Mamie E Garvin Fields (1888-1987) Papers (1894-1987; bulk, 1945-1985)

 

Avery Research Center Manuscript Number 1023

 

Biographical Note:

 

Mamie Elizabeth Garvin was born in 1888 to Rebecca Mary Logan Bellinger and George Washington Garvin, in Charleston, SC, on the property of her great-uncle James B. Middleton, a former slave and Methodist minister.  Garvin attended the Robert Gould Shaw Memorial School in Charleston. With a scholarship from her church, Centenary Methodist, she attended the high school division of Claflin College in Orangeburg, and later continued her education at the college.   In 1908, she began her teaching career at Pine Wood, a one-room school near Sumter, South Carolina. Returning to Charleston in 1909, Garvin became one of the first African American teachers hired to teach in the county’s public schools.  She taught at the Humbert Wood Elementary School and at Miller Hill School, John’s Island, SC, where she served as principal for two years.  After living briefly in Boston, MA, she returned to Charleston and married Robert Lucas Fields, a bricklayer, in 1914, and reared two sons, Robert Lionel and Alfred Benjamin. Fields resumed her career in 1926, teaching at the Society Corner School on James Island, SC.  In addition to teaching children, Fields was a pioneer in adult and education, organizing classes on James and Johns Islands in the early 1920s and developing the first vacation bible school for migrant workers in Charleston during the Depression.  Fields retired in 1943, but remained a dedicated club woman, volunteering in numerous religious and civic organizations.  She was a long-standing member of the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs, Inc., (NACWC) and joined the City of Charleston Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs in 1916; she co-founded the Modern Priscilla Club of Charleston in 1927; served as president of the South Carolina Federation of Colored Women's Clubs (SCFCWC) from 1958 to 1964; and functioned as superintendent of Wilkinson Home for Girls, Cayce, SC from 1960 to 1963.   She was a local pioneer in the concept of children’s day-care facilities; the day-care center at the George Legare Homes public housing project was named for her.  Fields was a past worthy matron of the Order of Eastern Star and served on Mayor J. Palmer Gaillard Jr.’s city advisory committee of housing.  Among her numerous honors, she was named “South Carolina’s Outstanding Older Citizen” in 1972.  In 1978, she, with her granddaughter Karen Fields embarked on an oral history project which culminated in the book, Lemon Swamp and Other Places: a Carolina Memoir, documenting her life in Charleston and Boston from birth to 1948.  Fields died in Charleston, June 19, 1987.

 

Scope and Content:  Approximately 3 linear ft. (1894-1987, bulk, 1945-1985)

 

The majority of the collection details Mamie Garvin Fields’s involvement with the National Association of Colored Women Clubs, Inc., and her role as state president of the South Carolina Federation of Colored Women's Clubs in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Papers include organizational materials, meeting minutes, correspondence, newsletters and photographs. Many of the materials -- photocopied photographs, programs and essays (1950-1985) detailing activities of the Coastal, Central/Marion Birnie Wilkinson, Pee Dee and Piedmont Districts – were clipped from various newsletters and publications, such as SCFCWC's Our Book of Gold: Fiftieth Anniversary yearbook.  Additionally, the district series contains organizational materials, letters and group photographs of clubs, and individual members from such cities and towns as Charleston, Elloree, Aiken, Barnwell, Columbia, Orangeburg, Cheraw, Darlington, Florence, Sumter, Rock Hill, Seneca, and Greenville, SC.  Biographical data and images exist for such notable SC women as Septima Clark, Susan Dart Butler, Albertha J. Murray and others. The Marion Birnie Wilkinson Home for Girls series contains correspondence between Fields and the home’s namesake, drafts and typed tributes and other writings by Fields re her position as superintendent (1960-63) at this home for delinquents, along with photocopied photographs and articles from newsletters (1949-1968). A smaller yet substantial series relates to Fields’s book Lemon Swamp (1983) including material on her co-author and granddaughter, Karen Fields, organizational material for the manuscript; correspondence; photocopied book reviews and photographs of the authors at book signing events.  Family materials (1894-1986) include letters; photographs; Garvin family trees (1949), newsletters, programs and photographs of the Bellinger/Akmal (1982, 84) and Middleton family reunions (1986). The series on affiliations documents Fields’s involvements with social, civic, and religious institutions.  Women’s organizations represented include the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), with programs, clippings and photographs re Mary McLeod Bethune.  Child Day Care and other civic association (1969-1980) materials include letters, copies of clippings and photographs relating to the Charleston Nursery and Mamie Fields Day Care Center, Y.M.C.A. and other organizations. Centenary Methodist Church (1950-1986) files contain organizational materials, letters, newsletters, programs, photographs and materials relating to the South Carolina Conference of the Methodist Church. Visual materials contain numerous original individual photographs (1910, 1940-1980) of Fields, alone and with relatives, friends and associates; the majority being unidentified.  There is a photograph of members of the Charleston Inter-racial Commission, a group photograph that includes President John F. Kennedy, and one of Dizzy Gillespie.

 

 

Suggested Subject Headings

 

Fields, Mamie Garvin (1888-1987)

Bethune, Mary McLeod (1875-1955)

Butler, Susan Dart (1888-1959)

Clark, Septima P. (1898-1987)

Fields, Karen (1943-

Murray, Albertha J. (1889-1969)

Wilkinson, Marion Birnie (1873-1956?)

