By August 1943, he was inducted into the 308th Quartermaster Railhead Company, a “forward supply unit,” with all black troops and nearly all white officers. The United States’ combat entry into World War II began with the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Timuel Black’s 23rd birthday. Like many others, he had a hard time finding work during the Depression. Later he was an agent for Robert Cole’s Chicago Metropolitan Assurance Company for a short time he left Chicago, working at Greenbaum Tannery in Milwaukee. When World War II broke out in September 1939, Timuel Black was working at a grocery store at 59th Street and Michigan Avenue. After graduating from high school, Tim worked at several ma-and-pa stores.

At both schools he formed friendships that he maintained throughout his life. He was educated at Burke Elementary School and DuSable High School. As a teenager, he walked a picket line protesting white-only employment in stores on 47th Street, in Bronzeville’s main shopping district, warning shoppers: “Don’t Spend Your Money Where You Can’t Work.” Timuel Black’s Bronzeville in the 1920s and 1930s was a place of much poverty and some wealth, a center for music and sports, and a terrain where demonstrations could break out at any time. Timuel Black was born in Birmingham, Ala., on December 7, 1918, and planted in Chicago when he was less than a year old. Harsh Research Collection of Afro-American History and Literature, Chicago Public Library assisted by Jeanie Child, Harsh Archival Processing Project Harsh Research Collection of Afro-American History and Literature, Chicago Public Library.īeverly Cook, Assistant Curator of the Vivian G. When quoting material from this collection the preferred citation is: Timuel D.

No restrictions a portion of the collection is digitized and available here: Timuel D. These materials were transferred to the Harsh Research Collection in October 2010. In addition, DePaul University Library’s Archives and Special Collections donated two linear feet of materials created by Timuel Black during his appointment at DePaul’s Monsignor John J.

Michael Flug, senior archivist, visited Timuel and Zenobia Black’s home over a period of some seven years to pack and collect materials. Black continued the donations through 2010. Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60628ĭonation of Timuel D.

Harsh Research collection of Afro-American History and Literature, 9525 S. Predominant dates, 1960-2000, Inclusive dates, 1918-2010Ĭhicago Public Library, Carter G.

Baldwin piano serial number 789108