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Mary Yost Photographic Album

 Collection
Identifier: 2022-011

Scope and Contents

This collection is of one photographic album of 70 pages with 270 black and white photographs assembled by Mary Yost of a group of friends and spouses who were motorcycle enthusiasts and their travels through the American southeast. Captured are images of an unofficial motorcycle club and their trips, travels, daily life in Virginia and surrounding states, and images of military men at American bases during World War II. Photographs measure between 2¾”x 2½” and 3½” x 5” and most are captioned.

Dates

  • 1940 - 1942

Physical Description

Some wear throughout the photographic album. Back album cover is detached among other loose pages. There are about 14 missing photographs, two pages cut, and several pictures are torn. Delicate handling required.

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

Although motorcycle clubs became popular in the United States after World War II, they existed before the late 1940s as groups of friends and like-minded individuals travelled in bands on similar machinery. Groups of people came together with their shared interests and official clubs (sometimes chartered through the American Motorcycle Association) and unofficial ones were formed.

Unofficial motorcycle clubs historically were male centered or male only while official clubs slowly loosened female exclusionary rules. Women riding motorcycles and wearing trousers during the 1940s was uncommon and often looked down upon in society. One of the first all-women motorcycle clubs, the Motor Maids, was established in 1940 and continues into 2022.

Extent

0.2 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Physical Description

Some wear throughout the photographic album. Back album cover is detached among other loose pages. There are about 14 missing photographs, two pages cut, and several pictures are torn. Delicate handling required.
Title
Guide to the Mary Yost Photographic Album
Status
Completed
Date
September 2022
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the The University of Alabama Libraries Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Box 870266
Tuscaloosa AL 35487-0266
205.348.0513