Guide to the Flood Family Papers
Sean Heyliger
African American Museum & 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 & Library at Oakland. All rights reserved.
Guide to the Flood Family Papers
Collection number: MS 49
African American Museum & Library at Oakland
Oakland, California
- Processed by:
- Sean Heyliger
- Date Completed:
- 08/15/2013
- Encoded by:
- Sean Heyliger
© 2013 African American Museum & Library at Oakland. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Flood family papers
Dates: circa 1850s-1963
Collection number: MS 49
Collector:
Flood, Lydia Flood.
Creator:
Flood family.
Collection Size:
.1 linear feet
(2 folders)
Repository:
African American Museum & Library at Oakland (Oakland, Calif.)
Abstract: The Flood family was one of the earliest and most prominent African American families to settle in Oakland, California. The
Flood Family Papers includes 18 photographs, Lydia Flood Jackson’s funeral program, and two letters written by Lydia Flood
Jackson to Ruth Lasartemay.
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 Flood Family Papers must be obtained from the African American Museum & Library at Oakland.
Preferred Citation
Flood family papers, MS 49, African American Museum & Library at Oakland, Oakland Public Library. Oakland, California.
Processing Information
Processed by Sean Heyliger, 08/15/2013.
Biography / Administrative History
The Flood family was one of the earliest and most prominent African American families to settle in Oakland, California. After
purchasing his freedom, Isaac Flood (1816-1892) moved to California in following the Gold Rush, settling in Oakland in 1853.
He worked as a laborer and tradesman and married Elizabeth Thorn Scott (1828-1867) in 1855, a school teacher from Sacramento
who started the first public school for African American students in the state. In 1857, Elizabeth opened a private school
in the Flood home for African American students, which was moved to the African Methodist Church in 1863 and operated for
three years before closing in 1866. The couple had two children, George Francis Flood, who was born in 1857 and was thought
to be the first African American born in Oakland, California, and Lydia Flood (1862-1963).
Isaac Flood and Lydia Flood Jackson were both out-spoken advocates for African American civil rights and education. Isaac
Flood served as secretary on the Education Committee of the Colored Citizens of the State of California and in 1871 successfully
petitioned the Oakland Public School Board to admit minority children. Lydia Flood Jackson was active in many women’s organizations,
including the Native Daughter’s Club, Fanny Jackson Coppin Club, and Federation of Women’s Colored Clubs. She served as the
Federation of Women’s Colored Clubs’ first legislative chairwoman and advocated for the organization to promote women’s suffrage.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Flood Family Papers includes 18 photographs, Lydia Flood Jackson’s funeral program, and two letters written by Lydia Flood
Jackson to Ruth Lasartemay. A majority of the photographs are portraits of Flood family members and friends of the Flood family
in Oakland, California. Included in the collection is a tintype portrait of Oakland’s first African American school teacher,
Elizabeth Scott Thorn Flood, taken mostly likely in the 1850s.
Arrangement
Series I. Photographs
Series II. Lydia Flood Jackson
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Flood family.
Jackson, Lydia Flood.
African American families -- California -- Oakland.
African American teachers -- California -- Oakland.
Separated Material
Four folders of photocopies of genealogical material transferred to accession file.
Photographs
Physical Description: 18 photographs
Series Scope and Content Summary
Includes 18 photographs mostly portraits of various Flood family members.
Arrangement
Arranged by photograph identification number.
Box 1:1
Portrait of Lewis Whiting [001]
circa 1870s
Box 1:1
Portrait of Theodore [-] [002]
undated
Box 1:1
Portrait of woman with hoop earrings [003]
undated
Box 1:1
Portrait of Lydia Flood Jackson [004]
1887
Box 1:1
Three women in backyard [005]
1918
Box 1:1
Woman holding a parasol in backyard [006]
1918
Box 1:1
Portrait of boy [007]
circa 1860s
Box 1:1
Portrait of man [008]
undated
Box 1:1
Portrait of man [009]
circa 1870s
Box 1:1
Tintype portrait of Elizabeth Scott Thorn [010]
circa 1850s
Box 1:1
Portrait of Ellen Whiting [011]
circa 1870s
Box 1:1
Exterior of Lydia Flood Jackson’s house at 2319 Myrtle St., Oakland, California [012]
circa 1900s
Box 1:1
Portrait of Horatio L. Scott [013]
circa 1880s
Box 1:1
Portrait of Lydia Flood Jackson [014]
circa 1880s
Box 1:1
Portrait of George Flood [015]
circa 1870s
Box 1:1
Julia Reeves [?] standing in front of house of Sylvia A. Martin, 1845 E. 53 St., Los Angeles, California [016]
1914
Box 1:1
Portrait of young man [017]
undated
Box 1:1
Portrait of woman holding a book [018]
circa 1870s
Box 1:1
Portrait of Lydia Flood Jackson
undated
Lydia Flood Jackson
Physical Description: 1 folder
Series Scope and Content Summary
Includes Lydia Flood Jackson's funeral program and two letters written by Flood to Ruth Lasartemay in 1955.
Arrangement
Arranged by format.
Box 1:2
Correspondence with Ruth Lasartemay
1955
