Press enter or spacebar to select a desired language.
George W. Hawkes Downtown Library
Monday: 9:00 am - 9:00 pm
MDT
East Library and Recreation Center
Monday: 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
MDT
Ron Wright Lake Arlington Branch Library
Monday: 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
MDT
Northeast Branch Library
Monday: 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
MDT
Southeast Branch Library
Monday: 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
MDT
Southwest Branch Library
Monday: 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
MDT
Woodland West Branch Library
Monday: 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
MDT
Press enter or spacebar to select a desired language.

This collection was created to honor, preserve, and communicate the rich heritage of Arlington's Black community. If you can provide more details for any item in the archive or would like to partner with us to preserve your family's or group's materials too, please get in touch by email or leave a message for the Local History Librarian at 817-459-6795.

The following images are just a preview of what is to come! This archive will contain more than 100 items when the first phase of digitizing & describing is complete. So stay tuned and watch us grow!

To learn about the history behind these items, see the following:

Arlington Black History Community Archive

24 results found

1917 - Willie Strickland - Arlington WWI soldier

Description

Willie Strickland, a soldier during the First World War, sent this photo home to his mother in Arlington as a postcard in about 1917. It is ironic that Stricklin himself could not be served at most restaurants or hotels in the States at a time he was serving his country.

Source
Arlington Historical Society, Fielder House Museum Collection
Record ID
ABHCA 00001
Usage Rights
Please note that any use of content downloaded or printed from this site is limited to non-commercial personal or educational use, including fair use as directed by U.S. copyright laws.
Subject
Military (TEST of field searchability though not displayed)
Language
English
Type
Image
File Format
.JPG
Publication Date
1917
Buttons

1920s - The Olivers

Description

The Olivers.

Coverage
United States - Texas - Tarrant County - Arlington
Source
Arlington Historical Society
Record ID
ABHCA 00018
Usage Rights
This item may be copyright protected. If so, fair use printing and downloading are allowed for educational purposes only. Distribution, particularly for commercial purposes, requires permission from the copyright owner.
Subject
Arlington (Tex) -- History. African Americans -- Texas -- Arlington -- History. African Americans -- Texas -- Arlington -- Biography.
Language
English
Type
Image
File Format
.JPG
Buttons

1928 - Arthur Manning, 'Col.' - Paycheck from Arlington City Water Works

Description

A paycheck from the City of Arlington for Arthur Manning. With the "Col." suffix, each check from his employer reinforced that that they saw him as "Colored" as much as they saw him as an employee…

Coverage
United States - Texas - Tarrant County - Arlington
Source
Arlington Historical Society, Fielder House Museum Collection
Record ID
ABHCA 00021
Usage Rights
This item may be copyright protected. If so, fair use printing and downloading are allowed for educational purposes only. Distribution, particularly for commercial purposes, requires permission from the copyright owner.
Subject
Arlington (Tex) -- History. African Americans -- Texas -- Arlington -- History. African Americans -- Texas -- Arlington -- Biography.
Language
English
Type
Image
File Format
.JPG
Publication Date
1928
Buttons

1940s - Mount Olive Baptist Church - Christmas party

Description

BACK ROW (L to R) Velma Cooper, Thelma Walker, Edith Reed, Lou Henry Taylor, Victoria Rose, Jessie Mae Ditto  

FRONT ROW (L to R) Gussie Mae Gilmore, Sister Brown, Rev. Brown, Elizabeth O’Neal, Frances Psalms, Oneta Johnson, Blanche Purvis, Mattie Rea Hickey. 

