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Guide to the Charlesetta Braggs-Ford Papers
MS 204
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Title: Charlesetta Braggs-Ford papers
Dates: 1963-1984
Collection number: MS 204
Creator:
Braggs-Ford, Charlesetta.
Collection Size:
.5 linear feet (1 box)
Repository:
African American Museum & Library at Oakland (Oakland, Calif.)
Oakland, CA 94612
Abstract: In 1963 Braggs-Ford, together with Savannah A. Bello, founded the Richmond chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE)
to address discriminatory practices in local housing and employment.The Charlesetta Braggs-Ford Papers consists of reports,
bulletins, correspondence, flyers, conference programs, papers, brochures, pamphlets, newsletters, and newspaper clippings
that document the activities of the Richmond chapter of CORE. The collection also includes material related to regional CORE
chapters and the national CORE organization.
Physical location: African American Museum & Library at Oakland (Oakland, Calif.)
Oakland, CA 94612
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
No access restrictions. Collection is open to the public.
Materials are for use in-library only, non-circulating.
Permission to publish from the Charlesetta Braggs-Ford Papers must be obtained from the African American Museum & Library
at Oakland.
Charlesetta Braggs-Ford papers, MS 204, African American Museum & Library at Oakland, Oakland Public Library. Oakland, California.
Donated to the African American Museum & Library at Oakland by Charlesetta Braggs-Ford on September 1, 2016.
Processed by Sean Dickerson, February 1, 2017.
Biography / Administrative History
Civil rights activist Charlesetta Braggs-Ford was born on June 22nd, 1935 in Oklahoma to Booker and Viola Braggs. After a
degree in nursing she served as a supervisor at Kaiser Hospital in Oakland. In 1963 Braggs-Ford, together with Savannah A.
Bello, founded the Richmond chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) to address discriminatory practices in local
housing and employment. The first members of Richmond CORE were Maxine Easton, Reverend Guthrie Williams, Barbara Thollaug,
Samuel Burns, Frank Throtter, Ernest Fridia (first chairperson), Florence Fridia, Giddis Toland, Thelma Hill, and Stalfana
Bello. Future members included Gus Wagle, Scott Cole, Stephen Vincent, James Van, Amous Blackmore, Katherine Himes, Helen
Talbot, Anthony Scott, John Ogenberger, Elaine Featherson, Carolyn Himes, Randy Thollaug, Robert Chrisman, Brenda Hawkins,
Saline Steward, Bob Carleton, Cynthia Hawkins, and John Greene. Richmond CORE focused on issues related to fair employment
and housing, schooling, accurate newspaper coverage, and police brutality towards African Americans and other minorities.
Committees of the chapter included those on Education, Storm Drainage, and Public Housing. Activities involved working on
California Fair Housing initiatives and picketing and negotiation projects with the Bank of America, Safeway, and local department
stores. As members began participating with Black Power movement groups in community organizing, Richmond CORE was officially
disaffiliated from the national organization at a meeting of officers and delegates to CORE’s Western Regional Conference
on August 30, 1968.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Charlesetta Braggs-Ford Papers consists of reports, bulletins, correspondence, flyers, conference programs, papers, brochures,
pamphlets, newsletters, and newspaper clippings that document the activities of the Richmond chapter of the Congress of Racial
Equality (CORE). The collection also includes material related to regional CORE chapters and the national CORE organization.
The collection documents general activities of regional CORE groups in sit-ins, picketing demonstrations and other civil rights
actions around fair employment, housing and police brutality towards African Americans and other minorities. The papers are
organized in three series: Richmond CORE activities, CORE general activities, and assorted print materials.
Series I. Richmond CORE activities Series II. CORE general activities Series III. Assorted print materials
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
African Americans--California--Richmond--Social conditions--20th century.
African Americans -- Civil rights.
African Americans--Civil rights--California--Oakland Region--History--20th century.
Congress of Racial Equality.
Congress of Racial Equality -- Periodicals.
Savannah A. Van Dyke Bello Papers, African American Museum & Library at Oakland.
Congress of Racial Equality records, Wisconsin Historical Society.
Congress of Racial Equality, Santa Clara Chapter records, 1965-1967, University of California, Davis.