Morgan Park Credit Union Archives

Dates: 1940-1995
Size: 6.5 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:

2001/02
Provenance: These records were donated in March 2001 by Rose Givhan-Blair, Vice Chairman of the Morgan Park Credit Union Board of Directors
Access: No restrictions
Citation: When quoting material from this collection the preferred citation is: Morgan Park Credit Union Archives, [Box #, Folder #], Chicago Public Library, Woodson Regional Library, Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection of Afro-American History and Literature
Processed by: Beverly Cook, Librarian III, and Elizabeth Loch, Archival Specialist, February 2021

Organizational History

On September 17, 1940, residents of the Morgan Park community organized the Morgan Park Community Consumers Cooperative. The credit union’s name was changed to Morgan Park Co-Op Credit Union on April 24, 1949, and in 1989 the name was changed again to Morgan Park Credit Union (MPCU). Morgan Park Credit Union was the first Black credit union established in Chicago. Morgan Park was annexed in 1914 and became part of Chicago’s 32nd Ward with four precincts. Morgan Park was originally part of the Washington Heights community, but the continuing influx of African Americans gave rise to a dividing line along Vincennes Avenue. The majority of African Americans lived east of Vincennes while the whites occupied the west side of the dividing line.

The cooperative was founded by 22 people, mostly civil service employees. Their first office was mobile. Their first treasurer, Carl Carter, went door to door taking care of credit union business. Within 5 years, its membership had grown to over 300. The original site was at 111th and Bishop. It operated in a church basement located at 11115 Loomis for 15 years. Then the organization purchased land and built a new site at 11043 Vincennes Avenue in November 1955, sharing space with the new Jack L. Cooper Medical Center.

E.M. May (treasurer and general manager) said in a 1955 interview that the MPCU was the only community-type credit union in Chicago that owned its own building and had built its headquarters from the ground up. The credit union was community-based and well-organized: it had a membership committee, credit committee, treasurer, education committee, nominating committee, and family counselors on the medical center side. While giving traditional loans to the community, members were also able to get loans for debt consolidations, vacations, tuition, home remodeling and automobiles.

On March 31, 1995, the Morgan Park Credit Union celebrated 55 years of service to the community. The credit union made its last move in 1989 to 111th and Longwood Drive where it stayed until it merged with Credit Union One in 2001. The donor, Rose Givhan-Blair, was Vice-Chair of MPCU during its merger with Credit Union One and worked with the union for over 16 years.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in three series: “Organizational History,” “Plaques and Awards” and “Photographs.”

Scope and Content Notes

The Morgan Park Co-op Credit Union, founded in 1940, is the oldest African American credit union in Chicago. The Morgan Park Co-op Credit Union emphasized the importance of community involvement in education and economic growth of a neighborhood.

Series 1: Organizational History, 1940-1995, undated

Organization History contains the papers of incorporation, by-laws, history books, annual meetings and anniversary programs, loans. This series gives a good overview of the development and maintenance of a community based project that functioned for over 60 years in the Morgan Park community. This series is organized chronologically, then alphabetically.

Series 2: Plaques and Awards, 1961-1994, undated

This series consists of 14 plaques (thirteen are wooden) awarded to the organization. These plaques document the credit union’s anniversaries, community service, and professional accreditation. The series is organized chronologically, then alphabetically.

Series 3: Photographs, undated

This series contains thirteen photographs, none of which are dated. The majority of photographs are of Morgan Park Co-Op Credit Union board members. Question marks in brackets denote an unsure identification. This series is organized alphabetically.

Related Materials

Related materials at the Chicago Public Library include:

