Barbara E. Allen Papers

Barbara E. Allen Papers, 1915-2010
Dates: Predominant dates, 2005; Inclusive dates, 1915-2010
Size: 9 linear feet
Repository: Chicago Public Library, Carter G. Woodson Regional Library, Vivian G. Harsh Research collection of Afro-American History and Literature, 9525 S. Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60628
Collection Number: 2005/04
Provenance: Collection donated by Barbara E. Allen, 2005.
Access: No restrictions
Citation: When quoting material from this collection the preferred citation is: Barbara E. Allen Papers [Box #, Folder #], Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection of Afro-American History and Literature, Chicago Public Library.
Processed by: Traci Parker, Mapping the Stacks, University of Chicago
Supervised by: Michael Flug, Senior Archivist

Biographical Note

Barbara E. Allen directed, produced, edited and co-wrote the 2005 Emmy-winning documentary Paper Trail: 100 Years of the Chicago Defender . The film was hosted by Harry J. Lennix and featured such notables as Earl Calloway, Robert Sengstacke and then-Senator Barack Obama. It celebrates the centennial of the Chicago Defender and skillfully chronicles the pivotal role this groundbreaking newspaper played in African American life not only in Chicago but throughout the United States during the 20th century. Beginning with the story of Robert Abbott, the Chicago Defender’s founder and editor, Paper Trail examines the newspaper’s tremendous influence on the Great Migration and the Civil Rights Movement—a period when its readership reached its height. The film also traces the loss of readers beginning in the 1960s as the Civil Rights Movement grew more militant and the Defender held a relatively conservative position on black politics and issues. It concludes with the paper’s present goal of regaining its position as the No. 1 African American newspaper.

A graduate of Columbia College, Allen began her career as a film editor for WNBC-TV in New York. She later moved to NBC affiliate WMAQ-TV in Chicago and then to the Chicago Public Broadcasting Station, WTTW, as engineer/editor/producer. In addition to producing the three-time Emmy Award-winning documentary Paper Trail: 100 Years of the Chicago Defender , Allen produced the critically acclaimed DuSable to Obama: Chicago’s Black Metropolis in 2010, Morning Due in 2007 (a film she not only produced but directed; it was screened at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival and the Chicago International Film Festival, and it won the Jury Prize for Best Film at the 2008 Langston Hughes Festival) and the 2006 Emmy-nominated documentary Standing on Common Ground: My Spring Break in New Orleans with her son Evan Allen Gessesse.

Allen also founded and serves as executive director of Middle Passage Productions Inc., a nonprofit media cooperative that promotes and produces multicultural programming. In this role, Allen has produced Urban Suite , a home-decorating program for budget-conscious city dwellers, and D-Tours , a cultural travel series highlighting the African Diaspora. In addition to these accomplishments, Allen created and produced the Emmy-nominated children’s program TechKnow Kids , and co-produced and edited the award-winning short film 12 Minutes and the cable award-winning series Inside Issues.

Sources:

Paper Trail: 100 Years of the Chicago Defender . DVD. Directed by Barbara E. Allen; Chicago, IL: WTTW/Chicago, 2005.

 

Scope and Content

The Barbara E. Allen Papers document the making of the Emmy-winning documentary Paper Trail: 100 Years of the Chicago Defender (2005). The collection includes research materials, original uncut video interviews, audio interviews and interview transcripts. (However, in some cases, only portions of the interviews have been transcribed.) Interviews were conducted with such notables as Timuel Black, Earl Calloway, Joslyn DiPasalegne, Emil Jones, Tom Picou, Robert Sengstacke, Doris Saunders, Nathan McGill III and then-Senator Barack Obama. The Barbara E. Allen Papers also contains DVD and VHS versions of Paper Trail: 100 Years of the Chicago Defender and other documentaries by Allen including DuSable to Obama: Chicago’s Black Metropolis (2010) and Standing on Common Ground: My Spring Break in New Orleans (2006), a film collaboration with her son Evan Allen Gessesse.

Related papers at the Vivian G. Harsh Collection include the Abbott-Sengstacke Family Papers, the Ben Burns Papers, the Chester Commodore Papers, the Richard Durham Papers, the Marjorie Stewart Joyner Papers and the Doris E. Saunders Papers.

