Guide to the Maxine and Roy C. Blackburn Papers
Marianne Carden
African American Museum and Library at Oakland
659 14th Street
Oakland, California 94612
Phone: (510) 637-0198
Fax: (510) 637-0204
Email: aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org
URL: http://www.oaklandlibrary.org/locations/african-american-museum-library-oakland
© 2013
African American Museum and Library at Oakland. All rights reserved.
Guide to the Maxine and Roy C. Blackburn Papers
Collection number: MS 13
African American Museum and Library at Oakland
Oakland, California
- Processed by:
- Marianne Carden
- Date Completed:
- 07/08/1995
- Encoded by:
- Sean Heyliger
© 2013 African American Museum and Library at Oakland. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Maxine and Roy C. Blackburn papers
Dates: 1915-1979
Collection number: MS 13
Collection Size:
.25 linear feet
(1 box)
Repository:
African American Museum and Library at Oakland (Oakland, Calif.)
Abstract: The Maxine and Roy C. Blackburn Papers include clippings, correspondence, certificates, photographs, and
programs relating to the lives and careers of Maxine Blackburn and her brother, Roy C. Blackburn.
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Access
No access restrictions. Collection is open to the public.
Access Restrictions
Materials are for use in-library only, non-circulating.
Publication Rights
Permission to publish from the Maxine and Roy C. Blackburn Papers must be obtained from the African American Museum and Library
at Oakland.
Preferred Citation
Maxine and Roy C. Blackburn papers, MS 13, African American Museum and Library at Oakland, Oakland Public Library. Oakland,
California.
Acquisition Information
Part of the collection of the Center for Afro-American History and Life.
Custodial History
Part of the collection of the Center for Afro-American History and Life.
Biography / Administrative History
Maxine Blackburn
Born in Oakland and the sister of Roy, Sidney, and Gretchen Blackburn, Maxine Blackburn
became a well-known musician in Oakland, California. As a child, she studied piano with Elmer F.
Keeton and then went on to study at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She received an
appointment as organist and choir director at Taylor Memorial United Methodist Church, a post she
held for many years.
Maxine participated in the formation and direction of many different musical groups in
Oakland. In partnership with Beatrice Leacock, she performed in a piano duo program on the
lunchtime concert program of radio station KLS. She also performed in an octet at the Women's City
Club. In addition, Maxine helped to organize the United Choirs of Oakland and San Francisco,
which gave monthly concerts at churches in the Bay Area. She also organized the Gospel Singers'
Fellowship Circle on March 19,1943 at St. Paul's AME church in Berkeley. Designed to establish
links between church choirs, this group also gave performances throughout the Bay Area.
Maxine Blackburn died on September 25,1975.
Roy C. Blackburn
An Oakland native, Roy C. Blackburn attended the University of California at Berkeley. During
the early 1930s, he worked as Langston Hughes's secretary. He became a clerk and worked for
the State Relief Administration and was appointed Director of Negro Publicity for
the World's Fair in Los Angeles. After fulfilling this post, Blackburn began serving as the Pacific
Coast Manager for the African-American tenor, Roland Hayes. He joined the Oakland Police
Department in 1943 and worked as an administrator in the jail division for 27 years. In 1968, he won
a special award for streamlining the bail-out process. He retired from the Oakland police force in 1970.
Blackburn participated in many different political, charitable, and religious organizations in
Oakland. He served as a member of the Republican State Convention in 1936 and as a leader of the
Young Republican Movement in the East Bay. In addition, he was very active in the Alameda
County Central Committee of the Republican Party. Blackburn also devoted many years of service
to the Board of Trustees of First AME Church and to the Board of Directors of the Fannie Wall
Children's Home, serving as president of the board for fifteen years.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Maxine and Roy C. Blackburn Papers include clippings, correspondence, certificates, photographs, and
programs relating to the lives and careers of Maxine Blackburn and her brother, Roy C. Blackburn.
Maxine's accomplishments as a pianist, organist, and choral director are documented in clippings
and programs about various local concerts she participated in or organized. Roy's civic activities as
a member of the Republican party and as a member of the Oakland Police Department are documented
in newspaper clippings and pamphlets. The papers include correspondence received from Roland Hayes while he worked as his
Pacific
Coast Manager. Newspaper clippings also document Roy's role as Director of Negro Publicity for the 1939 World's Fair and as
a clerk for the State Relief Administration in the late 1930s. A majority of the photographs are family and friends of the
Blackburn family.
Arrangement
Series I. Maxine Blackburn
Series II. Roy C. Blackburn
Series III. Photographs
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Blackburn, Maxine, 1908-1975.
Blackburn, Roy C., 1912-2000.
Hayes, Roland, 1877-1977.
African Americans--Music--1900-1940.
