1930s Archive of African-American Student at NJ School including Letters, Scrapbook, and Reunion Pamphlets

Archive of an African American student's 1933 inscribed yearbook from multiracial high school, including personal letters from classmates, a telegram, and pamphlets from 1933 commencement and 45th and 50th high school reunions. The archive consist of 10 items in total. Includes an annotated yearbook published by Westbrook Publishing Company, Philadelphia, 1933. 183 pages. 10.5" x 7.75" inches with hardcover boards. Yearbook is inscribed throughout with the well wishes of classmates, who also fill the autograph section at the end. The student, a young African-American man named Walter Johnson, seemed to be quite popular and admired by his peers. Some of (truncated) the inscriptions were written in 1933 while others were added at 45th reunion, in 1978 . The yearbook is stylized with Art Deco accents, particularly towards then end in the section of advertisements. The makeup of Atlantic City High School was very multicultural in 1933, even though the city as a whole was still quite segregated, with redlining restricting African-Americans to the relatively small "Northside." It was quite a large high school as well, with nearly two hundred pages full of students, including portraits, high school division (Technical, Classical, Commercial, etc), and a personal section with prompts such as favorite activities, turns of phrase, characteristics, and future destinations. Also included in the archive are several envelopes, including one that is unopened but with a long handwritten note on verso from Ben Ginsburg, a friend of Walter Johnson's and the organizer of the reunion. There are two reunion pamphlets, from the 45th and 50th reunions. There is a telegram in its original envelope addressed to Walter Johnson from the Negro Alumni Associates of Atlantic City High School dated from June 16, 1933, congratulating him on his graduation. Lastly, two advertisements for an entertainment company, the "Atlantic Coast Amusement Enterprises" offer comedians, song and dance acts, and more. Atlantic City has long been known as an entertainment destination and these advertisements harken back to when the Atlantic City boardwalk was in its heyday at this time. This archive largely dates from the 1933, in the depths of the Great Depression, and while one student sardonically states in his yearbook section that his probable destination was "In the ranks of the unemployed", most of the young men and women here seem bright-eyed and hopeful. A fascinating and relatively complete picture of a young African-American man's life, who came of age in segregated Atlantic City during the Great Depression and maintained lifelong bonds with his peers even after decades apart. (Inventory #: 17526)