Historical Note

The stated objective of the UWI was, "the protection and improvement of the mutual interests of its members in that district of Chicago known as Woodlawn." On May 18, 1953, the UWI and the Woodlawn Neighborhood Conference merged to form a new organization, the United Woodlawn Conference.

Scope and Content

The Papers of United Woodlawn Inc. (UWI), primarily from 1949 to 1952, document that organization’s efforts inbehalf of neighborhood improvement projects. Included in the collection are papers concerning the UWI’s constitution and by-laws, membership rosters, minutes of meetings, The Voice of Woodlawn newsletter and a variety of printed materials.

Series Descriptions:

Series I: Administrative Records, 1949 - 1952
This series contains records documenting the UWI’s activities and positions on a variety of events effecting the welfare of the Woodlawn neighborhood. Included in this series are records of the UWI’s constitution and by-laws, membership rosters, minutes of meetings and letters to the UWI’s executive board, and reports. Material in this series is arranged alphabetically by folder subject title.

Series II: Newsletter, 1950 - 1953
The UWI’s newsletter, The Voice of Woodlawn, was the chief means employed by the UWI to communicate with and mobilize its members. The Special Collections Division is fortunate to have a complete run of this important newsletter. This series is arranged chronologically.

Series III: Publicity Materials, 1950 - 1952
This small series contains handout and fliers publicizing the UWI’s sponsored events. Included among these events are contests, campaigns and special meeting announcements.

Provenance

The UWI’s records were donated to the Historical Society of Woodlawn and subsequently, housed at the Woodlawn Branch of the Chicago Public Library. With funding from a Scholl Foundation grant, the Special Collections Division of the Chicago Public Library processed this collection between July and October 1984 and transferred the UWI collection to its office for archival storage.

Access

The United Woodlawn, Inc. Recprds are available to the public for research in the Special Collections and Preservation Division Reading Room on the 9th floor of the Chicago Public Library’s Harold Washington Library Center, 400 South State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60605. The collection does not circulate, although photocopy and photoreproduction services are available depending upon the condition of the original materials. First time patrons to Special Collections must present photo identification and complete a Reader Registration Form. Telephone inquiries on this collection and other Special Collections holdings can be directed to 312-747-4875.

Duplicate materials and selected photocopies from the collection are available at the Woodlawn Branch Library.

Box and Folder Inventory

BOX 1

Series I: Administrative Records
1. Constitution: Preamble and Objective, ca. 1949.
2. Membership Campaign: Handouts and Related Materials, Nov. 1949-Feb. 1950.
3. Membership Card and Application Form: N/D.
4. Minutes and Letters to the Board of Directors: Feb.-Dec. 1950.
5. Minutes and Letters to the Board of Directors: Jan.-June 1951. Including speech by David Rockefellar.
6. Minutes and Letters to the Board of Directors: Sept.-Dec. 1951.
7. Minutes and Letters to the Board of Directors: Constitution and By-Laws of the Ellis Avenue Improvement Association; Questionnaire by the "Sixty Hundred Block of Woodlawn Avenue," (March); Statement - "Community Problems and Needs," (April), Jan.-April 1952.
8. Minutes and Letters to the Board of Directors: "Report of Citizen’s Committee on Law Enforcement, May-June 1952.
9. Minutes and Letters to the Board of Directors: The Minerva - 6600 Block Club - Constitution and By-Laws, July-Sept. 1952.
10. Minutes and Letters to the Board of Directors: Oct.-Dec. 1952.
11. Minutes and Letters to the Board of Directors: Jan. 1953.

Series II: Newsletter
12. Voice of Woodlawn, No. 1-10; Feb.-Dec. 1950.
13. Voice of Woodlawn, No. 11-18: Jan.-Dec. 1951.
14. Voice of Woodlawn, No. 19-27; Jan.-Sept. 1952.
15. Voice of Woodlawn, No. 28: May 1953.

Series III: Publicity Materials
16. Handouts, fliers and general materials: 1950-1952.