Jones, Carridder (1935-2020) Photograph Collection, 1920-2003

Held by The Filson Historical Society

Creator: Carridder Jones

Title: Carridder Jones Photograph Collection, ca. 1920-2003

Rights: For information regarding literary and copyright interest for these photographs, contact the Curator of Photographs and Prints.

Size of Collection: 1 Box

Location Number: 015PC55

Scope and Content Note

This collection consists of 4 folders which contain photographs relating to the professional research done by Carridder Jones, a Kentucky playwright and historian, concerning the black hamlets of the inner bluegrass region in Kentucky, as well as African American communities in Jefferson County. The folders are divided into black hamlets, with folders 2-4 combining two hamlets each, based on their proximity and similarity. Most of the historical photographs are photocopies.

 

Folder 1 contains photographs related to the hamlets of Berrytown and Griffeytown. There are identified photographs of the Dow and Jones families.

Folder 2 contains photographs related to the hamlet of Harrod’s Creek. There are photographs pertaining to the Jefferson Jacob school, and the families of Taylor, Merriwether, Dunbar, and Stokes.

Folder 3 contains photographs related to the hamlet of Jeffersontown. Included in this folder are photographs of Alberta Wilson and her students at Central High School, as well as her descendants. This folder also contains a photograph of students at Jeffersontown School.

Folder 4 contains one photograph related to the hamlets of Newburg and Petersburg. The photograph is of the Lyons family, descendants of Eliza Tevis.

 

 

Related Collections:

Carridder Jones collection, 2000-2002. (Mss. A J76)

Carridder Jones photograph collection & A/V materials. (017PC23)

 

 

Biographical Note

Carridder “Rita” Jones was born in South Carolina and lived in Indiana before moving to Kentucky. A playwright and historian, Jones’s research has included African American communities in Kentucky, especially the black hamlets of Lexington and Louisville. Jones conducted oral history projects concerning these communities: “Black Hamlets in the Kentucky Bluegrass” and “Historic African American Neighborhoods in Jefferson County” (the latter in partnership with the Filson Historical Society). She has presented her research at conferences, programs, workshops, and as productions.

Jones’ play, “Black Hamlets in the Kentucky Bluegrass,” was a finalist in the New York Drama League’s New Works Project in 2002. Another of her plays, “The Mark of Cain,” was chosen by the University of Louisville’s African American theater program for the Second Annual Juneteenth Festival of New Works. She also adapted a play for the Oldham County History Center from “Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Henry Bibb, an American Slave”.  The resulting production, “Voice of the Fugitive”, was presented at Actors Theatre of Louisville in 2009.

Jones also founded two women’s organizations: Women Who Write and the Kentucky Women’s Book Festival.  In addition, she served on the board of directors for the Kentucky Foundation for Women (KFW). In 2006, Jones received the KFW’s Sallie Bingham Award, which recognizes Kentucky women who are leaders of feminist expression in the arts.

She has published two books: A Backward Glance (2009) and Voices: From Historical African American Communities near Louisville, Kentucky (2015).

 

Sources:

Notable Kentucky African Americans Database (NKAA), Jones, Carridder “Rita” https://nkaa.uky.edu/nkaa/

 

Amazon.com author page for Carridder Jones.

 

Folder List

Box 1

Folder 1: Berrytown/Griffeytown. Jefferson County, Louisville, Kentucky

Folder 2: Harrod’s Creek/Prospect. Jefferson and Oldham Counties, Prospect, Kentucky. The only original photograph in this collection dates to the 1920’s.

Folder 3: Jeffersontown. Jefferson County, Louisville, Kentucky

Folder 4: Newburg/Petersburg. Jefferson County, Louisville, Kentucky