Black Middletown project records
MSC.002
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May 09, 2016
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Ball State University Archives and Special Collections
Alexander M. Bracken Library
2000 W. University Avenue
Muncie, Indiana, 47306
765-285-5078
libarchives@bsu.edu
Black Middletown project records MSC.002
Table of Contents
Summary Information ................................................................................................................................. 3
Historical Note............................................................................................................................................... 4
Scope and Contents....................................................................................................................................... 4
Arrangement...................................................................................................................................................4
Administrative Information .........................................................................................................................5
Related Materials ........................................................................................................................................ 6
Controlled Access Headings..........................................................................................................................6
Collection Inventory...................................................................................................................................... 7
Series 1: Survey forms, 1981.................................................................................................................. 7
Series 2: Administrative and project planning records, 1968-1985...................................................... 14
Series 3: Coding, cross tabulation, and frequency records, 1978-1986................................................ 15
Series 4: Oral history audio recordings and transcripts, 1980.............................................................. 17
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Black Middletown project records MSC.002
Summary Information
Repository
Ball State University Archives and Special Collections
Creator - Research team
head
Gordon, Vivian Verdell
Creator - Research team
head
Routledge, Dennis M.
Title
Black Middletown project records
Date [inclusive]
1968-1986
Extent
6.5 Cubic feet 13 boxes
Language
English
Preferred Citation
Black Middletown project records, Archives and Special Collections, Ball State University Libraries
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Black Middletown project records MSC.002
Historical Note
The Black Middletown project was conducted by Rutledge M. Dennis from Virginia Commonwealth
University and Vivian V. Gordon from the University of Virginia between 1980 and 1982 as part of
the Middletown III project funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Officially titled
"Black Middletown: A Community Study of Social Progress," the research project was designed to be a
comprehensive study of Muncie, Indiana's African American community similar to and employing the
same type of methodology used in the previous sociological studies of Muncie carried out by Robert
and Helen Lynd in 1924-1925 (Middletown I) and 1935 (Middletown II). Though in 1925 nearly six
percent of Muncie's population was comprised of African Americans, the African American community
was entirely omitted from the Lynds' original studies. As explained in the project proposal, the Black
Middletown project examined "contemporary Black Middletown by means of participant observation
and survey research in order to describe and interpret the changes that have occurred in each major
cultural sector and with respect to the changing patterns of stratification, cultural differentiation, and the
relationship of Black Middletown to the surrounding community and the larger outside world."
Scope and Contents
This collection contains completed survey forms and survey processing records (codebooks, cross
tabulations, and frequency tables); correspondence, grant proposals, and other administrative and project
planning records; newspaper clippings, research articles, and other reference material; and oral history
interview audio recordings and transcripts from the Black Middletown research project ranging from 1968
to 1986.
Arrangement
Series 1: Survey forms, 1981
Subseries 1.1: Women's surveys, 1981
Subseries 1.2: Men's surveys, 1981
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Black Middletown project records MSC.002
Subseries 1.3: Survey cover sheets, 1981
Series 2: Administrative and project planning records, 1968-1985
Series 3: Coding, cross tabulation, and frequency records, 1978-1986
Series 4: Oral history audio recordings and transcripts, 1980
Administrative Information
Publication Information
Ball State University Archives and Special Collections
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research. Separated materials are restricted. Contact the repository for more
information.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Archives and Special Collections, Ball State
University Libraries, Muncie, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to
Archives and Special Collections.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Archives and Special Collections as a donation from Howard M. Bahr.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Finding aid created 2009/10/27 by Jennifer Morrill. EAD finding aid completed 2011/01/11 by Bethany
Fiechter. EAD finding aid revised 2016/05/09 by Brandon Pieczko.
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Black Middletown project records MSC.002
Related Materials
Related Archival Materials
Materials relating to this collection may be found in the following collections in Archives and Special
Collections, Ball State University Libraries, Muncie IN:
MSC.001: Middletown III project records
MSC.027: Middletown IV project records
Controlled Access Headings
Genre(s)
•
•
•
•
•
Grant proposals
Photographs
Sound recordings
Surveys
Transcripts
Geographic Name(s)
• Muncie (Ind.)
• Muncie (Ind.)--History--20th century--Sources
• Muncie (Ind.)--Photographs--20th century--Sources
Subject(s)
•
•
•
•
African Americans
Middletown Studies Collection
Oral history
Women
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Black Middletown project records MSC.002
Series 1: Survey forms, 1981
Collection Inventory
Series 1: Survey forms, 1981
Scope and Contents
This series contains original surveys completed by African American men and women in Muncie,
Indiana in 1981 as part of the Black Middletown project. The survey questions are divided into eight
sections: "Social Background," "Community and Family Relations," "Getting a Living," "Making a
Home," "Training the Young," "Leisure Activities," "Religious Activities," and "Racial Issues."