Container List

Series 1: Organizational History, 1940-1995, undated

Box 1 Folder 1 Morgan Park Co-op Credit Union (MPCCU) articles of incorporation, 1940
Box 1 Folder 2 MPCCU by-laws amendment, 1949 April 25
Box 1 Folder 3 Morgan Park Co-op Credit Union (MPCCU) annual meeting, 1950 January
Box 1 Folder 4 MPCCU amendment to by-laws, 1953 January 25
Box 1 Folder 5 MPCCU Chicago Title and Trust policy, 1954 December 2
Box 1 Folder 6 MPCCU opens new building, 1955
Box 1 Folder 7 Monarch Lodge No. 99 warranty deed to MPCCU, 1955 November 29
Box 1 Folder 8 Morgan Park Planning Organization presentation, circa 1955
Box 1 Folder 9 MPCCU annual meeting, 1959
Box 1 Folder 10 MPCCU annual meeting, 1961
Box 1 Folder 11 MPCCU 25th anniversary, 1965
Box 1 Folder 12 MPCCU loans, 1965
Box 1 Folder 13 MPCCU 30th anniversary, 1970
Box 1 Folder 14 MPCCU revised standard by-laws, 1970 May 11
Box 2 Folder 1 Morgan Park medical building corporation quick claim, 1974
Box 2 Folder 2 MPCCU 40th anniversary, 1980
Box 2 Folder 3 State of Illinois, Department of Financial Institutions proclamation, 1985
Box 2 Folder 4 Midwest Association Credit Unions membership, 1985
Box 2 Folder 5 State of Illinois certificate of appreciation, 1985 (see oversize box 3)
Box 2 Folder 6 Midwest Association Credit Unions membership, 1986
Box 2 Folder 7 Midwest Association Credit Unions membership, 1987
Box 2 Folder 8 Midwest Association Credit Unions membership, 1989
Box 2 Folder 9 State of Illinois, Department of Financial Institutions proclamation, 1989
Box 2 Folder 10 State of Illinois, Department of Financial Institutions proclamation, 1990
Box 2 Folder 11 MPCCU 50th anniversary, 1990
Box 2 Folder 12 Midwest Association Credit Unions membership, 1990
Box 2 Folder 13 State of Illinois proclamation, 1990 (see oversize box 3)
Box 2 Folder 14 MPCCU 55th anniversary and annual meeting, 1995
Box 2 Folder 15 American Share Insurance, undated
Box 2 Folder 16 Morgan Park Credit Union amendment, undated

Series 2: Plaques and Awards, 1961-1994, undated

Box 3 Folder 1 Presented by the Illinois Credit Union League, 1961
Box 3 Folder 2 Ada Park Youth Week to M.P. Credit Union for Meritorious Service to Youth, 1965 May
Box 4 Folder 1 Illinois Credit Union League salutes Morgan Park Co-Op Credit Union on its 25th Anniversary of its founding, circa 1965
Box 4 Folder 2 Presented by Cuna Mutual Insurance Society for 25 years as a continuous policy owner furnishing your membership with loan protection insurance, circa 1965
Box 4 Folder 3 Member Illinois Credit Union League and Credit Union National Association, 1974
Box 4 Folder 4 Presented to Morgan Park Co-Op Credit Union on its 40th anniversary by the Illinois Credit Union League, 1980
Box 4 Folder 5 Member in good standing of the Illinois Credit Union League, 1982
Box 4 Folder 6 Member in good standing of the Illinois Credit Union League, 1994
Box 5 Folder 1 Service award in recognition of 45 years in service, presented by the Midwest Association of Credit Unions, circa 1985
Box 5 Folder 2 Service award in recognition of 50 years in service, presented by the Midwest Association of Credit Unions, circa 1990
Box 5 Folder 3 Presented to Morgan Park Credit Union in recognition of 50 years of continuous coverage with loan protection or credit life insurance from Cuna Mutual Insurance Group, circa 1990
Box 5 Folder 4 Cuna, Inc. endorsed 576 blanket fidelity bond protects the members’ assets of Morgan Park Co-Op Credit Union, undated
Box 5 Folder 5 Presented by Cuna Mutual Insurance Society as a continuous policy owner furnishing your membership with loan protection insurance, undated
Box 5 Folder 6 The Board of Directors of American Share Insurance does hereby recognize that Morgan Park Credit Union meets the standards and requirements of a participating member credit union, undated

Series 3: Photographs, undated

Box 6 Photo 001 Morgan Park Co-Op Credit Union Board of Directors group photo, undated [Peter Samuels 2nd from left and William Jones sitting far right in front row]
Box 6 Photo 002 Morgan Park Co-Op Credit Union Board of Directors group photo, undated [William Jones sitting far right in the front row]
Box 6 Photo 003 Morgan Park Co-Op Credit Union Board of Directors group photo, undated [William Jones sitting far right in front row]
Box 6 Photo 004 Morgan Park Co-Op Credit Union Board of Directors group photo, undated [William Jones sitting far right in front row]
Box 6 Photo 005 Portrait of Carl R. Carter, Morgan Park Co-Op Credit Union board member, undated
Box 6 Photo 006 Portrait of E.M. May, Sr., Morgan Park Co-Op Credit Union board member, undated
Box 6 Photo 007 Portrait of Howard L. Denton, Morgan Park Co-Op Credit Union board member, undated
Box 6 Photo 008 Portrait of William Jones [?], Morgan Park Co-Op Credit Union board member, undated
Box 6 Photo 009 Unidentified group, undated
Box 6 Photo 010 Unidentified group at dinner table, undated.
Box 6 Photo 011 Unidentified group at dinner table, undated
Box 6 Photo 012 Unidentified three women at dinner table, undated
Box 6 Photo 013 Unidentified two women and one man, undated
Print this page