Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Hugh Osborne Junior family papers
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Hugh Osborne Junior family papers
- Date
- 1926-1941, undated (inclusive)
- Creator
- Osborne, Hugh, Jr.
- Extent
- 0.68 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- Letters.
- Correspondence.
- Autograph albums.
- Programs.
- Religion
- Church work
- Education
- Education, Higher.
- African Americans.
- African American families
- African Americans -- Education.
- Teachers.
- Librarians.
- Family.
- Friendship.
- Man-woman relationships -- United States -- 20th century
- Young men -- United States -- Social life and customs -- 20th century
- World War, 1939-1945.
- Employment -- Kentucky
- African Americans -- Employment -- Kentucky.
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged by subject. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
- Preferred Citation
- 2009ms132.0726: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Hugh Osborne Junior family papers, 1926-1941, undated, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- Hugh S. Osborne, Jr. (1918-1992) was an African American man born in Alabama to Hugh S. Osborne, Sr. (b. 1884) and Katie Laurence (b. 1884). He had three younger siblings, Edward (b. 1921), Millard (1923-1983), and Katherine (b. 1926). Between 1920 and 1930, the family moved from Alabama to Paducah, Kentucky. His father was a teacher and principal at Lincoln High School in Middlesboro, Kentucky and Hugh followed a similar path, becoming a librarian in Louisville, Kentucky. In 1941, Hugh Jr was drafted into the army and served through the end of the war in 1945. No other biographical information available.
- American Letters collector Wade Hall (1934-2015) was a native of Union Springs, Alabama. Starting in 1962, he lived in Louisville, where he taught English and chaired the English and Humanities/Arts programs at Kentucky Southern College and Bellarmine University. He also taught at the University of Illinois and the University of Florida. He held degrees from Troy State University (B.S.), the University of Alabama (M.A.), and the University of Illinois (Ph.D.). He served for two years in the U.S. Army in the mid-fifties. Dr. Hall was the author of books, monographs, articles, plays, and reviews relating to Kentucky, Alabama, and Southern history and literature. His most recent books include A Visit with Harlan Hubbard; High Upon a Hill: A History of Bellarmine College; A Song in Native Pastures: Randy Atcher's Life in Country Music; and Waters of Life from Conecuh Ridge.
- Scope and Content
- The Hugh Osborne Junior family papers (dated 1926-1941, undated; 0.68 cubic feet; 2 boxes) comprises letters, papers, conference programs, and autograph books that document the life of Hugh Osborne Jr and his family in Kentucky in the mid-twentieth century. The letters are sent to Hugh mainly from his family and various girlfriends he has. His father writes about working away from his family, advice on finding friends with good character, when he will be able to visit his son, personal health, and assistance in finding his son a job. His mother and siblings write about life at home, financial hardships, grades in school, participating in sports and theatre, receiving letters from Hugh Sr., local gossip, their excitement at Hugh Jr. being able to visit them, personal health, and Hugh being drafted into the military during World War II. Letters from his girlfriends discuss making plans to see each other, spending time with friends and family, gossip, work, and missing him. Other letters discuss employment, social organizations, school, and church work. The papers and conference programs include dance programs, business cards, loan agreements, and programs from religious conferences. The autograph books are from two different people, Edith Wilson and Russell Kirkpatrick, which document the relationships had between classmates at Central High School.
- The Hugh Osborne Junior family papers collection is part of the Wade Hall Collection of American Letters, which includes correspondence and diaries from all over North America covering the time period of the Civil to Korean Wars. The materials were collected by Wade Hall and document everyday men and women.
Restrictions on Access and Use
- Conditions Governing Access
- Collection is open to researchers by appointment.
- Use Restrictions
- The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
Contents of the Collection
Edward Osborne to Hugh Osborne Jr., 1939-1941
Hugh Osborne Sr. to Hugh Osborne Jr., 1939-1941
Katherine Osborne to Hugh Osborne Jr., 1939
Katherine Osborne to Hugh Osborne Jr., 1940
Katherine Osborne to Hugh Osborne Jr., 1941
Kathryn Osborne to Hugh Osborne Jr., 1939-1940, undated
Millard Osborne to Hugh Osborne Jr., 1940-1941
Marietta S. to Hugh Osborne Jr., 1940
Florence Sweeney to Hugh Osborne Jr., 1940
Letters to Hugh Osborne Jr., 1939
Letters to Hugh Osborne Jr., 1940
Letters to Hugh Osborne Jr., 1941
Hugh Osborne Jr. to Hugh Osborne Sr., undated
Hugh Osborne Jr. papers, 1929, 1939-1941, undated
Programs, 1938-1941
Edith Mae Wilson autograph book, 1926
Russell G. Kirkpatrick autograph book, 1936
UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.
Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.
Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.
Table of Contents
You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.
If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.
UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.
Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.
Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.
Requests
No items have been requested.
You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.
If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.
