McGill Family Papers, 1870-2008

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  • Collection ID ARCHIVES 2004/08
  • Title McGill family papers, 1870-2008
  • Physical description 13 linear feet
  • Collection arrangement This collection has been arranged into 6 series : McGill family research files, clipping files on McGill family history, a scrapbook compiled by Nathan K. McGill, Sr., legal documents, serials, and photographs.
  • Access and usage restrictions Available for research in the Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection of Afro-American History and Literature, Carter G. Woodson Regional Library, Chicago Public Library.
  • Collection summary The McGill Family Papers were largely compiled by Nathan K. McGill, and the arrangement follows, in large part , the order in which the materials were created and donated to the Vivian G. Harsh Collection of Afro-American History and Literature. A great deal of the work of locating, selecting and providing identifying information for items in the papers should also be credited to Mr. McGill. Photographs were numbered in the order in which they were donated. The collection includes research files, clipping files on McGill family history, a scrapbook, legal documents, serials, and photographs.
  • Biographical or Historical Note
    • Nathan Kellogg McGill, Sr. (1886-1946) was a prominent and influential figure in jourmnalism, law and politics in Chicago and in Florida. Born November 29, 1880 [year uncertain] in Quincy, Fla.. He was the the younger brother of Simuel Decatur McGill, later a nationally known civil rights lawyer. After graduating from the Cookman Institute, McGill studied at Boston University School of Law. In 1912 he graduated and returned to Florida where he practiced law in Jacksonville, Florida and then Chicago where he spent most of his adult life. By 1924 or 1925 he moved to Chicago permanently and was soon appointed an assistant state's attorney for Cook County, sworn in on April 28, 1925. He was one of the first African Americans to hold office. The following year he was hired as general council and vice-president of the Chicago Defender, beginning a period of nearly 10 years in which he was Defender publisher Robert S. Abbott's closest business associate. By 1934 due to a serious rift that developed between Abbott and McGill lead to his termination on September 12, 1943 of all his positions with the Defender and Robert S. Abbott Publishing Company. Nathan K. McGill also served as an assistant attorney general of the state of Illinois from 1929-1933, and as a member of the Chicago Public Library Board of Directors from 1934-1940. Nathan K. McGill died May 7, 1946 at his home, 4806 South Parkway in Chicago.
    • Simuel Decatur McGill (1877-1951), born April 23, 1877 in Quincy, Fla. became one of the leading civil rights attorneys in the pre-World Ward II South. He was the oldest brother of Nathan K. McKill, also an attorney and general counsel of the Chicago Defender.
  • Finding Aids Note Finding aid available in the Reading Room of the Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection of Afro-American History and Literature, Chicago Public Library and on the library's website.
  • Names
    • McGill family Archives.
    • McGill family. fast (OCoLC)fst00212264
    • McGill, Nathan K.
    • McGill, Simuel.
  • Subjects
    • African American lawyers History Sources.
    • African American lawyers. fast (OCoLC)fst00799218
  • Uniform Title
    • Chicago defender History Sources.
    • Chicago defender. fast (OCoLC)fst01778656
  • Genre
    • Archives. fast (OCoLC)fst01423700
    • History. fast (OCoLC)fst01411628
    • Sources. fast (OCoLC)fst01423900
  • Finding aid URL http://www.chipublib.org/fa-mcgill-family-papers-2/ Finding aid