Items of Note: The Charl O. Williams Scrapbooks
A brief examination into the NEA President's scrapbooks.
A letter signed by Helen Keller in a Charl O. Williams scrapbook.
Located in the Office of Governance and Policy subseries (MS2266, Series 1, Subseries 8) are a series of scrapbooks belonging to NEA President Charl Ormond Williams of Memphis, Tennessee. Mr. Williams served as NEA President in 1922.
Many of the 13 scrapbooks contain newspaper clippings of Eleanor Roosevelt’s “My Day” columns and related clippings about her in the news. Other scrapbooks detail women’s clubs and issues surrounding the plight of women in that era. It is perhaps through these organizations that Charl O. Williams and Eleanor befriended each other.
There are also 3 folders of letters written to Mrs. Roosevelt, and replies from her including her signature.
Other scrapbooks contain leaflets, buttons, and ribbons of many activities Charl was involved in. Located in one of the scrapbooks is a letter signed by Helen Keller, thanking him for his help in advancing the cause of the “deaf-blind of America.”
