Claude E. Driskell Papers

Biographical Note

Claude Evans Driskell, prominent Chicago dentist, dental educator and historian of African American dentistry, was born on January 13, 1926 in Chicago. He grew up at several locations in the Bronzeville and Englewood neighborhoods, moving to 2922 S. Prairie at the age of 12. His parents were James Driskell, born in Georgia, and Elizabeth Driskell, born in Alabama. He entered the U.S. Army during World War II and was decorated for his service. Returning to civilian life, he started college under the G.I. bill and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Roosevelt University in 1950. Driskell enrolled in the College of Dentistry at University of Illinois at Chicago, earning a D.D.S. degree in 1954. He went on to practice dentistry for 55 years, first in Harvey, Illinois, and then on Chicago’s South Side. He was still working several days a week at his office on Halsted Street until shortly before his death in 2009.

In 1975, he became the dental consultant for the Chicago Board of Education, where he played a major role in the successful fight to gain dental insurance for Chicago Public School teachers. Driskell later became an adjunct professor for pre-dental students at Chicago State University. He also remained active as an alumnus of the University of Illinois Dental School, serving on the Dean’s Committee for more than a decade.

Early in his career he took an active interest in the history of African Americans in the dental profession. After graduation, he joined the Lincoln Dental Society, the organization which represented Chicago’s African American dentists, and the National Dental Society, which represented African American dentists throughout the country. Driskell served a term as the Lincoln Dental Society’s president. He was a prolific dental journalist, writing for the professional journals of both the Lincoln Dental Society and the National Dental Society. From 1966 to 1980 he was the editor of the Bulletin of the Lincoln Dental Society; he worked as Director of Publicity for the National Dental Association, and as Assistant Editor of the NDA Journal.

He was perhaps best known as the author of The History of Chicago Black Dental Professionals, 1850-1983. That book served as an essential part in the Chicago Public Library’s influential 2002 exhibit, “More Than a Century of Struggle: African American Achievement in Chicago’s Medical History.” Driskell also authored four chapters in Essays on Earl Renfroe—A Man of Firsts, published in 2001. Renfroe was a renowned orthodontist who was the first African American department head at the UIC College of Dentistry.

In 1953 Claude Driskell married Naomi Roberts, daughter of Bishop William Roberts, founder of the Church of God in Christ in Illinois. They lived in Chicago’s Jackson Park Highlands neighborhood and raised five children.

Claude Driskell, a man of huge energy, not only found time for family, dentistry and dental history, but became the archivist and historian for the Original Forty Club, one of the oldest and most prominent African American professional organizations. Founded in 1920, the club’s membership roster became a veritable “who’s who” in Chicago. For its 75^th anniversary, Driskell authored and published a limited edition history of the club, which included extensive biographical information on the club’s many men of achievement.

Claude Evans Driskell died May 23, 2009. He is buried in Chicago’s Oakwood Cemetery.

Sources:

• Driskell, Claude E. The History of Chicago’s Black Dental Professionals, 1850-1983. Chicago: Driskell, 1982.
• Jensen, Trevor. “Dr. Claude E. Driskell, 1926-2009: Dentist and author,” Chicago Tribune, June 30, 2009.
• Svetcov, Danielle. “The Top Forty” (on The Original Forty Club of Chicago), Chicago Tribune Magazine, January 27, 2002
• Word of Mouth, UIC College of Dentistry newsletter, April 2013.

Scope and Content Note

The Claude E. Driskell Papers document his work as an historian of African American dentistry, as a dental journalist, and as archivist, historian and author for the Original Forty Club. This collection is arranged into three series: African Americans in Dentistry, The Original Forty Club, and Photographs.

Related papers at the Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection include the Leonidas Berry Papers, Ulysses Grant Dailey Papers, T.R.M. Howard Papers, James Richardson Papers, Dempsey Travis Papers, and the National Black Nurses Association (Chicago Chapter) Archives.

Series 1: African Americans in Dentistry

This series contains publications and organizational documents from the National Dental Association and the Lincoln Dental Society, as well as articles on dental history clipped from serials. Of particular note are copies of two works written in whole or part by Driskell-- The History of Chicago Black Dental Professionals, 1850-1983, and Essays on Earl Renfroe—A Man of Firsts (for which Driskell authored four chapters). Materials in this series are arranged chronologically.

Series 2: The Original Forty Club of Chicago

The two items in this series are The 75^th anniversary edition of The Original Forty Club of Chicago, written by Driskell, and a Chicago Tribune article on The Original Forty Club, written by Danielle Svetcov.

Series 3: Photographs

This series mainly consists of a small collection of photographs on Chicago African American dental history. One of the early photographs is an extremely rare group photo of Chcago’s African American dentists in the first decade of the 20^th century. Also of note is the only known copy of a 1925 group photo of the members of the Original Forty Club.

Container List

Series 2:The Original Forty Club of Chicago

Series 3: Photographs