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MS-332 Don L. Crawford PapersIntroductionThe Don L. Crawford Papers were given to Wright State University Special Collections and Archives by Agatha Crawford Payne, Don’s widow, in January of 2004. 2.5 boxes (approximately 2.5 linear feet) of materials were received. The donor have some additional papers in January 2005.The collection includes newspaper clippings, magazine articles, scrapbooks, correspondence, speech notes and publicity, photographs, certificates, and campaign literature. Most items are by or about Don L. Crawford, Jr., one of Dayton’s best-known African American leaders of the 1960s-1980s. A few items in the collection relate to other Crawford family members Don L., Sr., Agatha Crawford Payne, and Donella Crawford. The Don L. Crawford papers date between 1918 and 2003. However, the vast majority of materials date to the 1960s and 1970s. This collection documents Dayton politics and race relations as reflected in the life and career of an extraordinary man. There are no restrictions on the use of the Don L. Crawford Papers. The Don L. Crawford Papers are organized into 4 series: Series I: Personal Papers Series II: City of Dayton Series III: Civic and Professional Organizations Series IV: Family Papers Biographical SketchDon L. Crawford, Jr., Dayton’s first African American City Commissioner and Clerk of Commission, was born in Clinton, Kentucky in 1921. He studied mathematics and physics at Kentucky State University, where he earned a B.S. degree in 1942. Crawford continued his studies at universities in the United States and in Puerto Rico and took a position as a high school mathematics instructor and basketball coach for two years. He then entered the U.S. Navy in World War II, serving as a Quartermaster Petty Officer on patrol craft and aircraft carriers in several theaters.In 1946, Don found employment in Dayton as a social work administrator. He was voted “Outstanding Young Man of 1954” by the Dayton Junior Chamber of Commerce- the first of many significant public recognitions. Don served as Boy Scout Executive, and later as Associate Executive Director of the Dayton Area Welfare Council. In 1961, Crawford was elected to the Dayton City Commission. In 1965, he was re-elected and served two years before accepting the position of Executive Assistant and Clerk of the City Commission, a position he held for the next 23 years. During his years of public service, Don Crawford was recognized for his strong leadership, especially in the area of human relations. He gave leadership to diverse civic and professional organizations and was in the forefront of many social improvement efforts. Throughout his career, Crawford was in demand widely as a public speaker. Many saw him as the public face of Dayton- the city’s good will ambassador to the world. Crawford retired in 1990. He died in December of 2000 at the age of 78. In 2002, a public park in Dayton was named in his honor. Scope and Content NoteThe Don L. Crawford Papers document the life of an important 20th century community leader. Through these papers, researchers may gain insight into politics and race relations in mid-to-late 20th century Dayton, Ohio.Series I: Personal Papers The personal papers of Don L. Crawford, Jr., document his private life, his rise to prominence as a public speaker and civil servant, and the many special honors and awards he received during (and even after) his lifetime. This is the largest series in the Don L. Crawford Papers. It is rich in correspondence, newspaper articles, and public speaking related materials. The race relations study materials (folder 7) include items from the National Urban League, Dayton Public Schools and Dayton and Montgomery County Public Library. Series II: City of Dayton The City of Dayton papers relate to Don Crawford’s election to the Dayton City Commission, his work as a Commission member (1961-1967), and his work as Clerk of the Commission (1967-1990). The folders in this series are surprisingly thin. They contain some campaign publications, a few City of Dayton publications, and a small number of miscellaneous Commission-related documents. Of special note, this series includes some White House, Congressional and National Conference of Mayors event invitations. This series also includes two oversized aerial photographs of downtown Dayton taken around 1970. Series III: Civic and Professional Organizations Series III contains reports, newsletters, publications and other papers reflecting Don Crawford’s membership in (and leadership of) a variety of civic, business and fraternal organizations. Like series II, the materials in series III are not very extensive. The strongest topic covered in series III is Don’s long-term relationship with the Boy Scouts of America, Miami Valley Council. Series IV: Family Papers The final series in this collection contains materials by and about Don L. Crawford’s father, Don L. Crawford, Sr., Don Jr’s wife, Agatha Crawford Payne, and their daughter, Donella Crawford. The items relating to Donella Crawford are the strongest part of this series. Series IV features newspaper articles, photographs, a WWI post card and booklet from Don Crawford, Sr., and items relating to Donella’s school years. Box and File Listing
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