Rodman Library Archives - Alliance Historical Society

Black History Resources

2022 | Index, Rodman Library

Black History Resources at Rodman Public Library

by Jack Weber

Rodman Public Library offers several resources for those interested in learning about Black History, including transcripts of local residents recorded by the Alliance Historical Society as part of an oral histories project that began in the 1950s. The material is available for checkout or can be heard online at rodmanlibrary.com/oralhistories or on alliancememory.org.

Here is a listing of those that have been done to date:

Mary L. Thompson
Audio: http://local.rodmanlibrary.com/audio/thompson.mp3
Transcript: http://local.rodmanlibrary.com/transcripts/thompson.pdf

Rev. Willie C. Teague
Audio: http://local.rodmanlibrary.com/audio/teague.mp3
Transcript: http://local.rodmanlibrary.com/transcripts/teague.pdf

Elliott and Lillian Young
Audio: http://local.rodmanlibrary.com/audio/young.mp3
Transcript: http://local.rodmanlibrary.com/transcripts/young.pdf

Gloria Malone
Video: http://local.rodmanlibrary.com/video/malone.mp4

Phil Stewart
Video: http://local.rodmanlibrary.com/video/stewart.mp4

All the recorded oral histories are listed on the library’s website and photographs of the audio recorded individuals can be found on Alliance Memory in the Voices of Alliance Collection.

Researching Black History Beyond Alliance

Those studying Black history, especially those interested in genealogy, may also be interested in African American Heritage, a database from ProQuest that provides detailed records for African Americans. Records include federal census, marriage and cohabitation records, military draft and service records, registers of slaves and free persons of color, and more.

Visit rodmanlibrary.com/dbases and search the genealogy and history category or alphabetically to access African American Heritage.

Reprinted with permission from Rodman Public Library’s Buzz newsletter, February 2022.

Learn about local history

2022 | Historic facts, Index, Rodman Library

Learn About Local History Through Rodman Public Library

by Jack Weber

A library is full of resources to help its patrons connect with its community’s past.

Rodman Public Library is no different, but what you may not know is that residents of the greater Alliance area have access to historical data, records and artifacts right at their fingertips through the library and the Alliance Historical Society.

Website Links to Many Resources

On Rodman Library’s website, rodmanlibrary.com, there is a wealth of local history — much of it provided through the Historical Society — just waiting to be discovered and explored, including, but not limited to, old maps of Alliance through the Sanborn Fire Insurance maps produced between 1867 and 1970, city of Alliance ordinances and the minutes from public meetings held between 1854 and 1924, and full recordings of Carnation Festival parades for select years between 1983 and 2002. The Alliance Review Collection includes searchable digitized copies of The Alliance Review — nearly every edition produced between 1905 and 1925 — is available through Ohio Memory. The Recreational News, a weekly Alliance newspaper published from 1925-1927 that aimed to supply reliable information for every recreational activity in the interests of healthy sports and athletics, clean amusements, better homes and civic improvement is also available as are select copies of The Red and Blue, the student newspaper of Alliance High School.

Alliance Memory Offers Over 6,000 Images

One of the popular local history offerings found on rodmanlibrary.com is alliancememory.org, Featuring sights, sounds, and recollections of the Alliance community, Alliance Memory offers more than 6,000 images, documents and interviews (both written and digitally recorded) through the Alliance Oral Histories Project. A full list of available oral histories is available on the library’s website.

Full digitized editions of the Alliance High School yearbook, The Chronicle, from 1910 through 2017 can also be searched and browsed.

But Wait, There’s More!

To access the full local history resources available online, visit rodmanlibrary.com and click on the Genealogy and History tab in the blue navigation bar.

Of course, patrons are always welcome to visit the Main Library at 215 E. Broadway Street to explore physical materials such as books and microfilm.

Those wishing to talk to a librarian concerning historical and genealogical research, or those who need help accessing online material, should call 330-821-2665, ext. 217.