Description: Photograph from the Columbus Free Press showing the Harper Valley Mothers Club's Clothing Room at a temporary location on West Third Avenue in Columbus, Ohio, ca. 1975. The Harper Valley Mothers Club was a grassroots community organization connected with the Godman Guild which began around 1970, offering clothing and other resources and services to low-income Columbus families. The Columbus Free Press began as a bi-weekly publication in Columbus, Ohio, in 1970. An underground newspaper, it replaced the Ohio State University publication The People, Yes. The earliest known issue of the newspaper appeared on January 4, 1971. The newspaper underwent a series of name changes over the decades, with titles including the Columbus Free Press & Cowtown Times (1972-1976), the Columbus Freepress (1976-1992) and The Free Press (1992-1995). The paper, which covered many liberal and progressive causes, was an alternative to mainstream news sources in central Ohio with the slogan “The Other Side of the News.” In 1995, the paper ceased publication briefly before reemerging as a website in early 1996, and returning as a print publication under the Free Press title in the form of a quarterly journal in 1998. Published under various frequencies during the first part of the 21st century, the Free Press again became a nonprofit monthly publication in 2017 with both a print and web presence, published by the Columbus Institute for Contemporary Journalism and operated by a volunteer staff and board. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: MSS1301AV_B02F09_02
Subjects: Social services--Ohio; Clothing and dress; Community organizations; Families--Ohio; Volunteers
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)
 

Description: Smoky Brown mural at a community kitchen in, Columbus, Ohio, ca. 1980-1995. Charles Thornton, the kitchen manager, is pictured looking at the mural. Brown was a Columbus folk artist who died in 2005. This photograph was taken by photographer Allen Zak for publication in the Columbus Free Press newspaper. The Columbus Free Press began as a bi-weekly publication in Columbus, Ohio, in 1970. An underground newspaper, it replaced the Ohio State University publication The People, Yes. The earliest known issue of the newspaper appeared on January 4, 1971. The newspaper underwent a series of name changes over the decades, with titles including the Columbus Free Press & Cowtown Times (1972-1976), the Columbus Freepress (1976-1992) and The Free Press (1992-1995). The paper, which covered many liberal and progressive causes, was an alternative to mainstream news sources in central Ohio with the slogan “The Other Side of the News.” In 1995, the paper ceased publication briefly before reemerging as a website in early 1996, and returning as a print publication under the Free Press title in the form of a quarterly journal in 1998. Published under various frequencies during the first part of the 21st century, the Free Press again became a nonprofit monthly publication in 2017 with both a print and web presence, published by the Columbus Institute for Contemporary Journalism and operated by a volunteer staff and board. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: MSS1301AV_B03F04_02
Subjects: Artists; Public art; African American Ohioans; Community organizations; Folk art; Mural painting and decoration;
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph of members of the Harper Valley Mothers Club from the Columbus Free Press. Its caption reads, "Carol McCabe, Penny Nichols, Violet Reynolds and Chris Kennedy link arms on the site of the now-demolished Harper Valley Mothers Club. Distributed clothing free of charge on the near north side of Columbus until recently." The Harper Valley Mothers Club was a grassroots community organization connected with the Godman Guild which began around 1970, offering clothing and other resources and services to low-income Columbus families. The Columbus Free Press began as a bi-weekly publication in Columbus, Ohio, in 1970. An underground newspaper, it replaced the Ohio State University publication The People, Yes. The earliest known issue of the newspaper appeared on January 4, 1971. The newspaper underwent a series of name changes over the decades, with titles including the Columbus Free Press & Cowtown Times (1972-1976), the Columbus Freepress (1976-1992) and The Free Press (1992-1995). The paper, which covered many liberal and progressive causes, was an alternative to mainstream news sources in central Ohio with the slogan “The Other Side of the News.” In 1995, the paper ceased publication briefly before reemerging as a website in early 1996, and returning as a print publication under the Free Press title in the form of a quarterly journal in 1998. Published under various frequencies during the first part of the 21st century, the Free Press again became a nonprofit monthly publication in 2017 with both a print and web presence, published by the Columbus Institute for Contemporary Journalism and operated by a volunteer staff and board. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: MSS1301AV_B02F09_01
Subjects: Social services--Ohio; Clothing and dress; Community organizations; Families--Ohio; Volunteers
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)
 

