Collection context
Summary
- Title:
- Black Masque Honor Society Records
- Dates:
- 1930-2013, bulk 1965-1985
- Creators:
- Black Masque Honor Society
- Abstract:
- The Black Masque Society Records document the history of the San José State University's Black Masque Honor Society, alumni, and reunion activities from 1957 to 2013. The collection materials consist of the adminstrative records, correspondence, negatives, memorabilia, and scrapbooks with photographs, newsclippings, and announcements.
- Extent:
- 17 boxes (5.75 linear feet)
- Language:
- English
- Preferred citation:
-
Black Masque Honor Society Records, MSS-2010-12-01, San José State University Library Special Collections & Archives.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The Black Masque Society Records contain the administrative records, scrapbooks, and memorabilia documenting the San José State University Black Masque Honor Society, alumni committee, and reunion activities from 1930 to 2013. The collection consists of the Black Masque constitution, by-laws, agendas, negatives, printed material, audiovisual, and other object memorabilia of the society and its alumni. The bulk of the collection consists of scrapbooks, which include photographs, news clippings, and event announcements.
- Biographical / historical:
-
The Black Masque Honor Society formed in 1930 as a secret senior women's honorary student organization. In 1930 Gladys Aitken, a senior at San Jose State Teachers College, attended a convention of Associated Women Students and was first introduced to the Mortar Board, a national society honoring senior women for both scholarship and leadership. Influenced by the convention, Aitken proposed San Jose State establish its own organization similar to Mortar Board and the Dean of Women, Helen Dimmick, shared her enthusiasm and together outlined the provisional society called The Mystic 13. By 1931 member qualifications were chosen and a constitution written which entailed members to wear black robes and black masks for initiation, leading to the official name of the group—Black Masque. Each year thirteen women were invited for membership at the end of their junior year on the basis of their leadership and service to the university and would become active members their senior year. The group would convene for community outreach, fellowship, and annual reunions. The Black Masque Alumni Council was established in 1943 and continues to actively work with the campus society. In 1977 men were allowed admittance. Black Masque remains an active, albeit an exclusively nomination only, honor society of San José State University.
- Arrangement:
-
This collection is arranged into four series: Series I. Organizational Records and Related Materials, 1965-2013; Series II. Scrapbooks, Photographic, and Audiovisual Materials (1958-2010); Series III. Printed Material; Series IV. Miscellaneous Materials.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Indexed terms
About this collection guide
- Date Encoded:
- This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-05-19 12:30:10 -0700 .
Access and use
- Preferred citation:
-
Black Masque Honor Society Records, MSS-2010-12-01, San José State University Library Special Collections & Archives.
- Location of this collection:
-
One Washington SquareSan Jose, CA 95192-0028, US
- Contact:
- 408-808-2062