Guide to the Carter Gilmore Papers
Sean Dickerson
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
© 2017
African American Museum & Library at Oakland. All rights reserved.
Guide to the Carter Gilmore Papers
Collection number: MS 151
African American Museum & Library at Oakland
Oakland, California
- Processed by:
- Sean Heyliger and Sean Dickerson
- Date Completed:
- July 18, 2017
© 2017 African American Museum & Library at Oakland. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Carter Gilmore Papers
Dates: 1960-2006
Collection number: MS 151
Creator:
Gilmore, Carter.
Collection Size:
.5 linear feet (1 box + 1 oversized box)
Repository:
African American Museum & Library at Oakland (Oakland, Calif.)
Abstract: Carter Gilmore (1926-2006) was born May 30, 1926, in Grapeland, Texas. In 1977 Gilmore became the first African American elected
to the Oakland City Council. He served from 1977 to 1990, during which time he also acted as vice mayor to Lionel J. Wilson.
Gilmore also served as president of the NAACP's Alameda branch and, later, of its Northern California division.
Physical location: African American Museum & Library at Oakland (Oakland, Calif.)
Oakland, CA 94612
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 Carter Gilmore Papers must be obtained from the African American Museum & Library at Oakland.
Preferred Citation
Carter Gilmore papers, MS 151, African American Museum & Library at Oakland, Oakland Public Library. Oakland, California.
Processing Information
Processed by Sean Heyliger and Sean Dickerson, July 18, 2017.
Biography / Administrative History
Carter Gilmore (1926-2006) was born May 30, 1926, in Grapeland, Texas, son of Payne Gilmore, a sharecropper, and Bertha Owens
Gilmore, who together had a large family of 12 or 13 children. Gilmore attended high school in Crockett, Texas, and then served
in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He married Liz Hampton of Crockett in 1947. In 1951, the couple moved to Oakland, California,
where he worked for Granny Goose Foods as plant manager. Gilmore also served as president of the NAACP's Alameda branch and,
later, of its Northern California division.
In 1977 Gilmore became the first African American elected to the Oakland City Council. He served from 1977 to 1990, during
which time he also acted as vice mayor to Lionel J. Wilson. Gilmore’s achievements on the City Council included creating a
city anti-blight ordinance and leading the fight to establish the Citizens Police Review Board and the Housing, Residential
Rent and Relocation Board. His work as chairman of the Oakland NAACP's labor and industry committee in the 1990s included
leading the investigation of racial discrimination against African American employees at United Parcel Service. Gilmore retired
from Granny Goose Foods in 1993, focusing on community advocacy work until his passing on December 23, 2006.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Carter Gilmore papers consist of campaign flyers, resolutions, commendations, plaques, correspondence, photographs, newspaper
clippings and assorted print material documenting the career of Carter Gilmore as Oakland City Council member and community
leadership. Photographs in the papers include Gilmore alongside prominent African American politicians and leaders such as
Willie Brown, Lionel J. Wilson, Coretta Scott King, and Barbara Lee.
Arrangement
Series 1. Politics
Series 2. Photographs
Series 3. Assorted printed material
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Gilmore, Carter.
Oakland (Calif.). City Council
Oakland (Calif.)--History.
Oakland (Calif.)--Politics and government.
Related Material
Lionel J. Wilson Collection, African American Museum and Library at Oakland.
Politics
Series Scope and Content Summary
Includes campaign flyers, resolutions, commendations, plaques, and correspondence related to Gilmore’s political and community
leadership.
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically.
