Overview of Collection

Historical Sketch

Scope and Content Note

Topics Covered

Administrative Information

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Auburn Avenue Research Library

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Inventory of the Ann N. Cooper Collection

Overview of Collection

Repository: Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System, Auburn Avenue Research Library on African-American Culture and History, 101 Auburn Avenue, N.E., Atlanta, Georgia 30303

Creator: Cooper, Ann Louise Nixon, 1902-

Collection Number: aarl95-007

Title: Ann N. Cooper collection

Date: 1922-1956

Quantity: 0.5 cubic ft.

Abstract: The collection contains items from 1922 to 1956 including a daybook, two scrapbooks, a magazine, correspondence, a brief biography of Ann Cooper prepared for the Utopian Literary Club, photographs, and posters that document life in Atlanta's African American community and Ann N. Cooper and her husband, dentist Albert Berry Cooper in particular. |bOf particular note are the aviation scrapbook compiled by Albert Cooper containing information about African American pilots, a scrapbook compiled by Griffith J. Davis containing photographs of Spelman students and graduates, Army Air Corps students, and African American celebrities, and a photograph of the first African American Cub Scout troup in Georgia.

Historical Sketch

Ann Louise Nixon Cooper was born on January 9, 1902 in Shelbyville, Bedford County, Tennessee, to James Henry Nixon and Molly George Nixon, in a family of six and one boy. Reared in Nashville, Tennessee by uncles and an aunt, she was educated in the public school system of Nashville.

In 1922, in Nashville, Ann Louise Nixon married Albert Berry Cooper, Jr. (deceased). Establishing residence in Atlanta, this couple was blessed with four children: Gwendolyn Yvonne Cooper Mannings (deceased), Joyce Nixon Cooper Bobo, Albert Berry Cooper III, and Ann Marie Cooper Hooper.

Shortly after arriving in Atlanta, Mrs. Ann Nixon Cooper assumed the role of a devoted wife, mother, social leader and community volunteer. She was active with the Georgia Dental Society Auxiliary for many years, serving as president at one time.

For the past fifty odd years, Mrs. Cooper has served on the Board of Directors of Gate City Nursery Association, serving as president of the board and organizing the auxiliary to the board as well as serving in other capacities.

Mrs. Ann Louise Nixon Cooper served on the steering committee to organize a black girls club, subsequently becoming the second president of the board and organizing an auxiliary, the Girls Club Guild, which is still active. During the seventies, she served as a tutor to non-readers at Ebenezer Baptist Church. She also served on the Friends of the Library Board, serving at one time as vice president of the board. In 1980 she received a Community Service Award from Channel 11 for being one of the organizers of the black Cub Scouts and serving as the first den mother for four years.

A social leader, Mrs. Cooper belonged to and in some cases is still active in various social clubs such as the Pollyanna Bridge Club (active during the 1920s and 1930s), the Atlanta Chapter of the Links, Inc. (charter member) and the Jovial Coterie Bridge Club (charter member). She is a longtime member of First Congregational Church, where she has been an active member and participates in many activities and organizations.

Because of her wealth of knowledge of early events and life in Atlanta, her lucidity, vivid memory and mental acuity, Mrs. Cooper has been called upon on many occasions as a source of oral history. Curator Carol Merritt of the Herndon House has sought her expertise concerning the social life of the 1920s and the 1930s. Mrs. Cooper has willingly allowed her collection of early wardrobe styles to be displayed at the Herndon House. She has also donated photographs to the Apex Museum.

Ann Louis Nixon Cooper became a member of the Utopian Literary Club circa 1948, and has remained an active member since that time, serving as president, treasurer and secretary at one time or another.

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Scope and Content Note

The collection is approximately ½ cubic feet and includes correspondence: photographs; broadside; newspaper clippings; one magazine; a Bio Data (two pages) about Ms. Ann N. Cooper; and 2 scrapbooks. The first scrapbook (compiled by Mr. Albert Cooper) is about aviation. It contains 48 pages, 13 pages are blank. On page 33 of this scrapbook is the picture of a cocky little biplane (First Atlanta Mail Plane), called the Pitcairn Mailwing. It is important to read the story accompanying each aircraft because it is stated that Black pilots could not fly few of them because of race.

Mr. Griffith Jerome Davis, a noted Atlanta photographer, compiled the second photographic scrapbook, which includes pictures of Army Air Corps students, Spelman students/graduates, family members, and other celebrities such as Mr. Paul Robeson (singer/actor), and Ms. Marian Anderson (singer) - 1940s.

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Topics Covered

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Administrative Information

There are no restrictions on research use of this collection.

Prior permission from the Research Library must be obtained in writing before any portion of this collection can be published or reproduced.

Item, Ann N. Cooper collection, Archives Division, Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History, Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System.

Processed by Regina Broh-Gastin in 2001

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