Container List

Box 1 A/V 001 Audiocassette Interviews with Emil Jones (Side A) and Valerie Jarrett (Side B), [n.d.]
Box 1 A/V 002 Audiocassette Interview with Tom Picou, [n.d.]
Box 1 A/V 003 Audiocassette Interview with Tom Picou (Side A) and Joslyn DiPasalegne (Side B), [n.d.]
Box 1 A/V 004 Audiocassette Interview with Joslyn DiPasalegne, Part 1, [n.d.]
Box 1 A/V 005 Audiocassette Interview with Joslyn DiPasalegne, Part 2, [n.d.]
Box 1 A/V 006 Audiocassette Interview with Joslyn DiPasalegne, Part 3, [n.d.]
Box 1 A/V 007 Audiocassette Interview with Joslyn DiPasalegne, Part 4; Dr. Clarence Nixon Jr., [n.d.]
Box 1 A/V 008 Audiocassette Interview with Dr. Clarence Nixon Jr., [n.d.]
Box 1 A/V 009 Audiocassette Interview with John Stroger, [n.d.]
Box 1 A/V 010 Audiocassette Interview with Salim Muwakkil, April 3, 2005
Box 1 A/V 011 Audiocassette Interview with Roland Martin, Part 1, April 10, 2005
Box 1 A/V 012 Audiocassette Interview with Roland Martin, Part 2, April 10, 2005
Box 1 A/V 013 Audiocassette Interview with Roland Martin, Part 3, April 10, 2005
Box 1 A/V 014 Audiocassette Interview with Earl Calloway, Part 1, April 10, 2005
Box 1 A/V 015 Audiocassette Interview with Earl Calloway, Part 2, April 10, 2005
Box 1 A/V 016 Audiocassette Interview with Theresa Fambro-Hooks, April 10, 2005
Box 1 A/V 017 Audiocassette Interview with Bobby Sengstacke, Part 1, April 10, 2005
Box 1 A/V 018 Audiocassette Interview with Bobby Sengstacke, Part 2, April 10, 2005
Box 1 A/V 019 Audiocassette Interview with Bobby Sengstacke, Part 3, April 10, 2005; Stephanie Davenport, Part 1, March 24, 2005
Box 1 A/V 020 Audiocassette Interview with Stephanie Davenport, Part 2, March 24, 2005
Box 1 A/V 021 Audiocassette Interview with Chris Manning, Part 1, March 24, 2005
Box 1 A/V 022 Audiocassette Interview with Chris Manning, Part 2, March 24, 2005
Box 1 A/V 023 Audiocassette Interview with Chris Manning, Part 3, March 24, 2005; Myiti Sengstacke, Part 1, March 24, 2005
Box 1 A/V 024 Audiocassette Interview with Myiti Sengstacke, Part 2, March 24, 2005; Timuel Black, Part 1, March 24, 2005
Box 2 A/V 025 Audiocassette Interview with Timuel Black, Part 3, March 24, 2005
Box 2 A/V 026 Audiocassette Interview with Jim Grossman, Part 1, March 24, 2005
Box 2 A/V 027 Audiocassette Interview with Jim Grossman, Part 2, March 24, 2005
Box 2 A/V 028 Audiocassette Interview with Charles Whitaker, March 24, 2005; Cliff Kelley, Tape 1, [n.d.]
Box 2 A/V 029 Audiocassette Interview with Cliff Kelley, Tape 2, [n.d.]
Box 2 A/V 030 Audiocassette Interview with Doris Saunders, [n.d.]
Box 2 A/V 031 Audiocassette Interview with Colonel Eugene Scott, [n.d.]
Box 2 A/V 032 Audiocassette Interview with Lonnie Bunch, Tape 1, [n.d.]
Box 2 A/V 033 Audiocassette Interview with Lonnie Bunch, Tape 2, [n.d.]
Box 2 A/V 034 Audiocassette Interview with Laura Washington, [n.d.]
Box 2 A/V 035 Audiocassette Interview with Irma P. Hall, [n.d.]
Box 2 A/V 036 Audiocassette Interview with Desiree Rogers, [n.d.]
Box 2 A/V 037 Audiocassette Interview with Tim Sammuelson, [n.d.]
Box 2 A/V 038 Audiocassette Interview with Nathan McGill III, [n.d.]
Box 2 A/V 039 Audiocassette Interview with Sherry Williams, [n.d.]
Box 2 A/V 040 Audiocassette Interview with Senator Barack Obama, [n.d.]
Box 2 A/V 041 Audiocassette Interview with Michael Flug and Timuel Black, Tape 1, [n.d.]