Box 1:1
Verified statements of candidates for the office at the City of Oakland municipal nominating election to be held on Tuesday,
April 19, 1977
1977-04
Box 1:1
Elect Carter Gilmore campaign flyer [two copies]
circa 1977
Box 1:1
Letter to Al LoCasale from Vice Mayor Carter Gilmore re: Raiders
1981-04-03
Box 1:1
A record as long as your arm campaign flyer
circa 1980s
Box 1:1
City of Oakland proclamation, "Carter Gilmore Appreciation Day"
1990-05-30
Box 1:1
Letter from Gary Giovanni, Sea-Land Service, Inc. manager, to Councilman Carter Gilmore
1990-11-12
Box OM 50
Resolution of the State Administrator of the Oakland Unified School District, "Carter Gilmore Field"
2006-03-22
Box OM 50
County of Alameda Board of Supervisors commendation of Carter Gilmore for 50 years of community leadership
2006-04-20
Box 1:1
Letter from Steven M. Tellefsen to Carter Gilmore
2006-04-20
Box 1:1
Honorable Fortney Pete Stark extension of remarks: a tribute to Carter Gilmore for 50 years of community service
2006-04-20
Box OM 50
National Council of Negro Women, Inc. resolution applauding Carter Gilmore
2006-10-28
Box 1:1
Tribute to Carter Gilmore, African American Museum & Library at Oakland program
2006
Box 1:4
California-Pacific Conference of the United Methodist Church plaque in appreciation to Carter Gilmore for many years of devoted
service to the citizens of Oakland
undated
Box OM 50
Redevelopment Agency of the City of Oakland redevelopment project plaque
undated
Photographs
Arrangement
Arranged by photographic identification number.
Box 1:2
Black Cowboy Parade (left-right): Carter Gilmore, Willie Brown, George Livingston [001]
1981
Box 1:2
Carter Gilmore seated at dining table with Roy Wilkins [002]
1969
Box 1:2
Swearing in at Lakeside Park (left-right): Carter Gilmore, Mervyn M. Dymally, Louise Wilson, Lionel J. Wilson, Governor Jerry
Brown, Dorothy Wilson [003]
1977-07-01
Box 1:2
Carter Gilmore in profile [004]
1984
Box 1:2
Carter Gilmore speaking on telephone [005]
1984
Box 1:2
Carter Gilmore and Mayor Lionel Wilson at Oakland Raiders rally [006]
circa 1981
Box 1:2
Group photograph (left-right): Rev. Herbert Guice, Aleta Cannon, Carter Gilmore, Mayor Lionel Wilson, Tom Berkley [007]
circa 1980s
Box 1:2
Hans A. Thompson speaking at podium with Carter Gilmore at the Oakland Convention Center [008]
circa 1980s
Box 1:2
Group photograph of Mayor Lionel Wilson and members of the Oakland City Council [009]
circa 1980s
Box 1:2
Oakland city councilman Carter Gilmore speaking at podium, Belva Davis, Coretta Scott King and Aleta Cannon standing to the
right [010]
circa 1980s
Box 1:2
Oakland city councilman Carter Gilmore speaking at podium, Coretta Scott King and Belva Davis standing to the side [011]
circa 1980s
Box 1:2
Oakland city councilman Carter Gilmore speaking at podium with Coretta Scott King [012]
circa 1980s
Box 1:2
Oakland city councilman Carter Gilmore speaking at podium with Coretta Scott King [013]
circa 1980s
Box 1:2
Oakland city councilman Carter Gilmore speaking at podium with Coretta Scott King at right [014]
circa 1980s
Box 1:2
Carter Gilmore with Dianne Feinstein [015]
circa 1980s
Box 1:2
Willie Brown, Blanche Brown and Carter Gilmore [016]
circa 1980s
Box 1:2
Carter Gilmore standing in living room [017]
circa 2000s
Box 1:2
Carter Gilmore and Representative Barbara Lee at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland [018]
circa 2006
Assorted printed material
Arrangement
Arranged by format.
Box 1:5
Northern Area Conference NAACP certificate of life membership
1968-12
Box 1:3
"Faces around the Bay," Oakland Post newspaper clipping
circa 1960s
Box 1:3
Carter Gilmore profile feature, signed: "to my lovely wife Liz, Carter Gilmore"
circa 1970s
Box 1:3
Oakland Convention News vol. 1 no. 2
1983
Box 1:3
Carter Gilmore Scholarship Fund overview
circa 1993