| Dates: | 1920-1981 |
| Size: | 1 linear foot (1 archival box) |
| 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 | 2004/06 |
| Provenance: | Donated by James D. Kellum, 2004 |
| Access: | No restrictions |
| Citation: | When quoting material from this collection the preferred citation is: David W. Kellum Papers [Box #, Folder #], Chicago Public Library, Woodson Regional Library, Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection of Afro-American History and Literature |
| Processed by: | Michael Flug, Senior Archivist, Harsh Research Collection; completed by Cynthia Fife-Townsel, 2019 |
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
David W. Kellum was born in Greenville, Miss. in 1903. As a youth he arrived in Chicago where he attended Wendell Phillips High School. A prominent member of the school’s ROTC, Kellum became the first African American to receive a “brevert commission” from the governor of Illinois. He later graduated from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Kellum began working for the Chicago Defender newspaper in 1923, where he worked his way from copy editor to city editor. During his early years with the paper he covered sports but also wrote for the “Defender Junior” page, a section of the paper devoted to young readership. There he co-founded the Bud Billiken Club and along the way became the founder of the nationally known Bud Billiken parade and picnic. The parade has been held every summer since 1929 and was initially created to be a source of pride and unity for the children of Chicago. Kellum eventually left the Defender and founded the Kellum Employment Agency in downtown Chicago. At the time of his death in 1981, Kellum was survived by his wife Kathelynea and son James D. Kellum.
Sources
- Proquest Historical Newspapers: Chicago Defender [accessed April 4, 2019]
SCOPE AND CONTENT
The David W. Kellum Papers contains photocopied Kellum obituaries, Bud Billiken parade photographs and an oral history interview about David Kellum conducted with his son James Kellum. All photographs are reproductions.
RELATED MATERIALS
Related materials at the Chicago Public Library include:
CONTAINER LIST
Series 1: Biographical
| Box 1 | Folder 1 | Photocopies of David W. Kellum obituaries from various newspapers, 1981 March |
| Box 1 | Folder 2 | Two audiocassette tapes of oral history taken from James Kellum about David Kellum, 2004 August 17 |
Series 2: Photographs
| Box 1 | Photo 001 | David W. Kellum, circa 1910 |
| Box 1 | Photo 002 | Kellum with youth talent contest winners [including Nat King Cole], 1934 |
| Box 1 | Photo 003 | Kellum with Nat King Cole, circa 1948 |
| Box 1 | Photo 004 | Kellum dancing with young woman at Billiken, 1930s |
| Box 1 | Photo 005 | Kellum with trophy and unidentified group of women, 1940s |
| Box 1 | Photo 006 | [snippet of photographs of two adults, possibly at Billiken parade], undated |
| Box 1 | Photo 007 | Students in crowd [at Regal Theater, midnight show], 1930s |
| Box 1 | Photo 008 | Unidentified women [in Washington Park], undated |
| Box 1 | Photo 009 | [snippet of children in crowd at Regal Theater], undated |
| Box 1 | Photo 010 | Kellum greeted in Washington Park after parade, undated |
| Box 1 | Photo 011 | Kellum and unidentified group in Washington Park after parade, undated |
| Box 1 | Photo 012 | Children participating in contest at Billiken, undated |
| Box 1 | Photo 013 | Kellum at microphone with Henry Armstrong, 1930s |
| Box 1 | Photo 014 | Kellum with Elizabeth Kellum and Charlie Cole, undated |
| Box 1 | Photo 015 | Kellum with unidentified woman at table, undated |
| Box 1 | Photo 016 | Kellum, undated |
| Box 1 | Photo 017 | Kellum with gospel choir at WSBC radio’s “Wings over Jordan,” 1930s |
| Box 1 | Photo 018 | Kellum, portrait, undated |
| Box 1 | Folder 019 | Photocopies from scrapbook containing photographs described above |