Separated Material
The New National Baptist Hymnal (1977), with the hymn
Lead Me, Guide Me arranged
by Maxine Blackburn, was placed in the African American Museum and Library at Oakland's library collection.
Maxine Blackburn
Physical Description: 2 folders
Series Scope and Content Summary
Contains clippings and programs which provide biographical information, as well as
documentation of Maxine's musical activities.
Arrangement
Arranged by subject and thereafter by date.
Box 1:2
Oakland Tribune photo/article Miss Blackburn directing youth on parade concert
undated
Box 1:2
Reid Cochran, voice teacher, business card
undated
Box 1:2
Fantasia eleganza program
1950
Box 1:2
Fellowship of Choirs, Piano, and Voice concert program
1948
Box 1:2
California State Association of Colored Women presents piano and voice concert program [photocopy]
1940
Box 1:2
Handwritten music,
America sings
1953
Box 1:2
Souvenir program, 80th anniversary First A.M.E. Church
1938
Box 1:2
Souvenir program, dedication and relocation service First A.M.E. Church
1954
Roy C. Blackburn
Physical Description: 5 folders
Series Scope and Content Summary
Consists of three subseries biographical material, civic activities, and Roland Hayes correspondence.
Arrangement
Arranged by subseries and thereafter by date.
Box 1:3
Marriage certificate, John Blackburn and Florence Jackson [photocopy]
undated
Box 1:4
Newspaper clippings
1937-1968
Box 1:6
Raising Day program, Fannie Wall Children's Home and Day Nursery
1979
Box 1:6
Delegate credentials, Republican State Convention
1936
Box 1:6
Delegate credentials, Republican State Convention
1936
Box 1:6
Certificate of election, Republican Party Central County Committee
1936
Box 1:6
Jerome Keithley, Oakland city manager, awarding $100 suggestions prize
1967
Box 1:7
Roland Hayes correspondence
1935-1954
Photographs
Physical Description: 20 photographs
Series Scope and Content Summary
Includes family photos, as well as publicity photos of both Maxine and Roy C. Blackburn.
Box 1:8
Portrait of Austide Blufie Martin [001]
undated
Box 1:9
Austide Blufie Martin standing in backyard [002]
circa 1940s
Box 1:10
Emelda Martin Mitchell, daughter of Austide Blufie Martin, in wedding dress [003]
circa 1915
Box 1:11
Portrait of Emelda Martin Mitchell [004]
circa 1915
Box 1:12
Portrait of Emelda Martin Mitchell [005]
1965
Box 1:13
Portrait of Luther Mitchell [006]
undated
Box 1:14
Portrait of Luther Mitchell in military uniform [007]
circa 1910s
Box 1:15
Group photograph, 1st birthday of Philip Lee Drisdale (left to right) Mildred Parks Johnson and daughter Helene, June Pankey
and son Ronald, Doris Drisdale and son Philip (honoree), Adele Mitchell Taylor and daughter Adele(Theodora), Madeline Desmongles,
Beulah Woods Moody and
son, Mary Towns Bagby and son Dennis, Marie Mitchell Blackburn, Minerva Gaskin holding niece [008]
1941
Box 1:16
Class portrait, Jefferson School, Oakland, California [009]
1923
Box 1:17
Portrait of Marie and Roy C. Blackburn [010]
1937
Box 1:18
Portrait of Roy C. Blackburn [011]
undated
Box 1:19
Portrait of Marie and Roy C. Blackburn on wedding day standing next to maid of honor, Doris Mitchell, and best man, Sidney
Blackburn [012]
1937
Box 1:20
Group photograph, Mem. Day, 1st church [013]
1957
Box 1:21
Photograph of exterior of Pioneer Memorial Methodist Church [014]
undated
Box 1:22
Class photograph, Clawson School, Oakland, California, 1928 [015]
1965
Box 1:23
Portrait of John C. Blackburn [reproduction] [016]
circa 1899
Box 1:24
Church organ, 1st A.M.E. Church [021]
1961
Box 1:25
Photograph of Ethel Brooks, Sidney Blackburn, Gretchen Blackburn, Roy Blackburn, and Mayme C. Netherland at railroad station
in route to Pinehurst Sunday School picnic [reproduction] [031]
circa 1922
Box 1:26
Church organ, 1st A.M.E. Church [038]
circa 1960s
Box 1:27
Church organ, 1st A.M.E. Church [039]
circa 1960s
Box 1:27
Photograph of exterior of 1st A.M.E. Church [040]
undated
Box 1:27
Photograph of exterior of 1st A.M.E. Church [041]
undated
Box 1:27
Photograph of exterior of 1st A.M.E. Church [042]
undated
Box 1:28
James Hart at book signing of
A Companion to California
undated
Box 1:29
Group portrait (left to right) Sydney, Maxine, Florence, Roy, and Gretchen Blackburn
circa 1920
