCA, the Crawford Bath House, and the Ammon Recreation Center. Dorsey's father-in-law, Dr. George G. Turfley, was the first registered African American doctor in Allegheny County. The photographs in this collection document several generations of the Dorsey and Turfley families as well as African American sports teams from the beginning decades of the 20th century.
A portion of the photographs in this collection have been digitized and are accessible online at http://digital.library.pitt.edu/images/pittsburgh/dorsey.html.
Language:
The material in this collection is in English.
Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania
Senator John Heinz History Center
1212 Smallman Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
412-454-6364
library@hswp.org
http://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/libraryArchives.aspx
January 2011
The guide to this collection was written by
Siri Berdahl and Matt Strauss.
Encoded by Matt Strauss on January 12, 2011 from an existing finding aid.
History
James Arthur Dorsey was Pittsburgh's first African American physical education instructor, serving as director at Washington Park, the Centre Avenue YMCA, the Crawford Bath House, and the Ammon Recreation Center. Born March 9, 1890 in Allegheny City (now Pittsburgh's North Side) to James A. Dorsey and Mary C. Sparksman, Dorsey was attracted to athletics at an early age. In 1906, while employed as a janitor for the Phipps estate, he started an African American basketball team that played in the estate's gym. The team included Cumberland Posey, future manager and owner of the Homestead Grays. Between 1910 and 1917, Dorsey played basketball for the Pittsburgh-based teams the Monticello Athletic Club, Delany-Monticello's, and the Loendi Club. During this time, Dorsey also played football for the Collins Tigers and the Delaney Rifles.
In 1915, Dorsey attended the University of Pittsburgh, taking classes in physical education. During World War I, Dorsey worked at the Air Nitrates Corporation at Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and the YMCA headquarters at Camp Jackson, South Carolina. In 1918, he married Zerbie Turfley and together they had nine children: James, George, William, John, Zerbie Ella Swain, Howard, Richard, Charles and Lois F. Green.
Following World War I, he returned to Pittsburgh and became acting director of Washington Park. In 1923, Dorsey became the first director of the newly established Centre Avenue YMCA. In 1926, while directing recreation activities at the Crawford Bath House (Recreation Center), Dorsey coached a baseball team that would become the Pittsburgh Crawfords. In 1941, he started as director of the Ammon Recreation Center on Bedford Avenue. He was also a member of the Masons, the Hill District Community Council, the Urban League and the Health and Recreation Club. James A. Dorsey died on February 7, 1978.
Zerbie Ella Turfley Dorsey was born to Dr. George G. Turfley and Mary Bryan Turfley on August 23, 1895. An enthusiastic athlete, she played basketball with the Delaney Rifles' women's team and the Della Robbia Girls. Mrs. Dorsey graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1917 with a certificate in Household Economy. She served as chairwoman of the board of directors for the Lemington Home for the Aged in Lincoln and was a member of the Aurora Reading Club and the South Oakland Community Human Service Senior Citizens club. Zerbie Dorsey passed away on October 11, 1989.
Dr. George G. Turfley, Zerbie Dorsey's father, was the first registered African American doctor in Allegheny County. He was born in Pittsburgh on October 9, 1855, to John Turfley and Mathilda Brooks. His two sisters died in infancy, and his mother died in 1860. His stepmother, Luzerba Wheeler, was influential in directing his career. Turfley first attended the Separate Schools of Pittsburgh until 1872, at which point he entered Central High School. He was one of the first black students to graduate from Pittsburgh schools in 1876. He first studied medicine under Dr. C. D. King of Allegheny before entering the Western Reserve Medical College in Cleveland, Ohio, from which he graduated in 1879. Turfley began his practice in Pittsburgh, and for ten years he was the only African American doctor in Pittsburgh. In 1872, he joined Grace Memorial Presbyterian Church and remained a member for the rest of his life. On November 7, 1894, he married Mary Bryan, daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth Bryan, and together they had seven children: Zerbie, John, Mary, George, Melissa, Alice and Richard. Dr. Turfley was a member of many organizations. He served as president of the Board of Trustees of Avery College Trade School from 1903 until 1917 and was a member of the Allegheny Medical Society, the Eureka Lodge of Odd Fellows and the Medico-Pharmaco-Odonto Association of Allegheny County. Dr. Turfley died on November 17, 1934 after a year-long illness.
