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Dent Family Collection
 

Finding Aid Contents 

·  Collection Summary
·  Administrative Information
·  Biographical Note
·  Chronology
·  Description of Series
·  Container List

 

Collection Summary 

Creator: Dent Family Collection, 1927-1984

Extent: 1 linear ft.

Scope and Content:  The Dent Collection consists of material representing the Dent family’s contributions to education, culture and race relations.  The collection spans the years 1927 to 2001.  Included are programs, biographical information, correspondence, writings, publications and articles. 

 


Administrative Information 

Preferred Citation: Dent Family Collection, Will W. Alexander Library, Dillard University.
Information concerning copyright must be secured in writing from the Director of the Will W. Alexander Library.
Processed by: Laura Kersting and Kerrie Cotton Williams
Date completed: 2/25/02
  

 


Biographical Note 

Jessie Covington and Albert W. Dent
A graduate of Morehouse College, Mr. Dent became superintendent of Flint-Goodridge Hospital after a brief business career in Georgia and Texas.  For six years he served simultaneously as business manager of Dillard University and superintendent of Flint-Goodridge Hospital.  In 1931 he married Ernestine Jessie Covington.  From 1941 to 1969 Albert Dent was the president of Dillard University. 

Tom Dent
Born in 1932, Tom Dent grew up in a socially aware southern family and graduated from Morehouse College in 1952. His writing career began around that time when he was hired at the Houston Informer and he later wrote for New York Age. In 1961 he became a public information worker for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Through that assignment he became deeply involved in the civil rights movement and the importance of the struggle was reflected in some of his writings.  After living in New York, Tom Dent returned to New Orleans where he helped run the Free Southern Theater and then taught at local universities.


Chronology

Chronology of Jessie Covington and Albert W. Dent 

1904                   Albert W. Dent born in Atlanta, Georgia.
1904                   Ernestine Jessie Covington Dent born in Houston, TX.
1926                   A.B., Morehouse College.
1931                   Married Ernestine Jessie Covington.
1938-1931         Alumni Secretary, Morehouse College
1932-1941         Superintendent, Flint-Goodridge Hospital.
1935-1941         Business Manager, Dillard University.
1941-1969         President of Dillard University.
1947                   L.L.D., Morehouse College.
1984                   Albert W. Dent dies.
2001                   Jessie Covington Dent dies.

 

Chronology of Tom Dent 

1932                Born in New Orleans.
1950-52           Reporter, Houston Informer.
1952                 B.A., Morehouse College.
1957-59           Military/Wartime Service: U.S. Army.
1959                 Reporter, New York Age.
1961-63           Public information worker for Legal Defense Fund, NAACP.
1966-70           Associate director, Free Southern Theater, New Orleans, La.
1968-70           Instructor, Mary Holmes College.
1973-74           Whitney Young fellow.
1974                 M.A., Goddard College.
1979-81           Instructor, University of New Orleans.
1998                 Died in New Orleans.

 


Description of Series
 

Series 1   Box 1   Folders 1-38   Albert W. Dent material
                 Subseries:
                     School Publications        Box 1              Folders 1-5
                     Writings & Addresses    Box 1              Folders 6-10
                     Programs                      Box 1              Folders 11-14
                     Correspondence           Box 1              Folders 15-19
                     Collected Articles          Box 1             Folders 20-24
                     Collected Publications   Box 1              Folders 25-33
                     Miscellaneous                Box 1             Folders 34-38

Series 2    Box 2     Folders 39-47    Jessie Covington Dent material
                 Subseries:
                     Addresses & Dedications   Box 2          Folders 39-41
                     Collected Publications        Box 2          Folders 42-43
                     Programs                           Box 2          Folders 44-46
                     Newspaper Clippings         Box 2          Folders 47

Series 3     Box 2    Folders 48-54    Tom Dent material
                 Subseries:
                     Programs & Flyers             Box 2          Folders 48-50
                     Writings                              Box 2         Folders 51-53
                     Newspaper Clippings         Box 2          Folders 54


                                                     


Container List 

Box 1
Series 1: Albert W. Dent Material
    Sub-series: Collected School Publications:

       f. 1  Morehouse College Annual Catalogue, 1927-28.
       f. 2  General Catalogue of Atlanta University 1867-1929.
       f. 3  Fisk University Student Handbook, 1934-35
       f. 4  The M Book, 1937-38.
       f. 5  Morehouse College Bulletin, Fall 1976. 

     Sub-series: Writings and Addresses
       f. 6   Dent, A. W.: “A Hospital Goes to the People”, <Feb. 10, 1938>
       f. 7   Dent, A.W.: “Postgraduate Work for Physicians …”, <1941>
       f. 8   On the Education of Women: An Address by President Albert Dent 
                   of  Dillard University, Spelman Messenger, Vol. 61, No. 1, Nov. 
                       1944.
       f. 9   Dent, A. W.: Hospital Services and Facilities Available to Negroes in 
                  the United States, <1949>
       f. 10  Dent, Albert W.: Now and Tomorrow: Role of the Voluntary 
                   Agency in the Health Field, <1954> 

     Sub-series: Programs
       f. 11 The Faculty of the Kashmere Gardens High School Seventh Annual
                  
Professional Banquet, May 1964.
      
f. 12  Roy Wilkins, 75th Birthday Celebration, Sept. 1976.
       f. 13  The Times-Picayune Loving Cup for 1976, Sept. 25, 1977.
       f. 14  A Service of Memory and Thanksgiving for Dr. Albert Walter Dent, 
                    Feb. 15, 1984. 

