John Lee Tilley papers addendum

The addition consists of correspondence, clippings, church bulletins, financial records, instructional materials, invitations, maps, minutes, notes, photographs, programs, reports, rosters, schoolwork, writings, collected items, and memorabilia. The heaviest period of concentration of the materials falls within the 1950's; the beginning and ending dates are represented in fewer materials. The correspondence is predominately incoming and expands information about non-pulpit activities of John Tilley.

Among the multiple positions which Dr. Tilley held during the 40 year span covered by these materials, for example, the following could be verified from letterheads, State Director of Christian Education, Treasurer of the Non-Partisan Register and Vote Campaign (NAACP), Chairman of the Oratorical Contest Committee of the United Baptist Missionary Convention of Maryland, and Co-Chairman of the Executive Board of The Baltimore Fellowship, Inc.

Some of the correspondence included in the collection was addressed to Clarence Mitchell, Jr. and Lillie Mae Jackson, the former director of the Washington Bureau of the NAACP, the latter president of the Baltimore Branch. The effort to abolish job discrimination in Baltimore involved Dr. Tilley with the former; the interest in the totality of personal potential involved him with the latter. In his capacity as chairman of certain committees, the included correspondence was generated. Each of the persons involved passed on these specific items for his information; they therefore became a part of his files.

One item of correspondence post-dating the lifespan of Dr. Tilley is a note concerning the outcome of a project begun by him and reported to his daughter by her mother. The relationship of his work and the continuing results are admirably illustrated in this piece.

A large segment of the addition deals with the activities of the minister as director of courses and institutes in Christian Education. Included are notes and forms for reporting enrollment, evaluation, certification of staff, payment of fees, etc. This activity involved Rev. Tilley with numerous people not necessarily members of the church, which he pastured and involved an element of serendipity in that it widened his sphere of influence. These groups of materials tend to be concentrated in the period covered by the years, 1952-1961.

Some items in several groups could be located with the original acquisitions and, of course, increment the holdings on certain subjects; namely, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), Shaw Alumni activities, Voter Registration data, and NAACP. To this group were added a photocopy of "A Brief History of the Negro in Chicago, 1779-1933," which Dr. Tilley wrote during the time he spent in Chicago and a copy of his M.A. thesis done at the University of Chicago. The former work includes a sketch of Lillian Proctor Falls, prominent social worker in her own right and daughter of Henry and Adeline Proctor whose papers are a part of this repository's holdings.

The financial records and bank accounts deal primarily with the accounts of the church, committees, and personal expenditures and income. Certain items for the accounts of SCLC have been added to provide more complete information on the financial picture of that organization during the time Dr. Tilley served it in an administrative capacity. The programs mainly relate to church oriented activities, especially the institutes and conferences. Some programs have been included for secular presentations; in general, they involve a member of New Metropolitan Church, or they were presented in the church.

A fair assessment of the overall evaluation of the addition could be predicated upon its general enhancement of the basic holdings concerning Dr. Tilley. The activities of the period of concentration represented in the collection may be viewed as having importance as background for the Sixties and later. To a rather extensive degree, they make an important statement concerning the Fifties and barriers which had to be hurdled in the attempt to make the "American Dream" something less than a nightmare for millions of citizens.