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Erving Elizabeth Johnson Papers

 Collection
Identifier: DC083

Scope and Contents

While this collection is from Erving Elizabeth Johnson, most of the papers concern her brother, Ralph Walter Johnson and his barber shop on Main Street. The first folders consist of tax receipts from the Deweese Township and the Town of Davidson, made out to C. Walter and Bessie "Johnston," which date from 1906 until 1932. The next folder contains a mortgage certificate originally made in October 1909 and paid in full as by the date stamped. It also contains an invoice for shingles, checks or receipts of payments by C. Walter Johnson, and a handwritten note of tax payment. There is also a folder containing a "FOR SALE" sign for the barber shop to white buyers only, dated October 1930. It is not clear which shop this sign is for, but Ralph maintained his shop on the corner of Main Street and Depot Street until 1971. The Newspaper Clippings folder contains articles from "The Charlotte News" and "The Davidsonian" covering Secretary of State Dean Rusk's homecoming to Davidson College and Ralph's barber shop in February 1962. Additionally, dating between April and May 1968, there are newspaper articles from "The Charlotte News," "The Charlotte Observer," "The Davidsonian," and "The Mecklenburg Gazette" concerning the boycott and picketing of Ralph's barber shop. Ralph Johnson maintained a segregated shop. He refused service to members of the black community unless they were students at the college. Ralph had concerns that desegregation of his shop would be bad for business because the whites, who were the most consistent source of business, would be dissuaded from patronizing him. The boycott and picketing worked, because Ralph allowed blacks into his barber shop in 1968. Business slowed, and he was forced to close in 1971. The Correspondence folder contains letters dated in April and May 1968 from Philosophy Professor Raymond Martin, Dean of Students and Psychology Professor Richard C. Burts, and Economics Professor Ernest F. Patterson explaining their support of the boycott and then commending his decision to integrate. It also contains a letter to the faculty and petition to the student body from Robert C. Lane and Nat James Heyward, both from the class of 1968 at Davidson College. There is also a list of Hood Norton customers and a list that mentions Davidsonian articles, pictures, and speaks to Ralph Johnson as a "scapegoat" for the community and having many "enemies" as he is a victim of morose." Another item in the Correspondence Folder is a Certificate of Registration from the Library of Congress for Ralph Johnson's book "David Played a Harp," which was published in 2000. The last item is a thank you note from "Laura" at the Charlotte Observer and copies of pictures she took. The Church Bulletin folder contains a timeline for the 212th congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, covering from 1976 until 2002. There are also church programs for the memorial services of Ralph Johnson in 2001 and Erving Johnson in 2004. Finally, the last six folders contain pictures kept by Erving Johnson from "The Charlotte Observer," from College Communications, a personal album (with identifying information), photos of the barbershop, and photos of her family.

Dates

  • Creation: 1906 - 2004

Biographical / Historical

Erving Elizabeth Johnson was born June 11, 1911 in Davidson, North Carolina, daughter of C. Walter Johnson and Bessie Nurtin Johnson. She lived in Charlotte and Mooresville during her lifetime, but returned to Davidson to care for her mother. She is the sister of Ralph Walter Johnson, who owned barber shops in Davidson. He was particularly well-known, because initially segregated his barber shop on the corner of Main and Depot Streets, which was, in turn, boycotted and picketed by some of the students and professors at Davidson College. After moving to The Laurels in 2001, Ms. Johnson passed away on April 11, 2004.

Extent

0.21 boxes (1 box, 13 folders)

Language

English

Physical Location

Carrel Storage

Immediate Source of Acquisition

ACCN# 2006-84

Processing Information

Processed on 15-Nov-06

Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Manuscript Collections Repository