Collection Scope and Content Note
The photographs in this collection document several generations of the Dorsey and Turfley families as well as African American sports teams from the beginning decades of the 20th century. The photographs are housed in three archival boxes and are arranged in three series.
A portion of the photographs in this collection have been digitized and are accessible online at http://digital.library.pitt.edu/images/pittsburgh/dorsey.html.
Controlled Access Terms
- Dorsey, James Arthur, 1890-1978
- Dorsey, Zerbie Ella Turfley, 1895-1989
- Turfley, George G., 1855-1934
- Allegheny (Pittsburgh, Pa.)--Dept. of Public Works
- African American athletes--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh.
- Physical education and training--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh.
- Hill District (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
Access and Use
No Restrictions.
Gift of Mrs. Zerbie E. Swain in 2005. Acc#2005.0123
Dorsey-Turfley Family Photographs, 1880-1987, MSP#455, Library and Archives Division, Senator John Heinz History Center
This collection was processed by Siri Berdahl in May, 2007. Finding aid revised by Matt Strauss in March, 2010.
Property rights reside with the Senator John Heinz History Center. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the Library and Archives of the Senator John Heinz History Center.
The Dorsey-Turfley Family Papers, MSS #455.
Contents List
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Series
I |
Family and Friends 1880-1987 |
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Scope and Content Notes: The material in this series, mostly consisting of studio portraits, snapshots, and class photographs, contains images of the Dorsey and Turfley extended families and their friends. Particularly well documented are James A. and Zerbie Ella Dorsey as well as as their parents, siblings, and children. Most of the photographs were taken in and around the homes of family members, including the Dorsey and Turfley residences in the Hill District and Oakland neighborhoods. Along with images of home life, there are photographs of family members at work and with sports teams, including: James Allen Dorsey at Splane’s Drugstore; Zerbie Ella Dorsey with the Della Robbia girls basketball team; and James A. Dorsey at playgrounds and recreation centers around the city.
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Box 1
| folder |
1 |
Armstrong Family Undated
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| folder |
2 |
Baker, Essie 1944
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| folder |
3 |
Baltimore, Harvey and Florence Undated
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| folder |
4 |
Brown, Ruth Marguerite (“Snookie”) c.1900-1950s
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| folder |
5 |
Bryans, Amelia c.1880s
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| folder |
6 |
Bryans, Elizabeth c.1890s-1925
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| folder |
7 |
Bryans, Morgan undated
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| folder |
8 |
Bryans, Robert 1938
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| folder |
9 |
Bryans, Zerbie Undated
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| folder |
10 |
Bumry, Mary Armstrong Undated
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| folder |
11 |
Bumry, Mary Elizabeth Turfley 1901-1927
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| folder |
12 |
Bumry, Mary Elizabeth Turfley (wedding) 1901-1927
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| folder |
13 |
Bumry, William 1901-1927
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| folder |
14 |
Craft, Elizabeth Fenderson 1927
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| folder |
15 |
Davis, E. Bryan Undated
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| folder |
16 |
Dorsey Family Portraits 1953-1987
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| folder |
17 |
Dorsey, Anthony and Caroline 1960-1985
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| folder |
18 |
Dorsey, Charles 1952
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| folder |
19 |
Dorsey, Charles and Beryl 1982
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| folder |
20 |
Dorsey, Christopher L.M. Undated
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| folder |
21 |
Dorsey, George A. and Virginia Undated
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| folder |
22 |
Dorsey, George T. 1951
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| folder |
22 |
Dorsey, George T. 1951
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| folder |
23 |
Dorsey, Howard 1931-1982
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| folder |
24 |
Dorsey, Howard, Jr. and Shirley 1976
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| folder |
25 |
Dorsey, James Allen 1903
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27 |
General 1921-1950
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| folder |
28 |
General 1954-1970
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| folder |
30 |
Basketball (Monticello Delaneys) 1916
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| folder |
31 |
Construction Undated
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| folder |
32 |
Crawford Bath House c.1920s
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| folder |
33 |
Folk Dance Class 1916
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| folder |
