wfn.org | [ENS] Dedication set for African American Episcopal archive at

["Matthew Davies" <mdavies@mail.epicom.org>]

Friday, February 18, 2005

Dedication set for African American Episcopal archive at Virginia
Theological Seminary

ENS 021805-1

[Episcopal News Service] The African American Episcopal Historical
Collection will be formally dedicated in a ceremony at Virginia
Theological
Seminary, in Alexandria, on Thursday, February 24, at 1:30 pm.

The African American Historical Collection solicits, preserves, and
makes
available for research and public education unique documentary evidence
of
the African American experience in the Episcopal Church of the United
States
and its colonial antecedents. These collections consist of written and
printed documents, audio and visual recordings, and photographs.

The keynote speaker for the dedication will be Bishop Herbert Thompson,
of
the Diocese of Southern Ohio, and preaching will be the Rev. Canon
Angela
Ifill, missioner for the Episcopal Church Center's Office of Black
Ministries.

The Historical Society of the Episcopal Church and the Bishop Payne
Library
of the Virginia Theological Seminary, in December 2002, agreed to
jointly
sponsor the Collection.

Virginia Theological Seminary, which is the second oldest and the
largest of
the Episcopal seminaries in the United States, has had a long standing
interest in ministry by and among African Americans. From 1878-1949 the
Bishop Payne Divinity School, in Petersburg, Virginia, was the primary
institution for the education of African American candidates for the
Episcopal ministry. Bishop Payne Divinity School merged with Virginia
Theological Seminary in 1953. The seminary's library was later named in
honor and in memory of the former divinity school.

Donations of appropriate archival materials from African American
individuals and/or organizations or others working with African
Americans in
the Episcopal Church are encouraged. All donations are documented by a
Deed
of Gift transferring full title to the Historical Collection. For
further
information, on donating material contact Julia Randle or Margaret L.
Lewis
at 703-461-1850 and 703-461-1732 respectively.

Monetary donations may be sent to Virginia Theological Seminary, 3737
Seminary Road, Alexandria, Virginia 22304, earmarked for the African
American Episcopal Historical Collection.

For registration and information call Vivian Burney at 703-461-1714.

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