Kennedy, John Fitzgerald (1917-1963)

Gillespie, Dizzy (1917-1993)

 

Lemon Swamp and Other Places—

 

Cannon Street YMCA-Charleston, SC

Charleston County Teachers Association

Claflin College, Orangeburg SC

Centenary Methodist Church, Charleston, SC

National Association of Colored Women Clubs, Inc. (NACWC)

National Council of Negro Women (NCNW)

South Carolina Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs (SCFCWC)

The Modern Priscilla Club-Charleston, SC 

Marion Birnie Wilkinson Home for Girls

            a.k.a. Fairwold Home for Delinquent Negro Girls

            a.ka. The Wilkinson Home for Underprivileged Orphans

South Carolina United Methodist Conference

South Carolina Council on Human Relations

Bellinger Family

Akmal family

Fields Family

Middleton Family

 

African Americans-education

African American –history

African American –women’s clubs – South Carolina – Charleston

                                                                                        Elloree

                                                                                        Aiken

                                                                                        Barnwell

                                                                                        Columbia

                                                                                        Orangeburg

                                                                                        Cheraw

                                                                                        Darlington

                                                                                        Florence

                                                                                        Sumter

                                                                                        Rock Hill

                                                                                        Seneca

                                                                                        Greenville

African American – girls – delinquents

Education –SC-Johns Island, SC

Education-SC-James Island, SC

Children’s development centers – child day care

Charleston Inter-racial Commission

 

Humbert Wood Elementary School – Johns Island, SC

Miller Hill School – Johns Island, SC

Society Corner School – James Island, SC

 

Photographs

Clippings

 

 

 

Mamie Garvin Fields

 

 

Avery Manuscript Number 1023

 

 

Inventory

 

 

 

 

 

 

Box #/

I

Biographical Papers

Folder#

 

 

 

1

Typed and handwritten biographical sketches (1982, nd)

1-1

 

 

 

2

Membership cards, voter registration certificates and name tags (1938-1984)

1-2

 

 

 

3

Unframed cross stitch (1983) tribute to Fields by her granddaughter Marlene; coloring

1-3

 

book (1979) from The Charleston Black Arts Festival featuring Fields

 

 

 

 

4

Miscellaneous programs and newspaper clippings (1969, nd) re Fields

1-4

 

 

 

5

Handwritten notes (1987) written by Florence Holt re Fields's health status during her

1-5

 

final days

 

 

 

 

II

Writings:  Lemon Swamp and Other Places

 

 

 

 

1

Typed biographical sketch (c. 1982) of Karen Fields,  Fields's granddaughter and co-

1-6

 

author of Lemon Swamp.  Includes handwritten budget for the book

 

 

 

 

2

Typed and handwritten letters (1979-1983) from Karen Fields re editorial and pre

1-7

 

publication issues; and letters re Fields' book deal with The Free Press, with initial

 

 

press release

 

 

 

 

3

Typed and handwritten letters (1984) from Karen Fields re the release of Lemon 

1-8

 

 Swamp, with comments on reviews; and letters from various relatives and friends

 

 

expressing interest in the book

 

 

 

 

4

Typed and handwritten letters (1985-86, nd) from Karen Fields re book sales and

1-9

 

royalties; letters from historic and academic institutions re speaking engagements

 

 

 

 

5

Photocopied newspaper clippings (1983-85, nd) of  book reviews for Lemon Swamp

1-10

 

 

 

6

Black and white photographs (c.1900-1910) featured in Lemon Swamp

1-11

 

 

 

7

Color and black and white photographs (1983-85) from Lemon Swamp book signing

1-12

 

events

 

 

 

 

III

Correspondence

 

 

 

 

1

Handwritten letters (1943-1948) re family news from  Fields's son Robert, daughter-

1-13

 

in-law, Ruth and granddaughter Karen; condolence telegram (1949) from the Eureka

 

 

Club re passing of Fields' mother

 

 

 

 

2

Handwritten letters (1960-69) re family news from Fields's nieces and nephews, and

1-14

 

granddaughter, Barbara

 

 

 

 

3

Handwritten letters and cards (1971-79) re family news from Fields's relatives

1-15

 

including granddaughter Karen; and Charleston business leader, Arthur Clement, Jr.

 

 

 

 

4

Handwritten letters (1980-87) from relatives and friends with greetings and family news

1-16

 

 

 

5

Undated handwritten letters and cards from relatives and friends, including partial letter

1-17

 

and magazine picture from the daughter of Rev E. B. Burroughs, South Carolina

 

 

[United Methodist] Conference

 

 

 

 

6

Professional letters (1971, 1982-1986) to Fields re community involvement, special

1-18

 

tributes and speaking engagements.  Includes  letters from Avery Research Center and

 

 

the University of South Carolina (1986)

 

 

 

 

IV

Family papers

 

 

 

 

1

Title  (1894 to real estate (1894) transfer from Mary Mathews Nelson Fox to Robert Fields

1-19

 

Fields, for 34 Henrietta Street, Charleston, SC

 

 

 

 

2

Black and white photographs (c.1890, 1920-1950) of Fields's brother Herbert;

1-20

 

husband Robert; sons Robert and Alfred; and granddaughters Barbara and Karen

 

 

 

 

3

Newsletters and graduation program (1968, 1985-86) re Fields's granddaughter,

1-21

 

Barbara

 

 

 

 

4

Program, newspaper clipping and color photograph (1976) re Field's son Alfred's

1-22

 

induction as Worshipful Master of the Prince Hall Lodge No. 46, Charleston

 

 

 

 

5

Typed family trees, and handwritten essay (1949, nd) re Garvin family

1-23

 

 

 

6

Handwritten letter, newsletter, notes and program (1982) re Bellinger/Akmal family

1-24

 

reunion; and color photographs (1984) re 2nd Annual Bellinger/Akmal family reunion

 

 

 

 

7

Booklet, program, handwritten notes and photocopied newspaper clippings (1986) re

1-25

 

Middleton family reunion; photocopied newspaper clipping (nd) profiling Earl