Source
Arlington Historical Society
Record ID
ABHCA 00004
Type
Image
File Format
.JPG
Buttons

1940s - Tyree Taylor (right) with unknown woman

Description

1940s - Tyree Taylor (right) with unknown woman

Coverage
United States - Texas - Tarrant County - Arlington
Source
Arlington Historical Society, Fielder House Museum Collection
Record ID
ABHCA 00027
Usage Rights
This item may be copyright protected. If so, fair use printing and downloading are allowed for educational purposes only. Distribution, particularly for commercial purposes, requires permission from the copyright owner.
Subject
Arlington (Tex) -- History. African Americans -- Texas -- Arlington -- History. African Americans -- Texas -- Arlington -- Biography.
Language
English
Type
Image
File Format
.JPG
Buttons

1944 - Lou Henry Taylor - portrait taken in Memphis, December 1944

Description

Lou Henry Taylor was a pioneering business woman in The Hill. She opened a small grocery store on Taylor Street in 1946 and eventually moved her enterprise to the corner of Indiana and Houston Streets about 1957. There she developed a side-by-side grocery and lounge known as Lou's Blue Lounge or The Blue Magic Club. The building stood until as late as 2015, across from the Church of God in Christ on Indiana Street. This portrait of Lou Henry was taken in Memphis Tennessee in December 1944.

Coverage
United States - Texas - Tarrant County - Arlington
Source
Arlington Historical Society
Record ID
ABHCA 00003
Subject
Arlington (Tex) -- History. African Americans -- Texas -- Arlington -- History. African Americans -- Texas -- Arlington -- Biography.
Language
English
Type
Image
File Format
.JPG
Publication Date
1944
Buttons

1950s - (Possibly) Little Richard performing in the Hill

Description

1950s - A performer described by photo donor as Little Richard performing in the Hill, most likely in the Dragnet Club. We are seeking to verify that claim with docmentary evidence.

Coverage
United States - Texas - Tarrant County - Arlington
Source
Arlington Historical Society, Fielder House Museum Collection
Record ID
ABHCA 00014
Usage Rights
This item may be copyright protected. If so, fair use printing and downloading are allowed for educational purposes only. Distribution, particularly for commercial purposes, requires permission from the copyright owner.
Subject
Arlington (Tex) -- History. African Americans -- Texas -- Arlington -- History. African Americans -- Texas -- Arlington -- Biography.
Language
English
Type
Image
File Format
.JPG
Buttons

1959 - Betty Johnson Hogg - Bible School

Description

Betty Johnson Hogg - Bible School

Coverage
United States - Texas - Tarrant County - Arlington
Source
Arlington Historical Society
Record ID
ABHCA 00017
Usage Rights
This item may be copyright protected. If so, fair use printing and downloading are allowed for educational purposes only. Distribution, particularly for commercial purposes, requires permission from the copyright owner.
Subject
Arlington (Tex) -- History. African Americans -- Texas -- Arlington -- History. African Americans -- Texas -- Arlington -- Biography.
Language
English
Type
Image
File Format
.JPG
Publication Date
1959
Buttons

1960s - Cynthia Jones with car

Description

Cynthia Jones with red & white car in the 1960s.

Coverage
United States - Texas - Tarrant County - Arlington
Source
Arlington Historical Society, Fielder House Museum Collection
Record ID
ABHCA 00011
Usage Rights
This item may be copyright protected. If so, fair use printing and downloading are allowed for educational purposes only. Distribution, particularly for commercial purposes, requires permission from the copyright owner.
Subject
Arlington (Tex) -- History. African Americans -- Texas -- Arlington -- History. African Americans -- Texas -- Arlington -- Biography.
Language
English
Type
Image
File Format
.JPG
Buttons

1960s - Easter kids

Description

Three children of Cynthia Jones and an out of town guest in their Easter best.