34 |
Golden Gate Lodge 1968
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| folder |
35 |
Mary J. Cowley School 1901-1904
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| folder |
36 |
Siblings Undated
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| folder |
37 |
Washington Park Undated
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| folder |
38 |
YMCA Staff – Camp Jackson, Columbia, SC
1918
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Dorsey, James A. and Zerbie Ella Turfley |
| folder |
39 |
General
1916-1975
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| folder |
40 |
Children
1922-1976
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| folder |
41 |
Children at Sidling Hill Summit
1932
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| folder |
42 |
Dorsey, Sgt. James A., Jr. 1920-1982
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| folder |
43 |
Dorsey, John Robert 1925-c.1980
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| folder |
44 |
Dorsey, Mary C. Sparksman 1921
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| folder |
46 |
Basketball 1917
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| folder |
47 |
Education Undated
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| folder |
48 |
Dorsey, Ollie Undated
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| folder |
49 |
Dorsey, Richard Thomas 1932
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50 |
Dorsey, Sparksman O. 1908
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51 |
Dorsey, William S. 1927
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52 |
Dorsey, Witherow Undated
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Dorsey, Zerbie Ella Turfley
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| folder |
53 |
General 1895-1929
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| folder |
54 |
General 1952-1984
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| folder |
57 |
Della Robbia Girls Undated
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| folder |
58 |
Friends and Family 1918-1982
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| folder |
59 |
Lemington Center 1984
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| folder |
60 |
Old Central High School Reunion 1965
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| folder |
61 |
Siblings 1897-1900
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Box 2
| folder |
01 |
Fenderson, Bryan 1983
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| folder |
02 |
Fenderson, Lewis H. 1938
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| folder |
03 |
Fenderson, Lydia Melissa Bryans c.1880s-1968
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04 |
Green, Lois Dorsey 1946-1961
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| folder |
05 |
Hicks, Mary 1978-1979
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| folder |
06 |
Hubbard, Connie (Mrs. Wright) Undated
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| folder |
07 |
James, Melissa Turfley 1925-1971
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| folder |
08 |
Johnson, Earl Undated
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| folder |
09 |
Johnson, Mary Dorsey 1955
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| folder |
10 |
General c.1910-1960
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| folder |
11 |
Sherman Avenue School (Mary J. Cowley School)
1904
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| folder |
12 |
McKesson, Lillian
1956
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| folder |
13 |
Mosby, Mary Dorsey
Undated
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| folder |
14 |
Proctor, Margaret
Undated
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| folder |
15 |
Randall, Joe
Undated
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| folder |
16 |
Reasoner Family
c.1923
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| folder |
17 |
Reasoner, John Percival
1923
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| folder |
18 |
Rector, Marguerite Kiszie
Undated
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| folder |
19 |
Reynolds, Blanche Scott
1946-1986
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| folder |
20 |
Ross, Richard
Undated
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| folder |
21 |
Scott, Alice
1938-1951
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| folder |
22 |
Scott, Alice Turfley
1940
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| folder |
23 |
Scott, Jacquele
Undated
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| folder |
24 |
Sparksman, Samuel and Fannie
Undated
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| folder |
25 |
Swain, Zerbie Ella Dorsey
1926-c.1950
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| folder |
26 |
Taylor, George and Effie
Undated
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| folder |
27 |
Taylor, Marguerite
Undated
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| folder |
28 |
Taylor, Ronald
Undated
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| folder |
29 |
Turfley Family Group Photographs
1917-1923
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| folder |
30 |
Turfley Family Portraits
1911
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| folder |
31 |
Turfley Family Portraits
1918
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| folder |
32 |
Turfley, Dr. George G.
