| Dates: | 1972-2010, undated |
| Size: | 1.25 linear feet |
| Repository: | Chicago Public Library, Woodson Regional Library, Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection of Afro-American History and Literature, 9525 S. Halsted Street, Chicago, Illinois 60628 |
|
Collection Number: |
2010/05 |
| Provenance: | Donated by Cynthia C. Ross in September and December 2010 |
| Access: | No restrictions |
| Citation: | When quoting material from this collection the preferred citation is: Calvin B. Jones Papers, [Box #, Folder #], Chicago Public Library, Woodson Regional Library, Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection of Afro-American History and Literature |
| Processed by: | Elizabeth Loch, Archival Specialist, July 2021 |
Biographical Note
Calvin Bell Jones was born January 7, 1934 to Katherine Elizabeth and Nathaniel Bell. He was later adopted by his step-father, Melvin Jones. Calvin Jones was a life-long Chicago resident. He attended Frank L. Gillespie Elementary School and Calumet High School (1948-1952).
Jones showed artistic talent while still in grammar school. His talent earned him a full scholarship to the Art Institute of Chicago, where he graduated in 1957 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in drawing/painting and illustration. Jones spent seventeen years as an advertisement artist before focusing exclusively on the fine arts. He served as Hallmark’s first African American art director. He has documented Black culture through his illustrations, paintings and murals. Jones also served as co-director of AFAM Gallery in Chicago.
Jones is a two time recipient of the Aaron Douglas Muralist Award from the National Conference of Artists. He died on August 21, 2010.
Sources
- Huebner, Jeff. "An Artist's Homecoming". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
Scope and Content
This collection consists of materials related to the life and artistic work of Calvin B. Jones. Archival materials include articles about Jones and his art, his funeral program, correspondence, event programs, memorabilia, photographs of Jones, his family and his art (both hardcopy and on CD), DVDs of Jones’s PowerPoint presentations (featuring his artwork) and a DVD of the 2009 Yerba Buena Gardens Festival presents the Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra [featuring the Calvin Jones Suite].
Arrangement
This small collection is arranged into two series by material format; Series 1: Manuscripts, 1972-2010, undated and Series 2: Audiovisual Materials, 2001-2010, undated. Each series is organized alphabetically by item title.
Related Materials
Related materials at the Chicago Public Library include:
Container List
Series 1: Manuscripts, 1972-2010, undated
| Box 1 | Folder 1 | Announcement of Calvin Jones exhibit at AFAM Gallery in Chicago, circa 1972 |
| Box 1 | Folder 2 | Articles about Calvin Jones and his artwork, 2005-2010, undated |
| Box 1 | Folder 3 | Biography and resume of Calvin B. Jones, undated |
| Box 1 | Folder 4 | Calvin B. Jones Mural Presentation [list of Jones’s murals], undated |
| Box 1 | Folder 5 | Chicago Artists Month [Jones on page 53], 2008 October |
| Box 1 | Folder 6 | Chicago Public Library card of Calvin B. Jones, undated |
| Box 1 | Folder 7 | Contributions in honor of Calvin Jones by Cynthia Ross to Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago and Southern Poverty Law Center, 2010 October-November |
| Box 1 | Folder 8 | Correspondence between Cynthia Ross and Marcus Shelby, 2008-2009 |
| Box 1 | Folder 9 | Correspondence from Cynthia Quick [regarding Chicago Artists Month] to Calvin Jones, 2008 July-August |
| Box 1 | Folder 10 | Correspondence from Peter Gourfain to Cynthia Ross, 2010 |