    Sub-series: Correspondence
       f. 15  From Joseph A. Califano. Jr., Special Assistant to President Lyndon 
                   B. Johnson, Mar. 6, 1968.
       f. 16  From Dr. Michael L. Lomax (Phi Beta Kappa), April 9, 1973.
       f. 17  To Dr. Michael L. Lomax, April 12, 1973.
       f. 18  From Benjamin E. Mays (Phi Beta Kappa), April 17, 1973.
       f. 19  [Note] to “Albert” from “Cliff” on photocopied article: “From 
                    Hospital to College …”, <1982>. 

     Sub-series: Collected Articles
       f. 20  “Negro Health”, Time, April 8, 1940.
       f. 21  “Novel Intern Fellowships to Honor Albert W. Dent are Created by 
                      College”, AHA News, Vol. 39, No. 5, 1975.
       f. 22  “Dr. Dent is Recipient of Times-Picayune Loving Cup”. Aug. 21, 
                        1977.
       f. 23  Harrison, Elton C.: “Archon Albert W. Dent Becomes the First 
                     Black  Recipient of the Times-Picayune Loving Cup, The Boule 
                         Journal, Fall  1977.
       f. 24  D.P. Cushing, Congregational Press Bureau, Biographical article, 
                    
n.d.     

    Sub-series: Collected Publications
       f. 25   The Oracle, Vol. 18, No. 3, 1939.
       f. 26   The Oracle, Vol. 19, No. 1, 1940.
       f. 27   New South, Vol. 11, No. 1, 1956.
       f. 28   New South, Vol. 17, No. 4, 1962.
       f. 29   Louisiana: 1961 Report to the Commission on Civil Rights from the 
                     State Advisory Committee.
       f. 30   Black Americans in Science and Engineering, Inscribed with notes 
                     and photograph by Charles W. Buggs, Sept. 1977.
       f. 31   Congressional Record, Vol. 115, No. 87, 1969.
       f. 32   The Story of Isom Wilson … Committee on the Rehabilitation of 
                    the  Wilson Family, n.d.
      
f. 33   Committee Structures by Bruce Brown, n.d.     

    Sub-series: Miscellanous Material
       f. 34   Biography of President, Dillard University News Service, 1964.
       f. 35   Proposal for Identification- ACHA Work-Study Fellowship; Special
                     Resolution for Dr. Albert W. Dent, n.d.
       f. 36   Certificate of Life Membership of the NAACP, Jan. 24, 1955.
       f. 37   Application: Albert Walter Dent Research Award, National 
                      Association of Health Services Executives, n.d.
       f. 38   Various Newspaper clippings, n.d.     
     

 Box 2
 
Series 2: Jessie Covington Dent Material
    Sub-series: Addresses and Dedications

       f. 39   Antioch Chimes Remarks, Nov. 25, 1990.
       f. 40   Dedication Service: Covington Memorial, Nov. 25, 1990.
       f. 41   Dedication of the Official State of Texas: Historical Marker 
                     Honoring Dr . Benjamin Jesse Covington …, July 29, 
                      
1995.         

    Sub-series:  Collected Publications
       f. 42   Ebony Fashion Fair Magazine, 1997.
       f. 43   Ebony Fashion Fair Magazine, 1999. 

    Sub-series: Programs
       f. 44   DWC (Dillard Women’s Club) Testimonial Banquet honoring Mrs. 
                     Albert  W. Dent, 1968. 
       f. 45   Amistad Fine Arts Award, Jessie Covington Dent, Recipient, Sept. 
                       27, 1985.
       f. 46   A Celebration of the Life of Jessie Covington Dent, March 15, 
                      2001.
       f. 47   Newspaper clippings 


Box 2
Series 3: Tom Dent Material
    Sub-series: Programs and Announcements

       f. 48  Funeral Services for Tom Dent, March 20-1932- June 6, 1998.
       f. 49  New Orleans Public Library: The Annual Tom Dent Forum.
       f. 50  First Annual Tom Dent Tennis Tournament, 2002. 

    Sub-series: Writings
      f. 51  Dent, Tom.  Magnolia Street, 1976.
      f. 52  Dent, Tom: Designs for Claiborne Ave.; Octave Lilly, Jr.: In 
                   Memoriam,  Black River Journal, Summer 1977.
      f. 53  Dent, Tom: New Orleans, Atlanta & Politics: Some Thoughts; Sam 
                   Cook and Academic Excellence at Dillard. 
  

    Sub-series:  Newspaper clippings f. 54

 

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