General File, bulk: circa 1920s-1980s
Scope and Contents
The General File comprises the bulk of the AFRO Morgue Files. The series measures approximately 950 linear feet, and the bulk of its content dates from the 1920s through the early 1980s. Folders contain photographs, clippings, reporters' notes, cartoons, illustrations, metal printing plates, correspondence, event programs, pamphlets, posters, reports, publications, ephemera, and other materials created and collected in the course of publishing the paper.
Extent
189 Linear Feet : Processed
circa 761 Linear Feet : Unprocessed
Dates
- Creation: Majority of material found within circa 1920s-1980s
Arrangement
Arrangement of the General File series is alphabetical by subject, with document types and material from across the AFRO's regional offices interfiled. Subjects are primarily original description assigned by the creators of the collection over the history of its creation and use.
Terminology used in original folder titles evolved across many offices and generations of staff, resulting in similar collection content filed under varying terms. Researchers may benefit from searching a variety of related subjects and names.
Processing Information
Processing of the General File is ongoing. As each letter of the alphabetically arranged General File series is completed, data will be added to the finding aid.
During the processing project that began in 2023, the alphabetical sort order of the General File was formalized to facilitate research and inventory control. In this process, folder titles were sometimes revised for accuracy, consistency, or to keep related folders grouped together when sorting alphabetically. In some cases, subheadings may have been added to folder titles to help researchers navigate material for particularly large subjects.
Some letters have been processed to a more detailed level, and some have been processed using accellerated processing techniques. See the processing notes for each letter for more information.
Repository Details
Part of the AFRO American Newspapers Archives Repository