TELA B. BURT:

Tela Burt was born on June 19, 1891 in Warrenton, North Carolina, the youngest of seven children born to Delia and Reverend Samuel Burt. Burt completed two years of study for the ministry at Nasemond Industrial School, but in 1912 decided to move to Minneapolis, Minnesota in order to study music at the University of Minnesota. After the move he decided not to attend the University, but remained in Minneapolis where he first worked at a theater running errands for the actors and later become assistant manager at the Odin Club. Burt was inducted into the military for World War I in 1918 and completed a tour of duty in France as a supply sergeant with the 809th Regiment of Pioneer Infantry. After the war he returned to Minneapolis and began what would become a thirty-eight year career with the post office (September 6, 1919-October 31, 1957). Burt also studied saxophone and clarinet at MacPhail School of Music and formed his own orchestra in 1921, the first of several dance bands he led during the 1920s and 1930s. In 1953 Burt earned a diploma in real estate from the Minneapolis Business College . After his retirement from the Post Office he became a licensed broker and started his own business, T.B. Burt Realty. He was one of the first African Americans in the Twin Cities area to enter the real estate field, a career he continued to practice well into his 80s.

Burt became a member of St. Thomas Episcopal church in 1940 where he served as a junior warden for over thirty years. He also served as president of the church's men's club for three years and as membership chairman for fifteen years. He was a charter member of the American Legion's Johnny Baker Post and served as post commander and service officer. As commander Burt organized the first Black American Legion baseball team and the first two boy scout troops. Burt also served as membership chairman with the NAACP for three years and worked with the Urban League for many years.

Burt was married twice with no children. His second wife, Edythe M. Burt, died in 1985. Tela Burt died in September 1995 at the age of 104.

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The collection includes a scrapbook containing correspondence, photographs, newspaper clippings, certificates and awards, and miscellaneous memorabilia connected with prominent events in Burt's life; a guest register from Burt's birthday celebration at the Johnny Baker American Legion Post (June 19, 1994); an unlabeled photograph album containing what appear to be pictures of Burt, his first wife, and their friends and relatives (1920s); loose photographs (undated and 1916-1949, 1975) of Burt, his family, and friends; and a video recording filmed at Burt's 100th birthday celebration at St. Thomas Episcopal Church (June 19, 1991) containing prepared remarks by guests about Burt's life and about life in the African American community in the Twin Cities.

Among the loose papers and documents included in the scrapbook are a photograph of the Odin Club staff (1917); photographs and military records related to Burt's induction and service during World War I; newspaper clippings announcing his retirement from the Post Office; photographs and newspaper clippings related to his American Legion activities including a photograph of the Johnny Baker Post's 1937 baseball team; his business school diploma and real estate licenses; a deed and purchase agreement for a lot in Minneapolis (1957); Edythe Burt's obituaries; and invitations, a biographical essay, and a poem presented at Burt's 100th birthday celebration at St. Thomas Episcopal Church (June 16, 1991).

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Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Tela B. Burt Papers. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession Number: 15,268

Location of Master Files:

Digital master of the video material is maintained on the Society's secure digital collections storage servers and is managed and preserved in accordance with archival best practices.

The original videocassette was disposed after the material was digitally reformatted into an MOV file.

Processing Information:

Processed by: Frank P. Hennessy, June 1998

Digital video transferred from the master videocassette by the Minnesota Historical Society for preservation purposes (November, 2019).

Digitization was made possible by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the vote of Minnesotans on November 4, 2008.

Catalog ID number: 990017347220104294

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Tela Burt's World War I campaign medal and service cap and his American Legion cap have been transferred to the Minnesota Historical Society museum collections.

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This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:

African American baseball players -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis.

African American Episcopalians -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis.

African American musicians -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis.

African American soldiers -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis.

African Americans -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis.

Baseball teams -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis.

Dance orchestras -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis.

Postal service -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis -- Letter carriers.

World War, 1914-1918 -- Participation, African Americans.

Person:

Burt, Edythe M., 1908-1985.

Organizations:

American Legion. Johnny Baker Post No. 291 (Minneapolis, Minn.).

Saint Thomas Episcopal Church (Minneapolis, Minn.)

United States. Army. Pioneer Infantry Regiment, 809th.

Type of Documentation:

Video recordings (physical artifacts).

Occupation:

Real estate agents -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis.

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