Joseph D. Bibb papers, 1919-1966

Copyright may be retained by the creators of items, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law, unless otherwise noted.

Gift of Mrs. Joseph D. Bibb (accession #: x.3492.2010.1).

Joseph D. Bibb papers (Chicago History Museum) plus a detailed description, date, and box/folder number of a specific item.

Correspondence, political statements, newspaper clippings, four scrapbooks, and other materials of Joseph D. Bibb, a Chicago lawyer and newspaper columnist, an African American activist for equal rights and economic opportunity, and a state law enforcement official. Materials relate to the Republican Party, state corrections policies, and Bibb's work against racial discrimination. Scrapbooks contain articles Bibb wrote for the Pittsburgh Courier; articles about Bibb's activities, including his work as an editor of the Chicago Whip (1919-1932) and leader of the "Don't Spend Money Where You Can't Work" campaign; and his appointment to the cabinet of Governor William Stratton as Illinois Director of Public Safety (1953); his service on the board of directors of the Chicago Public Library (1944) and as a trustee of Provident Hospital. Collection includes a few issues of the Cincinnati Union (newspaper, ca. 1943-1950).

As Director of Public Safety, Mr. Bibb was the first African American appointed to statewide office in Illinois government. Prior to being selected as Director of Public Safety, Mr. Bibb was active as a lawyer, a member of the Republican Party, and a social activist as well as a newspaper columnist. He also worked as an editor of the Chicago Whip newspaper from 1919 to 1932. Mr. Bibb died in December 1966.

This collection was reprocessed in 2016. Due to rehousing of materials, some box and folder numbers have changed. Boxes 1 and 2 are now combined into Box 1; folders from the former box 2 are numbered 18-29. The scrapbooks formerly housed in Box 3 are now housed in Boxes 2, 3, and as a wrapped volume. The photographic materials remain with the manuscript collection.

• Names
  • Bibb, Joseph D.--Archives
  • Illinois--Director of Public Safety
  • Illinois State Police
  • Republican Party (Ill.)
  • Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- )
  • Illinois--Department of Public Safety
  • Chicago whip
  • Pittsburgh courier
  • Cincinnati union
• Subject
  • African American lawyers--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
  • African American newspapers--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
  • African Americans--Civil rights--Illinois--20th century
  • American newspapers--Illinois--Chicago--Sections, columns, etc.--20th century
  • American newspapers--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh--Sections, columns, etc.--20th century
  • Correctional institutions--Illinois--20th century
  • Law enforcement--Illinois--20th century
  • Newspaper editors--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
  • Police, State--Illinois--20th century
  • Public officers--Illinois--20th century
• Geographic Coverage
  • Chicago (Ill.)--Race relations--20th century
  • Illinois--Politics and government--20th century
  • United States--Illinois--Cook County--Chicago

The collection is arranged in two series.

Series 1. Personal papers (Box 1-3, 1 vol, 4 OS folders)

This series contains correspondence, political statements, newspapers and clippings, scrapbooks, and other materials of Joseph D. Bibb.

Materials include copies of statements by Mr. Bibb, primarily about the work of the Illinois Department of Public Safety, copies of columns Bibb wrote for the Pittsburgh Courier between 1940 and 1953, and copies of handbills that advertise events at which Mr. Bibb was the keynote speaker. One such handbill spells out, “Don't shop where you can't work,” calling on African Americans to avoid spending money in stores and businesses that discriminated in hiring.

The four scrapbooks cover the period 1940-1956 and consist mainly of photocopies of columns written by Bibb for the Pittsburgh Courier between 1940 and 1946, and of newspaper articles about Mr. Bibb between 1952 and 1956. Other items include an original letter to Mr. Bibb from General Eisenhower dated December 29, 1952; invitations, programs, ribbons, and other memorabilia.

Series 2. Photographs (Box 4, 1 folder)

This series contains photographs of and owned by Joseph D. Bibb.