Conditions Governing Access
Survey form cover sheets contain personally identifiable information about survey respondents and are
therefore restricted.
Subseries 1.1: Women's surveys, 1981
Women's surveys, 00001-00005, 1981
Women's surveys, 00006-00010, 1981
Women's surveys, 00011-00015, 1981
Women's surveys, 00016-00020, 1981
Women's surveys, 00021-00025, 1981
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Box
Folder
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Black Middletown project records MSC.002
Subseries 1.1: Women's surveys, 1981
Women's surveys, 00026-00030, 1981
Women's surveys, 00031-00035, 1981
Women's surveys, 00036-00040, 1981
Women's surveys, 00041-00045, 1981
Women's surveys, 00046-00050, 1981
Women's surveys, 00051-00055, 1981
Women's surveys, 00056-00060, 1981
Women's surveys, 00061-00065, 1981
Women's surveys, 00066-00070, 1981
Women's surveys, 00071-00075, 1981
Women's surveys, 00076-00080, 1981
Women's surveys, 00081-00085, 1981
Women's surveys, 00086-00090, 1981
Women's surveys, 00091-00095, 1981
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Black Middletown project records MSC.002
Subseries 1.1: Women's surveys, 1981
Women's surveys, 00096-00100, 1981
Women's surveys, 00101-00105, 1981
Women's surveys, 00106-00110, 1981
Women's surveys, 00111-00115, 1981
Women's surveys, 00116-00120, 1981
Women's surveys, 00121-00125, 1981
Women's surveys, 00126-00130, 1981
Women's surveys, 00131-00135, 1981
Women's surveys, 00136-00140, 1981
Women's surveys, 00141-00145, 1981
Women's surveys, 00146-00150, 1981
Women's surveys, 00151-00155, 1981
Women's surveys, 00156-00160, 1981
Women's surveys, 00161-00165, 1981
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Black Middletown project records MSC.002
Subseries 1.1: Women's surveys, 1981
Women's surveys, 00166-00170, 1981
Women's surveys, 00171-00175, 1981
Women's surveys, 00176-00180, 1981
Women's surveys, 00181-00185, 1981
Women's surveys, 00186-00190, 1981
Women's surveys, 00191-00195, 1981
Women's surveys, 00196-00200, 1981
Women's surveys, 00201-00205, 1981
Women's surveys, 00206-00210, 1981
Women's surveys, 00211-00215, 1981
Women's surveys, 00216-00220, 1981
Women's surveys, 00221-00225, 1981
Women's surveys, 00226-00230, 1981
Women's surveys, 00231-00235, 1981
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Black Middletown project records MSC.002
Subseries 1.2: Men's surveys, 1981
Women's surveys, 00236-00240, 1981
Women's surveys, 00241-00245, 1981
Women's surveys, 00246-00250, 1981
Women's surveys, 00251-00255, 1981
Women's surveys, 00256-00260, 1981
Women's surveys, 00261-00265, 1981
Women's surveys, uncoded, 1981
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Box
Folder
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Subseries 1.2: Men's surveys, 1981
Men's surveys, 00266-00275, 1981
Men's surveys, 00276-00280, 1981
Men's surveys, 00281-00285, 1981
Men's surveys, 00286-00290, 1981
Men's surveys, 00291-00295, 1981
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Black Middletown project records MSC.002
Subseries 1.2: Men's surveys, 1981
Men's surveys, 00296-00300, 1981
Men's surveys, 00301-00305, 1981
Men's surveys, 00306-00310, 1981
Men's surveys, 00311-00315, 1981
Men's surveys, 00316-00320, 1981
Men's surveys, 00321-00325, 1981
Men's surveys, 00326-00330, 1981
Men's surveys, 00331-00335, 1981
Men's surveys, 00336-00340, 1981
Men's surveys, 00341-00345, 1981
Men's surveys, 00346-00350, 1981
Men's surveys, 00351-00355, 1981
Men's surveys, 00356-00360, 1981
Men's surveys, 00361-00365, 1981
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Black Middletown project records MSC.002
Subseries 1.2: Men's surveys, 1981
Men's surveys, 00366-00370, 1981
Men's surveys, 00371-00375, 1981
Men's surveys, 00376-00380, 1981
Men's surveys, 00381-00385, 1981
Men's surveys, 00386-00390, 1981
Men's surveys, 00391-00395, 1981
Men's surveys, 00396-00400, 1981
Men's surveys, 00401-00405, 1981
Men's surveys, 00406-00410, 1981
Men's surveys, 00411-00415, 1981
Men's surveys, 00416-00420, 1981
Men's surveys, 00421-00425, 1981
Men's surveys, 00426-00430, 1981
Men's surveys, 00431-00435, 1981
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Black Middletown project records MSC.002
Series 2: Administrative and project planning records, 1968-1985
Men's surveys, 00436-00440, 1981
Men's surveys, 00441-00445, 1981
Men's surveys, 00446-00450, 1981
Men's surveys, 00451-00456, 1981
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Series 2: Administrative and project planning records, 1968-1985
Scope and Contents
This series consists of correspondence, grant applications, project proposal narratives, newspaper
clippings, reference material, photographs, and other administrative and project planning records for the
Black Middletown project ranging from 1968 to 1985.
