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

Held by The Filson Historical Society

Creator: Carridder Jones

Title: Carridder Jones Added 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: 017PC23

Scope and Content Note

This collection consists of 10 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 of Kentucky, as well as African American communities in Jefferson County. Most of the photographs have been placed in a folder based on the black hamlet which they relate to, and the remainder have either been labeled as African American churches in the region, photographs of the creation of a documentary at Spendthrift farm, or miscellaneous. Most of the historical photographs are photocopies.

Folders 1-6 contain photographs pertaining to specific historical black hamlets in the Jefferson County region.

Folder 7 contains photographs of Carridder Jones in a wooded area, which was identified on the original photograph packaging as “Little Mill”. Little Mill has not been located.

Folder 8 contains photographs which Carridder Jones both took, and appears in, of the behind-the-scenes creation of a historical documentary which took place at Spendthrift Farm, in Lexington, Kentucky, on March 13th, 2003.

Folder 9 contains photographs of three separate churches. Two of the churches have been identified and located (Mt. Nebo Baptist Church and Hobbs Chapel Methodist Church). Both churches were historically African American and are located in Louisville, Kentucky. The third church in this folder is unidentified.

Folder 10 contains miscellaneous photographs which were found in this collection, but not identified as belonging in any certain hamlet.

Related Collections:
Carridder Jones collection, 2000-2002. (Mss. A J76)
Carridder Jones photograph collection & A/V materials. (015PC55)

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/Griffeyton. Jefferson County, Louisville, Kentucky
Folder 2: Harrod’s Creek. Jefferson and Oldham Counties, Prospect, Kentucky
Folder 3: J-Town. Jefferson County, Louisville, Kentucky
Folder 4: Maddoxtown. Fayette County, Lexington, Kentucky.
Folder 5: Newburg. Jefferson County, Louisville, Kentucky
Folder 6: New Zion. Jackson County, Kentucky.
Folder 7: “Little Mill”
Folder 8: Historic Documentary at Spendthrift farm. Fayette County, Lexington, Kentucky. 5/13/2003
Folder 9: Churches. Two of the churches in this folder have been identified as historically African American churches in the Louisville area
Folder 10: Miscellaneous. Includes images of unidentified individuals, run-down buildings, and Churchill Downs.