Virna M. Canson papers, circa 1900s-2003

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Summary

Creators:: Canson, Virna M., 1921-
Abstract:: The Virna M. Canson papers include photographs, correspondence, programs, certificates, and newspaper clippings documenting Canson’s activities with the NAACP and credit unions, politics, and her personal and family history.
Extent:: .5 linear feet (1 box + 1 oversized box)
Language:: Languages represented in the collection: English
Preferred citation:: Virna M. Canson papers, MS 29, African American Museum and Library at Oakland, Oakland Public Library. Oakland, California.

Background

Scope and content:

The Virna M. Canson papers include photographs, correspondence, programs, certificates, and newspaper clippings documenting Canson’s activities with the NAACP and credit unions, politics, and her personal and family history. The papers are arranged into two sub-groups, Virna M. Canson and Clarence Canson. The bulk of the papers are photographs related to Canson’s family history in Oklahoma and her participation in politics, civil rights, and credit unions. The papers include some general correspondence and awards related to her work at the NAACP, her service on various advisory boards, and the NAACP’s Federal Credit Union annual meetings. The Clarence Canson sub-group includes two certificates from the Tuskegee Institute and his law degree from the University of the Pacific.

Biographical / historical:

Virna Mae Canson (1921-2003) was born on June 10, 1921 in Bridgeport, Oklahoma to William Augustus Dobson and Eula Mae Gross Dobson. Her father was a veteran of World War I and a graduate of Langston University, the only historically black university in Oklahoma. Both her parents worked as school teachers, and her father served as mayor of the all-black town of Lima, Oklahoma. The Dobson family was politically active and participated in the federation of Colored Women’s Clubs, Women’s, Oklahoma Association of Negro Teachers, and the National Unity of Colored Women.

After graduating from Douglass High School in Wewoka, Oklahoma, Canson attended the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama as a home economics major. At Tuskegee, she met her husband Clarence Canson, a tailoring major, and the two wed on August 7, 1940. The following year their son, Clarence Jr., was born and Clarence Canson enlisted in the Air Force with the outbreak of World War II. After the war, Virna and Clarence became active in the NAACP, Clarence as a legal advisor after earning a law degree from the University of the Pacific in 1954, and Virna served as treasurer and manager of the Sacramento Branch NAACP Credit Union (1953-1989), Credit Union & Consumer Education Specialist for State Office of Economic Opportunity (1965-1967), West Coast Field Director and Legislative Advocate (1967-1974), and West Coast Regional Director (1974-1988). He work was instrumental in many landmark civil rights and affirmative action cases including two important equal housing cases, Ming v. Horgan and NAACP v. City and County of Sacramento, which fought to limit racial segregation in housing, and Bakke v. Board of Regents of the University of California which targeted affirmative action programs.

Processing information:

Sean Heyliger, 05/02/2013.

Arrangement:

Sub-group 1.Virna M. Canson Series I. Photographs Series II. NAACP Series III. Political activities Series IV. Credit Unions Series V. Biographical Series VI. Newspaper clippings Sub-group 2. Clarence Canson Series I. Clarence Canson

Rules or conventions: