Red Bird Mission Records

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: BCA 0044 SAA 044

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

These are selected records and photographs documenting the extensive religious, educational, and health programming conducted by Red Bird Mission in adjoining portions of Knox, Clay, Leslie, Harlan, and Bell counties, Kentucky.

Dates

created: 1920-1985

Creator

Red Bird Mission (Beverly, Ky.). (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

Records and photographs can be accessed through the Reading Room, Berea College Special Collections and Archives, Hutchins Library, Berea College. An Index to Selected Photographs is available through the Special Collections and Archives Reading Room.

Restrictions regarding Records

Red Bird Mission records were collected and organized in 1982. Those having administrative, legal or historical value were microfilmed at the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives and all then returned to the Mission. The resultant microfilm master negative is owned by Berea College. A user copy is available for researchers. Berea College does not own the copyright for the manuscripts or printed documents included in this microfilm edition. Therefore, it is the researcher’s responsibility to secure permission to publish from the Red Bird Mission or its successors and assigns.

Records containing personal information may be restricted.

Restrictions regarding Photographs

Selected photographs were also organized and copied. The copy negatives and a set of copy prints are owned by Berea College. A second set of copy prints and all originals were returned to Red Bird Mission. Permission has been granted by Red Bird Mission for Berea College to reproduce all or part of the school’s photographs and to use them in slide or film presentations, display them or loan them for displays, and to allow their use by researchers for reproduction and publication. The proper credit line for all of the above uses shall be, “Red Bird Mission Photographic Collection, Berea College Southern Appalachian Archives.” Records and photographs can be accessed through the Reading Room, Berea College Special Collections and Archives, Hutchins Library, Berea College. An Index to Selected Photographs is available through the Special Collections and Archives Reading Room.

Extent

14.00 boxes_(general)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The Board of Missions of the mid-western based Evangelical Church began considering the eastern Kentucky’s Red Bird River region for a home mission project in 1919. On the recommendation of Rev. William Buyers, a Presbyterian minister from Hyden, Leslie County, Kentucky, a Board appointed committee visited the area and found that residents were receptive to the idea of a mission. The first Mission worship service was held in a tiny schoolhouse at Beverly in Bell County on May 29, 1921. The Rev. B.H. Niebel preached to over100 people who had come walking or on horseback. Educational efforts soon got underway with the arrival of two teachers from Pennsylvania and Illinois respectively. However, perhaps the most tangible initial help provided by the Mission was in the form of cash. Seventy-five cents a day was paid to each community worker who helped saw logs and build a residence for the Mission’s first superintendent, Rev. John J. DeWall. A school building serving 100 grade school children and six high school students was in place by 1922. Also that year the Mission Board approved plans for a dormitory, four additional workers, and a nurse. Later Dr. Harlan Heim, a graduate of Cornell Medical School arrived and by 1928 a hospital had been built. The Mission’s efforts at Beverly attracted interest from surrounding communities. The result was a complex, wide spread organization that by the 1980s included 21 churches, an accredited K-12 school, early childhood development program, hospital, outpatient clinic, craft sails outlet, used clothing store, and summer camping program. Over the years Mission staff have also actively cooperated with government and private agency efforts in promoting economic development and affordable housing.

Arrangement Note

The collection is arranged in two parts:

Part A: Selected Records

Series 1: Historical Studies and Publications, c. 1922-8

Series 2: Annual Council Meetings, Minutes and Reports, 1921-75

Series 3: Red Bird Mission Directors’ Files, 1946-81

Subseries A: General 1946-81

Subseries B: Resource and Economic Development Files, 1961-80

Subseries C: Personnel, A-Z, 1947-81

Series 4: Red Bird Missionary Conference Directors’ Files, 1941-80

Series 5: Red Bird Mission Hospital Office Files, 1927-77

Part B: Selected Photographs

Series 1: General File, 1920-1985

Series 2: Red Bird Missionary Conference Photographs, c. 1930-1984

Series 3: Chet Cramer photographs c.1920-1975

Series 4: Harlan Heim Slide Presentation: “The Challenge of the Cumberlands” 1932

Method of Acquisition

The collection was compiled and processed by the Settlement Institutions of Appalachia / Berea College Research Resources Project (1979-1986) funded by the Appalachian Fund and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Project Staff for Part A:

Archivist Director: Mary L. Zimmeth; Assistant Archivist: Diana L. Hays; Student Assistants: V. Hensley, J. Shepard Speight, P. Tucker, and E. Workman.

Project Staff for Part B:

Archivist Director: William Richardson; Project Photographer: Patricia Ayers; Photographic Assistant Archivist: Dorothy Shearard; Student Assistants: Key Ho Lee, L. Wilson, J. Hatchell, L. Warren, K. Miller, H. Echols and J. Kagwanja.