Box 2 A/V 042 Audiocassette Interview with Michael Flug and Timuel Black, Tape 2, [n.d.]
Box 2 A/V 043 Audiocassette Interview with Michael Flug and Timuel Black, Tape 3, [n.d.]
Box 2 A/V 044 Audiocassette Interview with Clarice Durham, [n.d.]
Box 2 A/V 045 Audiocassette Interview with James Kellum, Tape 1, [n.d.]
Box 2 A/V 046 Audiocassette Interview with James Kellum, Tape 2, [n.d.]
Box 2 A/V 047 Audiocassette Interview with Ernie Banks (“Mr. Cubs”), [n.d.]
Box 2 A/V 048 Audiocassette Interview with Bobby Rush, [n.d.]
Box 2 A/V 049 Audiocassette Interview with Unidentified subject, [n.d.]
Box 3 A/V 050 Videocassette Interview with Emil Jones, [n.d.]
Box 3 A/V 051 Videocassette Interview with Valerie Jarrett, [n.d.]
Box 3 A/V 052 Videocassette Interview with Joslyn DiPasalegne, Tape 1, March 2005
Box 3 A/V 053 Videocassette Interview with Joslyn DiPasalegne, Tape 2, March 2005
Box 3 A/V 054 Videocassette Interview with Joslyn DiPasalegne, Tape 3, March 2005
Box 3 A/V 055 Videocassette Interview with Joslyn DiPasalegne, Tape 4, March 2005
Box 3 A/V 056 Videocassette Interview with Roland Martin, #2, April 10, 2005
Box 3 A/V 057 Videocassette Interview with Roland Martin, #3, April 10, 2005
Box 3 A/V 058 Videocassette Interview with Earl Calloway, Tape 1, April 10, 2005
Box 3 A/V 059 Videocassette Interview with Earl Calloway, Tape 2, April 10, 2005
Box 4 A/V 060 Videocassette Interview with Theresa Fambro-Hooks, April 10, 2005
Box 4 A/V 061 Videocassette Interview with Stephanie Davenport, March 24, 2005
Box 4 A/V 062 Videocassette Interview with Chris Manning, Tape 1, March 24, 2005
Box 4 A/V 063 Videocassette Interview with Chris Manning, Tape 2, March 24, 2005
Box 4 A/V 064 Videocassette Interview with Timuel Black, Tape 2, March 24, 2005
Box 4 A/V 065 Videocassette Interview with Timuel Black, Tape 3, March 24, 2005
Box 4 A/V 066 Videocassette Interview with Jim Grossman, Tape 1, March 24, 2005
Box 4 A/V 067 Videocassette Interview with Jim Grossman, Tape 2, March 24, 2005
Box 4 A/V 068 Videocassette Interview with Cliff Kelley, April 9, 2005
Box 4 A/V 069 Videocassette Interview with Lonnie Bunch, Tape 1, April 2, 2005
Box 5 A/V 070 Videocassette Interview with Lonnie Bunch, Tape 2, April 2, 2005
Box 5 A/V 071 Videocassette Interview with Irma P. Hall, March 2005
Box 5 A/V 072 Videocassette Interview with Nathan McGill III, April 9, 2005
Box 5 A/V 073 Videocassette Interview with Michael Flug and Timuel Black, Tape 1, April 15, 2005
Box 5 A/V 074 Videocassette Interview with Michael Flug and Timuel Black, Tape 2, April 15, 2005
Box 5 A/V 075 Videocassette Interview with Clarice Durham, April 15, 2005
Box 5 A/V 076 Videocassette Interview with James Kellum, April 15, 2005
Box 5 A/V 077 Videocassette Interview with Ernie Banks (“Mr. Cubs”), April 15, 2005
Box 5 A/V 078 Videocassette Paper Trail: 100 Years of the Chicago Defender, June 2005
Box 5 A/V 079 Videocassette Paper Trail: 100 Years of the Chicago Defender, June 2005
Box 6 A/V 080 DVD Paper Trail: 100 Years of the Chicago Defender, June 2005
Box 6 A/V 081 DVD Paper Trail: 100 Years of the Chicago Defender, June 2005
Box 6 A/V 082 DVD Standing on Common Ground (Film by Evan Allen Gessesse), c. 2006
Box 6 A/V 083 DVD Positively Trailer and Promo by Barbara Allen, [n.d.]
Box 6 A/V 084 DVD DuSable to Obama, 2010
Box 7 Folder 1 Interview Transcript, Banks, Ernie, [n.d.]
