AMA College Centennials: correspondence, 1962 January-March

The American Missionary Association College files encompasses approximately 3 linear feet of materials. Marr, as the secretary, was responsible for the coordination of the centennials and special programs of the six remaining AMA colleges (Dillard, Fisk, Huston-Tillotson, Le Moyne, Talladega, and Tougaloo). While with the AMA, Marr created the Amistad Awards and the Affiliate Artists program.

As secretary of the AMA College Centennials, Marr reported to Dr. Wesley A. Hotchkiss, general secretary of the Division of Higher Education of the AMA and chairman of the AMA College Centennials. As secretary, Marr corresponded with various AMA college presidents in order to find ways to foster national interest in the six AMA colleges through public relations and promotional efforts. Correspondence (1961-1971) is professional in nature and includes both incoming and outgoing letters and memoranda.

Main correspondents include A.D. Beittel, Albert W. Dent, Dr. Anna A. Hedgeman, George A. Owens, Ronald Schnell and Wesley A. Hotchkiss.

Other collected materials include correspondence, newsletters, pamphlets and reports directly from the AMA College Centennials offices. While in this position, Marr organized concerts of pianist Samuel Leslie-Dilworth in 1965 and tenor Roland Hayes in 1962. This sub-series contains correspondence, invitations, programs and reports related to these concerts.

The Amistad Awards, started by Marr in 1962, was created to "acknowledge superlative contribution on the part of selected individuals to the betterment of human relations especially in the several fields of the arts and sciences." Awards were presented to Thurgood Marshall at Talladega College, Lyndon Baines Johnson at the White House, and others. The last awards ceremony was held in 1985 at the Hotel Plaza in New York. These files include information about the origin of the awards, as well as invitations and programs to the award ceremonies in 1966. When Marr left the AMA, the Amistad Awards continued through the partnership with the Amistad Research Center. This collection contains programs, press releases, and other materials related to later Amistad Award programs (1983, 1984) sponsored by the Amistad Research Center.

The Affiliate Artists, started during Marr's tenure, was designed to expose new audiences to the live performing arts. In this program, young performers were sent to corporate-sponsored residencies to perform informally for their employees and the community at large. The Affiliate Artists files (1966-1981) include bylaws, minutes from board of directors and executive session meetings (1968-1970) and correspondence (1968-1970). Of particular note are the artist profiles, publicity materials, and pamphlets explaining the goals, sponsors, and procedures of the Affiliate Artists program.

Essays by Marr during his tenure are included in this sub-series. Titles such as "Toward Full Fellowship," and "Jalda Arriba" were published in the United Church Herald. "Out of Bondage," Marr's essay aimed toward "re-activating national interest in the Amistad legacy," was also published in the United Church Herald. Marr's writings also appeared in The Home Missionary and The Council Journal. He also submitted writings to mainstream publications like Harper's, The New Yorker, and Esquire. Marr also handled public relations for Ryder Hospital in Humacao, Puerto Rico. Correspondence, financial materials, programs, and publicity related to Ryder Hospital (1963-1967) is also included.