MARTIN O. WEDDINGTON: Finding Aids : MNHS.ORG


	Creator:	Martin O. Weddington, creator.
	Title:	Martin O. Weddington Papers.
	Dates:	undated and 1921-2001.
	Abstract:	Biographical, subject files, and photographs of Martin O. Weddington, an active member of the African American community in the Twin Cities for over 70 years. This collection documents his activities at Mechanic Arts High School, the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Pilgrim Baptist Church, the Sterling Club, the American Legion, and the Prince Hall Masons.
	Quantity:	2.5 cubic feet (3 boxes and 3 oversize folders).
	Location:	See Detailed Description for shelf locations.

Martin O. (Ollie) Weddington has been an active member of the Twin Cities African American community for over sixty years. He was born in Kansas City, Kansas on November 15, 1917 and as a second-grader, Weddington and his family, moved to St. Paul, Minnesota. As a teenager he joined the juvenile Elks and graduated from Mechanic Arts High School in 1937. Martin and Sallie Mae Weddington married in 1939 and they had one son, Martin William Weddington, in 1941. During World War II Weddington worked at the Twin Cities ordinance plant and was a company clerk for the United States Navy. In 1948 he began a 27 year career with the United States Postal Service in St. Paul, retiring in 1975. For a time thereafter, he worked as an investigator of disputes between employeers and employees.

Weddington started attending Pilgrim Baptist Church in 1924 and through the years sang in the choir, ushered, taught Sunday School, and participated in the church's boy scout troop. Weddington also played football for the Welcome Hall and Hallie Q. Brown teams and coached basketball for Hallie Q. Brown. Among other activities Weddington served as president of the Credjafawn Social Club, the Sterling Club, the Twin City Reel and Trigger Club, the Twin Cities Council of Clubs, and as post commander of the American Legion Attucks-Brooks Post 606. Weddington also was active in community affairs in the Summit-University neighborhood of St. Paul as a member of the Aurora St. Anthony Block Club and in 1989 helped shut down three pornographic bookstores in the neighborhood.

Martin Weddington has been active in democratic party politics for years with his highest honor being a presidential elector for Minnesota in 1988. Weddington has been active with the traditionally African-American Prince Hall Free and Accepted Masons for many years and was Grand Master for the Minnesota jurisdiction, with eleven lodges, in 1971. In the mid-1990s, the traditionally white Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and the African-American Prince Hall Masons began to recognize each other and in 2000, Weddington became the first African-American in Minnesota to become a master in both groups when he became master of Cass Lodge No. 243 (Coon Rapids) Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.

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This collection is arranged into three series; biographical and alphabetical subject files, Masonic material, and photographs. The biographical and subject files document some of Weddington's activities and interests from the American Legion to the Twin City Reel and Trigger Club. While none of the individual files cover very many years, taken together they show Weddington's wide ranging community interests. In addition to programs from his Mechanic Arts High School reunions, this series contains information on the Ancient Egyptian Arabic Nobles Mystic Shrine, the Aurora St. Anthony Area Block Club, the Credjafawn Social Club, the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity: Zeta Nu Sigma Chapter, Pilgrim Baptist Church, and the Sterling Club to name only a few.

The Masonic papers are arranged into general information on masons, a number of items on the traditionally white Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and nearly a box of information about the traditionally African American Prince Hall Masons. The Prince Hall materials include histories of Prince Hall masonry in the United States and Minnesota, Grand Master conference items (particularly the 1972 St. Paul session), various memorial services for long time Prince Hall masons, Minnesota programs and proceedings, Northern jurisdiction programs and anniversary volumes, correspondence, and various protocols, constitutions and bylaws. The final series of photographs contain Weddington family photographs and Masonic meeting photographs. Martin Weddington appears in many of the Masonic group photographs; but many of the other individuals are unidentified.

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		Biographical and Subject Files
		Masonic Materials
		Photographs

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Access Restrictions:

Originals are closed. Access and use requires the curator’s permission.

These files are located off site in Remote Storage. Advance arrangements are required in order to view the files.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Martin O. Weddington Papers. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession number: 15,968

Processing Information:

Processed by: Rich Arpi, November 2006

Digitized by: Minnesota Historical Society, June 2019

Catalog ID number: 990063000530104294

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Biographical information on Martin O. Weddington and alphabetically arranged subject files concerning some of the organizations and activities in which Weddington was involved.

Location

Box

307.C.15.5B

1

Biographical files:

General information and vitas, 1975-2000.

MARTIN O. WEDDINGTON:

DETAILED DESCRIPTION