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Herman R. Brown papers

Call Number

MS 80

Date

1946-1985 (bulk, 1946-1951), inclusive

Creator

Brown, Herman Richard
Cox, Mary Kathryn Groom

Extent

0.43 Linear feet (1 box)

Language of Materials

The documents in this collection are in English.

Abstract

Correspondence involving Herman R. Brown, an African- American solider and Mary K. Groom, married name Cox. Brown and Groom sent love letters to each other, which continued even after each was married to other people. The majority of the letters are from Brown to Groom from 1946-1951. Included are some letters from friends and others.

Chronology

1946 Apr. Herman Richard Brown in army stationed in New Rochelle, New York
1946 June Brown stationed at Fort McClellan, Alabama
1946 July Brown asks Mary Groom to marry him; she never answers him
1946 Sept. Brown stationed at Camp Stoneman, California
1946 Oct. Brown stationed in Japan
Late 1946 Brown returns from Japan to California
1948 Brown stationed at Fort Lawton, Washington
Early 1949 Mary Groom marries Walter E. Cox, Jr.
1956 July Brown stationed in Germany/Cox working for army
1958 Apr. Brown stationed at Fort Hood, Texas
1961 Oct. Brown living in Anchorage, Alaska

Arrangement

The letters are arranged chronologically.

Scope and Contents

The Herman R. Brown Papers mainly consist of correspondence between Herman R. Brown, an African-American solider and Mary Groom Cox. Brown is from New Rochelle and Groom is from the Bronx. There are approximately 145 letters (Folders 1-13). The letters are primarily of a personal nature between Herman Brown and Mary Groom. The collection consists of love letters Brown and Cox wrote to each other before and after they were married to others. It is unclear in the letters why the two never married each other. The other letters consist of correspondence from friends and businesses. The letters from their friends mostly focus on Brown and Cox's relationship. Brown never discusses life in the army or the places he is stationed.

Access Restrictions

Materials in this collection may be stored offsite. For more information on making arrangements to consult them, please visit www.nyhistory.org/library/visit.

Use Restrictions

Taking images of documents from the library collections for reference purposes by using hand-held cameras and in accordance with the library's photography guidelines is encouraged. As an alternative, patrons may request up to 20 images per day from staff.

Application to use images from this collection for publication should be made in writing to: Department of Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5194, rightsandrepro@nyhistory.org. Phone: (212) 873-3400 ext. 282.

Copyrights and other proprietary rights may subsist in individuals and entities other than the New-York Historical Society, in which case the patron is responsible for securing permission from those parties. For fuller information about rights and reproductions from N-YHS visit: https://www.nyhistory.org/about/rights-reproductions

Preferred Citation

This collection should be cited as the Herman R. Brown Papers, MS 80, The New-York Historical Society.

Location of Materials

Materials in this collection may be stored offsite. For more information on making arrangements to consult them, please visit www.nyhistory.org/library/visit.

Collection processed by

Processed by Tiffany Schureman and Courtney Lavery

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-08-21 15:47:54 -0400.
Language: Description is in English.

Edition of this Guide

This version was derivedfrom brown.xml

Repository

New-York Historical Society
New-York Historical Society
170 Central Park West
New York, NY 10024