| Box 1 | Folder 11 | Event program, Yerba Buena Gardens Festival presents the Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra [featuring the Calvin Jones Suite], 2009 August 29 |
| Box 1 | Folder 12 | Funeral program of Calvin B. Jones, 2010 October 29 |
| Box 1 | Folder 13 | “In Retrospective” PowerPoint presentation by Calvin Jones [featuring his artwork], 2007 July 28 |
| Box 1 | Folder 14 | Membership cards of Calvin Jones [National Conference of Artists and 98.7 WFMT], 2004, 2008 |
| Box 1 | Folder 15 | “Murals” PowerPoint presentation by Calvin Jones [featuring his murals], 2007 July 28 |
| Box 1 | Folder 16 | Poetry selected for The Art of Good Taste exhibit, circa 1992 |
| Box 1 | Folder 17 | “Politics and Practice of Community Public Art: Whose Murals Get Saved,” by John Pitman Weber, The Getty Conservation Institute, 2003 |
| Box 1 | Folder 18 | Postcard, Elmhurst College presents Life’s Patterns Transferred [paintings by Jones], 2002 February |
| Box 1 | Folder 19 | The Art of Great Taste [collection created by Jones] program mock-up, 1992 |
| Box 1 | Folder 20 | “The Grand Queen Yay Yay-Calvin Jones Suite” [sheet music] by Marcus Shelby, 2009 |
| Box 1 | Folder 21 | Tickets to Columbia College Chicago’s Dance Africa Chicago, 2001, 2003 |
| Box 1 | Folder 22 | U.S. passport of Calvin Jones, 1976 |
Series 2: Audiovisual Materials, 2001-2010, undated
| Box 2 | 001 | DVD, “In Retrospective” PowerPoint presentation by Calvin Jones [slideshow, no audio], 2008 April [revised date] |
| Box 2 | 002 | DVD, “Murals” PowerPoint presentation by Calvin Jones [slideshow, no audio], 2008 April [revised date] |
| Box 2 | 003 | DVD, Yerba Buena Gardens Festival presents the Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra [featuring the Calvin Jones Suite], 2009 August 29 |
| Box 2 | 004 | CD, contains four images [.jpg] of musicians on stage, labeled “Calvin Jones-Temple Blocks-AFAM gallery musicians, undated |
| Box 2 | 005 | CD, contains seven images [.jpg] of Calvin Jones and his artwork, circa 2007. Photos by Cynthia Ross |
| Box 2 | 006 | Photograph, artwork by Calvin Jones’s friend in Jones’s apartment, 2010. Photo by Cynthia Ross |
| Box 2 | 007 | Photograph, artwork in Calvin Jones’s apartment, 2010. Photo by Cynthia Ross. [1 of 2] |
| Box 2 | 008 | Photograph, artwork in Calvin Jones’s apartment, 2010. Photo by Cynthia Ross. [2 of 2] |
| Box 2 | 009 | Photograph, artwork in progress in Calvin Jones’s apartment, 2010. Photo by Cynthia Ross. |
| Box 2 | 010 | Photograph, Calvin Jones standing outside, 2001. Photo by Robert A. Sengstacke |
| Box 2 | 011 | Photograph, Frances Bell and Rita Bell [maternal grandma and cousin of Calvin Jones], undated [color photocopy] |
| Box 2 | 012 | Photograph, “Grand Queen Yah Yah” in Jones’s apartment, 2010. Photo by Cynthia Ross |
| Box 2 | 013 | Photograph, Jones standing in front of his mural, “another Time’s Voice Remembers My Passion’s Humanity,” circa 2007 |
| Box 2 | 014 | Photograph, Jones standing in front of his mural, “another Time’s Voice Remembers My Passion’s Humanity,” circa 2008 [1 of 3] |
| Box 2 | 015 | Photograph, Jones standing in front of his mural, “another Time’s Voice Remembers My Passion’s Humanity,” circa 2008 [2 of 3] |
| Box 2 | 016 | Photograph, Jones standing in front of his mural, “another Time’s Voice Remembers My Passion’s Humanity,” circa 2008 [3 of 3] |
| Box 2 | 017 | Photograph, Redwood Forest in California, 2003 December |
| Box 2 | 018 | Photograph, “The Heart Feels Neared to That Depth of Life Which the Far Sky Means” in Jones’s apartment, 2010. Photo by Cynthia Ross |
| Box 2 | 019 | Photograph, “Yoruba Man Resurrects” in Jones’s apartment, 2009. Photo by Cynthia Ross |