Description: A group of boys poses on the steps outside of the Godman Guild House in Columbus, Ohio. A sign advertises services including a free public library, free kindergarten, public baths and a district nurse. In 1898, Anna B. Keagle, a high school and Sunday School teacher in the Flytown neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio, and fourteen others became neighborhood activists and rented half of a brick double on West Goodale Street. In 1900 the group set out to build a sufficiently large settlement house. Henry C. Godman of the Godman Shoe Company gave $10,000 to the building fund, and construction was completed in November. The Godman Guild provided English classes, employment opportunities, children's programming and needs assessment. The District Nurses' Association used the Guild as a distributing point for free milk into the 1930s and the Guild pioneered the recreation center movement, conducting the first supervised playground in Columbus. The Guild opened the first public baths in the city and The Ohio State University College of Dentistry provided free dental care for children and adults. Godman Guild also founded an exclusively African Americans camp, Camp Wheeler in Chesterville, Ohio, 51 miles north of the city. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV148_B01F01_01
Subjects: Ohio History--State and Local Government--Social Welfare; Social services--Ohio; Children--Ohio; Community organizations
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)
 

Description: Smoky Brown mural at a community kitchen in, Columbus, Ohio, ca. 1980-1995. Charles Thornton, the kitchen manager, is pictured looking at the mural. Brown was a Columbus folk artist who died in 2005. This photograph was taken by photographer Allen Zak for publication in the Columbus Free Press newspaper. The Columbus Free Press began as a bi-weekly publication in Columbus, Ohio, in 1970. An underground newspaper, it replaced the Ohio State University publication The People, Yes. The earliest known issue of the newspaper appeared on January 4, 1971. The newspaper underwent a series of name changes over the decades, with titles including the Columbus Free Press & Cowtown Times (1972-1976), the Columbus Freepress (1976-1992) and The Free Press (1992-1995). The paper, which covered many liberal and progressive causes, was an alternative to mainstream news sources in central Ohio with the slogan “The Other Side of the News.” In 1995, the paper ceased publication briefly before reemerging as a website in early 1996, and returning as a print publication under the Free Press title in the form of a quarterly journal in 1998. Published under various frequencies during the first part of the 21st century, the Free Press again became a nonprofit monthly publication in 2017 with both a print and web presence, published by the Columbus Institute for Contemporary Journalism and operated by a volunteer staff and board. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL03677
Subjects: Artists; Public art; African American Ohioans; Community organizations; Folk art; Mural painting and decoration;
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph showing a fire hydrant painted in red, white and blue for the United States Bicentennial in May 1976, with a top hat resting on top. The image was submitted by photographer Ralph Miller in the Amateur category of the Spirit of Ohio Bicentennial Photo Contest. Miller also provided the following information: "Taken on North Green Street, Georgetown, Ohio, May, 1976. The Young Citizens of Georgetown painted all fireplugs in the Bicentennial theme. This one is across the street from my home. Our town was beautifully restored for the Bicentennial. Come see & enjoy it." In August 1976, the Ohio American Revolution Bicentennial Advisory Committee (OARBAC) began the Spirit of Ohio Bicentennial Photo Contest as part of a larger effort in Ohio to celebrate the 1976 American Bicentennial. The contest was meant to document "the spirit and character of the people and places which represent Ohio during [the] bicentennial year," and to create a permanent photographic archive of the year's festivity for use by future researchers. Both professional and amateur photographers submitted over 500 photographs for consideration, all taken within the state between January 1 and December 31, 1976. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: SA2734AV_B02F104_01_01
Subjects: American Revolution Bicentennial (1976); Public art; Community organizations; Fire prevention;
Places: Georgetown (Ohio); Brown County (Ohio)