Coverage
United States - Texas - Tarrant County - Arlington
Source
Arlington Historical Society, Fielder House Museum Collection
Record ID
ABHCA 00012
Usage Rights
This item may be copyright protected. If so, fair use printing and downloading are allowed for educational purposes only. Distribution, particularly for commercial purposes, requires permission from the copyright owner.
Subject
Arlington (Tex) -- History. African Americans -- Texas -- Arlington -- History. African Americans -- Texas -- Arlington -- Biography.
Language
English
Type
Image
File Format
.JPG
Buttons

1960s - Margaret Taylor, first black nurse in Arlington

Description

Margaret grew up in The Hill roughly 1/2 mile from Arlington High (Cooper at Abram). But until segregation ended in Arlington in the mid 1960s, the closest high school Arlington's black children could attend was I.M. Terrell in Fort Worth—13 miles away by bus! That hardship made getting a diploma challenging for residents of The Hill, but dozens like her overcame the extra burden. Margaret graduated in 1957 and went on to become the first black nurse at Arlington Memorial Hospital.

Coverage
United States - Texas - Tarrant County - Arlington
Source
Arlington Historical Society, Fielder House Museum Collection
Record ID
ABHCA 00023
Usage Rights
This item may be copyright protected. If so, fair use printing and downloading are allowed for educational purposes only. Distribution, particularly for commercial purposes, requires permission from the copyright owner.
Subject
Arlington (Tex) -- History. African Americans -- Texas -- Arlington -- History. African Americans -- Texas -- Arlington -- Biography.
Language
English
Type
Image
File Format
.JPG
Buttons

1970s - Charles Waters and others

Description

1970s - Charles Waters and others

Coverage
United States - Texas - Tarrant County - Arlington
Source
Arlington Historical Society, Fielder House Museum Collection
Record ID
ABHCA 00028
Usage Rights
This item may be copyright protected. If so, fair use printing and downloading are allowed for educational purposes only. Distribution, particularly for commercial purposes, requires permission from the copyright owner.
Subject
Arlington (Tex.) -- History. African Americans -- Texas -- Arlington -- History. African Americans -- Texas -- Arlington -- Biography.
Language
English
Type
Image
File Format
.JPG
Buttons

1972 - Mount Olive Baptist Church

Description

Mount Olive Baptist Church, 1972.

Coverage
United States - Texas - Tarrant County - Arlington
Source
Arlington Historical Society, Fielder House Museum Collection.
Provenance
From Grady Pointer.
Record ID
ABHCA 00024
Usage Rights
This item may be copyright protected. If so, fair use printing and downloading are allowed for educational purposes only. Distribution, particularly for commercial purposes, requires permission from the copyright owner.
Subject
Arlington (Tex.) -- History. Arlington (Tex.) -- Churches. African Americans -- Texas -- Arlington -- History. African Americans -- Texas -- Arlington -- Biography.
Language
English
Type
Image
File Format
.JPG
Publication Date
1972
Buttons

1980s - Girls ready for Easter

Description

Girls ready for Easter outside the Emmanuel Church of God in Christ 

Coverage
United States - Texas - Tarrant County - Arlington
Source
Rev. Roy Daniels
Record ID
ABHCA 00015
Usage Rights
This item may be copyright protected. If so, fair use printing and downloading are allowed for educational purposes only. Distribution, particularly for commercial purposes, requires permission from the copyright owner.
Subject
Arlington (Tex) -- History. African Americans -- Texas -- Arlington -- History. African Americans -- Texas -- Arlington -- Biography.
Language
English
Type
Image
File Format
.JPG
Buttons

1985 - Nell Pointer Givens on her porch

Description

Nell Pointer Givens on her porch in The Hill in the summer of 1985, with neighbors in the background.

Coverage
United States - Texas - Tarrant County - Arlington
Source
Arlington Historical Society, Fielder House Museum Collection
Record ID
ABHCA 00022
Usage Rights
This item may be copyright protected. If so, fair use printing and downloading are allowed for educational purposes only. Distribution, particularly for commercial purposes, requires permission from the copyright owner.
Subject
ABHCA 00022
Language
English
Type
Image
File Format
.JPG
Publication Date
1985
Buttons

Public Wifi Connection Down

All library locations are currently without public wifi connection abilities. Public computers and other services are still available.
My Saved Lists