Authorship agreement, 1984
Black Middletown project proposal, 1979-1980
Correspondence, 1979-1985
Delaware County Black Business Directory, 1977
National Endowment for the Humanities grant proposal and
correspondence, 1978
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Box
Folder
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Black Middletown project records MSC.002
Series 3: Coding, cross tabulation, and frequency records, 1978-1986
National Institute of Mental Health grant award notice, 1980
National Institute of Mental Health grant continuation application,
3
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3
25
3
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3
27
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3
29-30
1980-1981
Newspaper clippings about minorities, race relations, and discrimination,
1976-1979
"Notes from the Field" memoranda and Ball State Daily News cartoon,
1980
Photographs of downtown Muncie, 1977 July
Project forms and templates, circa 1977
Research articles on race, minorities, and education, 1968-1978
Series 3: Coding, cross tabulation, and frequency records, 1978-1986
Scope and Contents
This series consists of coding forms, codebooks, cross tabulations, frequency tables, and other records
ranging from 1978 to 1986. These records were created during the processing of the Black Middletown
surveys and summarize the responses provided in the survey forms.
Black Middletown codebooks, 1984-1985
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Box
Folder
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Black Middletown project records MSC.002
Series 3: Coding, cross tabulation, and frequency records, 1978-1986
Black Middletown coding errors, undated
Black Middletown coding notes, undated
Black Middletown cross tabulations by business and working class
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Box
Item
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Box
Folder
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Box
Item
occupational categories (V2-V180), 1986/06/10
Black Middletown cross tabulations by business and working class
occupational categories (V181-V359), 1986/06/10
Black Middletown cross tabulations by business and working class
occupational categories (V360-V622), 1986/06/10
Black Middletown cross tabulations by five household occupational
categories (V2-V178), 1986/06/10
Black Middletown cross tabulations by five household occupational
categories (V179-V334), 1986/06/10
Black Middletown cross tabulations by five household occupational
categories (V335-V622), 1986/06/10
Black Middletown frequencies, 1986/03/26
Black Middletown frequencies, 1986/06/10
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Black Middletown project records MSC.002
Series 4: Oral history audio recordings and transcripts, 1980
Black Middletown raw data, 1986/03/25
Fortran coding forms, 1985
Fortran coding forms - corrections, 1985
High School Blacks cross tabulations by occupational class, 1986/06/18
High School Blacks (excluding freshman) attitude items cross tabulations,
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2
Box
Folder
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Box
Item
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3
Box
Folder
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12/04/1978
High School Blacks frequencies, 1986/06/18
Survey problem identification sheets, undated
Survey totals cards, undated
R.021 Series 4: Oral history audio recordings and transcripts, 1980 (66 audio cassettes)
Scope and Contents
This series contains audio cassette recordings, original transcripts, and edited transcripts of oral history
interviews conducted by Rutledge M. Dennis, Vivian V. Gordon, and graduate assistants from the
University of Virginia and Virginia Commonwealth University in 1980. Topics discussed in the
interviews include segregation, the Ku Klux Klan, the Great Depression, organized labor and the
economy, and the social and religious lives of African Americans in Muncie, Indiana. Each interview
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Black Middletown project records MSC.002
Series 4: Oral history audio recordings and transcripts, 1980
was assigned a unique identification number by the researchers. Not all interviews have an audio
recording and/or transcript.
Conditions Governing Access
In compliance with the original agreement between the interviewers and interviewees, the names of the
interviewees are not included in the edited transcripts. Original transcripts may include the names of
interviewees and are therefore restricted.
Existence and Location of Copies
Audio recordings and transcripts have been digitized and are available online in the Ball State University
Libraries Digital Media Repository as part of the Middletown Digital Oral History Collections:
http://libx.bsu.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/MidOrHis
Box
R.021-3
Edited typed transcripts, 1980
Audio cassette recordings (R021.01 - R021.13), 1980
Audio cassette recordings (R021.14 - R021.21), 1980
Audio cassette recordings (R021.22 - R021.31), 1980
Audio cassette recordings (R021.32 - R021.36), 1980
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R.021-4
R.021-5
R.021-6
R.021-7