Undated
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| folder |
33 |
Turfley, George, Jr.
c.1908-1962
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| folder |
34 |
Turfley, John
c.1901-1965
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| folder |
35 |
Turfley, Luzerba Wheeler
c.1900-1928
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Turfley, Mary (Mollie) Bryans |
| folder |
36 |
General
c.1925-1962
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| folder |
37 |
Children
Undated
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| folder |
38 |
Sisters
Undated
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| folder |
39 |
Turfley, Dr. Richard Thomas
1912-c.1950s
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| folder |
40 |
Turfley, Rita and Adrienne
1949
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| folder |
41 |
Walker, Major
1932
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| folder |
42 |
Walker, Mandy
1932
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| folder |
43 |
Walker, Shirley
1932-c.1940s
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| folder |
44 |
General
Undated
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| folder |
45 |
Franklin School
1909
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| folder |
46 |
Wright, Mary
1923-c.1950s
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| folder |
47 |
Wright, Michelle
Undated
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| folder |
48 |
Wright, James
1943
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| folder |
49 |
Wright, John, Jr.
Undated
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| folder |
50 |
Children
1958-1965
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| folder |
51 |
Girl with Christmas tree
Undated
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| folder |
52 |
Individuals
Undated
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| folder |
53 |
Man on bulldozer
Undated
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| folder |
54 |
Partially identified
1921-1978
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| folder |
55 |
People in bar/restaurant
Undated
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| folder |
56 |
Pittsburgh police
Undated
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| folder |
57 |
Tintypes
Undated
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Series
II |
Athletics and Recreation 1907-1943 |
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Scope and Content Notes: Most of the images in this series document playgrounds, recreation centers, and African American sports teams in Pittsburgh’s Hill District neighborhood during the first half of the 20th century. Represented are images of basketball teams (the Monticellos, the Delaney Rifles, Ammon Recreation Center teams), baseball teams (the Pittsburgh Crawfords, the Grays) and football teams (the Collins Tigers, the Homestead Grays). Appearing often in the images are James A. Dorsey and his brothers, as well as local athletes Cumberland Posey, Seward Posey, and Sell Hall. There are also images of tennis players, children boxing and playing marbles, and exterior shots of Washington Park, the Ammon Recreation Center, and the Hill District YMCA. Most of the photographs portray men, but there are female athletes in the images of the Ammon Recreation Center women’s basketball team and the Rex Racquet Club.
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| folder |
58 |
Ammon Building
Undated
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| folder |
59 |
Men’s Basketball
1942-1943
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| folder |
60 |
Women’s Basketball
1942-1943
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Box 3
| folder |
1 |
Collins Tigers Football Team
1912-1913
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| folder |
2 |
Crawford Baseball Club
1926
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| folder |
3 |
Delaney Rifles Basketball Team
1915
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| folder |
4 |
Dorsey Basketball Team
Undated
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| folder |
5 |
Grays Baseball Team (Predecessor to the Homestead Grays team )
c.1911
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| folder |
6 |
Homestead Grays Football Team
1922
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| folder |
8 |
Men’s Recreation
Undated
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| folder |
9 |
Miscellaneous Recreational Organizations
Undated
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| folder |
10 |
Monticello Basketball Team
1911-1914
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| folder |
11 |
Morgan Community Boxing
1920
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| folder |
12 |
Pittsburgh Playground Directors
1916-1921
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| folder |
13 |
Rex Racquet Club
1925
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| folder |
14 |
Scholastics A.A.
Undated
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| folder |
15 |
Tennis – Women’s
Undated
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| folder |
16 |
Washington Park Recreation Center production of "Mikado"
Undated
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| folder |
17 |
Playground
1907
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| folder |
18 |
YMCA Centre Avenue Branch
1922
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| folder |
19 |
YMCA Father & Son Banquet
1922
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Series
III |
Topical c.1910-1987 |
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Scope and Content Notes:
This series contains images depicting a bird's eye view of Pittsburgh prior to the construction of I-376, destruction of former family homes, and an African-American WWI marching band.
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| folder |
20 |
Anglican Congress Delegates Undated
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| folder |
21 |
Camping Scene c.1910
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| folder |
22 |
Elford Residence, Lawn Street Undated
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| folder |
23 |
Pittsburgh Cityscape Undated
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| folder |
24 |
Shoeshine Undated
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| folder |
25 |
Turfley Residence, 2555 Centre Avenue 1987
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| folder |
26 |
World War I Marching band c.1917
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| folder |
27 |
Photographic Negatives undated
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