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Frankie V. Adams collection

 Collection — Box: 1-5
Identifier: 0000-0000-0000-0009

Scope and Contents

This small collection of the papers of Frankie Victoria Adams dates from 1931 to 1979 and provides a glimpse of her work and achievements. There are copies of some of her professional and personal writings, bits of information about some of the organizations she was affiliated with, and a few letters and photographs. Of interest are her writings related to group work and community organization. Also, there is the scrapbook Adams kept of the early years of the Atlanta School of Social Work. The snapshot photographs are an extraordinary window into the field work the students experienced.

Dates

  • Creation: 1931-1979

Creator

Rights Statement

All materials in this collection are either protected by copyright and/or are the property of the Robert W. Woodruff Library of the Atlanta University Center, Inc., and/or the copyright holder as appropriate. For more information, please contact archives@auctr.edu.

Biographical Note

Biographical Timeline

1902 July 9
Born in Danville, Kentucky, to Mr. and Mrs. James T. Adams, the youngest of seven siblings
1925
Graduated from Knoxville College (A.B.)
1927
Earned diploma from the New York School of Social Work
1927-1931
Industrial Secretary, Chicago Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA)
1931-1964
Taught at the Atlanta University School of Social Work
1937
Graduated from New York University (M.A., Education)
1944-1945
National YWCA War Community Consultant
1944
Published Soulcraft: Sketches on Negro-White Relations Designed to Encourage Friendship
1947
Atlanta School of Social Work became part of Atlanta University
1957
Published Some Pioneers in Social Work: Brief Sketches; Student Work Book with Whitney M. Young, Jr.
1960-1961
Acting Dean of Atlanta University School of Social Work
1964
Retired from Atlanta University
1965
Taught at the University of Georgia School of Social Work
1965-1967
Worked for Economic Opportunity Atlanta, Inc.
1968-1970
Worked with Project Head Start
1977
Interviewed by Gay Francine Banksfor Radcliffe College's Black Women Oral History Project
1979 August 29
Died in Atlanta, Georgia

Florence "Frankie" Victoria Adams (b. 1902 d. 1979) was a social worker, educator, author, and community activist. For most of her career, she was associated with the Atlanta School of Social Work (later the Atlanta University School of Social Work), the first school for African Americans to be accredited by the American Association of Schools of Social Work. At the request of Director Forrester B. Washington, Adams joined the faculty in 1931. She developed courses and trained students in the newly emerging disciplines of community organization and group work. As a member of the Committee on Group Work of the American Association of Social Work, she helped influence the curriculum and content of group work nationally. During her 33 years with the School she taught some 2,500 students, served as Acting Dean for two interim periods, and culminated her tenure as Associate Dean. In recognition of her contributions, the Atlanta University School of Social Work Alumni Association honored Adams in 1965 with a testimonial dinner held during the National Conference on Social Welfare annual meeting. In 1968 the University presented her with an award for outstanding service.



Adams remained active in social work after her retirement, working with Economic Opportunity Atlanta to develop neighborhood service centers in disadvantaged areas of the city. Upon her second retirement she volunteered for Project Head Start. She authored two books, Soulcraft: Sketches on Negro-White Relations Designed to Encourage Friendship(c. 1944), and The Reflections of Florence Victoria Adams, a history of the Atlanta University School of Social Work. Reflections details the development of the School, its leadership and curricula, and includes a brief description of Adams's contributions. She completed the draft manuscript three weeks before her death in 1979. It was published posthumously by the School in 1981.



Adams was involved in numerous local, state, and national organizations including Atlanta's Gate City Day Nursery, the National Association of Social Workers, National Conference on Social Welfare, YWCA (national and local), Georgia White House Conference on Aging, President's Committee on Juvenile Delinquency and Youth Crime, and the Georgia Gerontology Society. She had a strong Christian faith and her papers include a few prayers and religious articles she wrote, and news articles, programs, and certificates related to her activities with Mt. Olive Baptist Church.

Extent

3 Linear feet (5 manuscript boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Related archival collections

Harvard University's Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America houses the Black Women Oral History Project Invterviews, 1976-1981. The colllection includes oral history interviews with Frankie V. Adams.

Title
Frankie V. Adams collection, 1931-1979
Status
Completed
Author
Finding aid prepared by Karen L. Jefferson and Cathy Lynn Mundale, May 2002
Date
2002 May
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Robert W. Woodruff Library of the Atlanta University Center, Inc. Repository

Contact:

404-978-2052
404-978-2109 (Fax)