Box 7 Folder 2 Interview Transcript, Black, Timuel, March 24, 2005
Box 7 Folder 3 Interview Transcript, Brown, Maggie, [n.d.]
Box 7 Folder 4 Interview Transcript, Bunch, Lonnie, April 2, 2005
Box 7 Folder 5 Interview Transcript, Burroughs, Margaret, [n.d.]
Box 7 Folder 6 Interview Transcript, Calloway, Earl, April 10, 2005
Box 7 Folder 7 Interview Transcript, Davenport, Stephanie, March 24, 2005
Box 7 Folder 8 Interview Transcript, DiPasalegne, Joslyn, [n.d.]
Box 7 Folder 9 Interview Transcript, Durham, Clarice, [n.d.]
Box 7 Folder 10 Interview Transcript, Fambro-Hooks, Theresa, April 10, 2005
Box 7 Folder 11 Interview Transcript, Flug, Michael and Timuel Black, [n.d.]
Box 7 Folder 12 Interview Transcript, Grossman, James, [n.d.]
Box 7 Folder 13 Interview Transcript, Hall, Irma P., [n.d.]
Box 7 Folder 14 Interview Transcript, Jarrett, Valerie, [n.d.]
Box 7 Folder 15 Interview Transcript, Jones, Emil, [n.d.]
Box 7 Folder 16 Interview Transcript, Kelley, Cliff, [n.d.]
Box 7 Folder 17 Interview Transcript, Kellum, James, [n.d.]
Box 7 Folder 18 Interview Transcript, Manning, Chris, March 24, 2005
Box 7 Folder 19 Interview Transcript, Martin, Roland, April 10, 2005
Box 7 Folder 20 Interview Transcript, McGill, Nathan, III, [n.d.]
Box 7 Folder 21 Interview Transcript, Muwakkil, Salim, April 3, 2005
Box 7 Folder 22 Interview Transcript, Nixon, Clarence, Jr., [n.d.]
Box 7 Folder 23 Interview Transcript, Obama, Barack, [n.d.]
Box 8 Folder 1 Interview Transcript, Picou, Tom, [n.d.]
Box 8 Folder 2 Interview Transcript, Rogers, Desiree, [n.d.]
Box 8 Folder 3 Interview Transcript, Rush, Bobby, [n.d.]
Box 8 Folder 4 Interview Transcript, Sammuelson, Tim, [n.d.]
Box 8 Folder 5 Interview Transcript, Saunders, Doris, [n.d.]
Box 8 Folder 6 Interview Transcript, Scott, Colonel Eugene, [n.d.]
Box 8 Folder 7 Interview Transcript, Sengstacke, Bobby, April 10, 2005
Box 8 Folder 8 Interview Transcript, Sengstacke, Myiti, March 24, 2005
Box 8 Folder 9 Interview Transcript, Stroger, John, [n.d.]
Box 8 Folder 10 Interview Transcript, Washington, Laura, [n.d.]
Box 8 Folder 11 Interview Transcript, Watkins, James Nugie, [n.d.]
Box 8 Folder 12 Interview Transcript, Whitaker, Charles, March 24, 2005
Box 8 Folder 13 Interview Transcript, Williams, Sherry, [n.d.]
Box 9 CD Headline: Birth of A Nation Kicked Out of Ohio, October 2, 1915
Box 9 CD Headline: Family Driven From South by Mob, September 4, 1920
Box 9 CD Headline: A Recapitulation of 25 Years Work, May 3, 1930
Box 9 CD Headline: Ike Award Kicks Off Defender Anniversary, May 7, 1955
Box 9 CD Headline: 250,000 View Slain Youth’s Body, September 10, 1955
Box 9 CD Headline: Defender Tracks Down Mystery Till ‘Witness,’ October 8, 1955
Box 9 CD Headline: King Murdered!, April 6-12, 1968
Box 9 CD Headline: Nation Mourns Jackie; Funeral Rites Set Friday, October 25, 1972
Box 9 CD Headline: To Our Readers (75th Anniversary Edition), May 3, 1980
Box 9 CD Headline: Religious Council…Plea: Epton! Halt Racist Ads!, April 2, 1983
Box 9 CD Headline: We Are a Family, February 26, 1986
Box 9 CD Headline: City Mourns Death of John H. H. Sengstacke, May 29, 1997
Box 10 2005-2006 Chicago/Midwest Emmy Awards - Outstanding Achievement for Documentary Programs - Documentary of Historic Significance - Paper Trails: 100 Years of the Chicago Defender, Barbara Allen, Producer, WTTW
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