Oscar W. Adams papers

Collection

Identifier: MSS-0010

No requestable containers

Scope and Contents

This collection spans from the late 1920s to the mid-1940s and focuses on the administrative and fiscal operations of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (AME Zion), particularly through the lens of Oscar W. Adams Sr.'s role as Secretary of Treasury. It includes correspondence from pastors of various AME Zion churches, reflecting the church's regional structure and financial concerns.

The collection also contains financial records, such as balance sheets, receipts, and reports, documenting the expenditures of the Alabama branch of the church and Adams' involvement in managing its finances. These materials offer insight into the church's budgeting practices and its efforts to avoid bankruptcy during the Great Depression.

The collection provides valuable documentation of church leadership, fiscal management, and religious administration, while highlighting Adams' influence on the church’s financial policies and his broader impact on the African American community.

Dates

Creation: 1909 - 1952

Creator

Adams, Oscar W. (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Due to the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access to certain materials may require additional advance notice.

Conditions Governing Use

Researchers are responsible for using the materials in conformance with United States copyright law as well as any donor restrictions accompanying the materials. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright claimants in collection materials. Copyright for official University records is held by The University of Alabama. The library claims only physical ownership of many manuscript collections. Anyone wishing to broadcast or publish this material must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of literary property rights or copyrights. Please contact Special Collections (archives@ua.edu) with questions regarding specific manuscript collections. For more information about copyright policy, please visit: https://www.ua.edu/copyright/. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.

Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals without the consent of those individuals may have legal implications, for which the University of Alabama assumes no responsibility.

Biographical / Historical

Oscar W. Adams Sr. (1888-1945) was an African American minister, journalist, publisher, and civic leader. A prominent figure in the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (AME Zion), Adams served as the church’s Secretary of Treasury and held an administrative role in the Church's Extension Department. He was also an alumnus of Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University (AAMU), where he played trombone in the university's orchestra under the direction of renowned musician W.C. Handy.

Adams was a significant figure in the Black press, founding the Birmingham Reporter in 1906, which provided crucial news coverage for the Black community in Birmingham, Alabama. The paper operated until 1934, highlighting local and national issues affecting African Americans. Through his work, Adams became a respected journalist and a key voice for Black civic and cultural concerns in Alabama.

In addition to his work in journalism, Adams was an active member of several fraternal organizations, including the Knights of Pythias, the Odd Fellows, and the Masonic Order of Alabama. He was deeply committed to the education of Black Americans and participated in various educational gatherings.

Adams' legacy also extends through his son, Adam Oscar Jr., who became the first African American to serve as a Supreme Court Justice in Alabama. Adams passed away in 1945.