<emph render="italic">A Century of Missions: 1840-1940, </emph>

]> PUBLIC "-//The New York Public Library//TEXT (US::NN::Sc MG 282::Llewellyn L. Berry Collection, 1900-1954)//ENG" "scmber11.xml" Inventory of the Llewellyn L. Berry Collection, 1900-1954 Processed by Hanna Bailey; machine-readable finding aid created by Apex Data Services; revised by Terry Catapano.

Text converted and initial EAD tagging provided by Apex Data Services, April 1999. Revised by Terry Catapano April 2000 Description is in English October 16, 2006 EAD v1.0 finding aid converted to EAD 2002 using UC Berkeley's eadv1to2002.pl perl script. Inventory of the Llewellyn L. Berry Collection, 1900-1954 Sc MG 282 Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture The New York Public Library New York, New York Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. New York Public Library. 515 Malcolm X Boulevard New York, NY 10037-1801 (212) 491-2224 scmarbref@nypl.org http://nypl.org/research/sc/scm/marb.html Processed by: Hanna Bailey Date Completed: June 1991 Encoded By: Apex Data Services; Terry Catapano

Preface

This inventory was prepared under the auspices of the Preservation of the Black Religious Heritage Project of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. The project, which is funded by the Lilly Endowment, was established to identify, preserve and acquire primary research materials for the documentation of African-American religious life.

Descriptive Summary Llewellyn L. Berry Collection, 1900-1954 Sc MG 282 Berry, Llewellyn L. ½ box. The New York Public Library Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture English Administrative Information Source

Donated by Dr. Leonidas H. Berry, May 26, 1989.

SCM 89-49

Biography

Reverend Dr. Llewellyn L. Berry was born in 1876 in Hampton, Virginia. His parents, John and Nancy Berry were among the founders of the African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church in Virginia. Berry was educated at Hampton Institute. Kittrel College, and Wilberforce University, where he received an Honorary Doctor of Divinity degree in 1936. From approximately 1908 until 1933, Berry was pastor at several A.M.E. churches in North Carolina and Virginia. During this period, his skills as a preacher allowed him to move from rural churches, to larger, urban churches in the area. In 1933, he was appointed Secretary Treasurer of the Home and Foreign Mission Department of the A.M.E. Church.

Berry served as secretary for twenty-one years until his death in 1954. His leadership brought much progress and expansion to the Department of Missions. He led the A.M.E. Church to perform more mission activity than ever before, and worked diligently to provide for and to support the missionaries located in West and South Africa, the West Indies, South America, and Canada. He also traveled to many of these areas to observe the progress of the missions. Berry was the first Secretary of Missions in the A.M.E. Church to work with other denominations. For example, he led the church to become a member of the divisions of the Foreign Missions Conference of North America. Berry wrote several books and articles, the most notable of which is entitled, <emph render="italic">A Century of Missions: 1840-1940, </emph>published in 1942 by Gutenberg Printing Company. He firmly believed in the role of the church as a sponsor of educational institutions promoting the advancement of black people in the U.S. and abroad. This belief is reflected in Berry's work establishing mission schools, such as the Monrovia School in Liberia.

Berry was married in 1900 to Beulah Ann Harris. They had six children: Leonidas H., Richard O., Llewellyn Jr., Elbert J., Gladys, and Geraldine.

Scope and Content

The Llewellyn L. Berry Collection contains items spanning the period 1900-1954. The collection is made up of items written by and about Berry. It also includes a number of personal documents. The collection is divided into three series: Personal Papers, Writings, and the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Series Descriptions/Container List 1 Personal Papers

The series includes various certificates, a passport, obituaries, funeral programs, and tributes written about Berry after his death.

1 1 Documents, 1900-1950 1 2 Funeral Programs and Tributes, 1954 1 3 Articles About L.L. Berry, 1954, n.d. Writings

The series contains two files; the first is a list of subjects and texts of sermons preached by Berry from 1921-1926. The second file consists of a speech and an article written by him.

1 4 Speeches and Articles, 1936, n.d. 1 5 Sermon List, 1921-1926 African Methodist Episcopal Church

The series contains reports, both annual and quadrennial, written by Berry on the status of the Department of Missions. These reports include membership and financial updates illustrating Berry's successful leadership. The series also contains samples of literature and programs published by the A.M.E. Church.

1 6 Reports, 1933-1952 1 7 Printed Material, 1939, n.d. Separation Record

The following items were removed from the:

Llewellyn L. Berry Papers SCM 89-49

Donor: Dr. Leonidas H. Berry

Date received: January, 1989

Date transferred: May 26, 1989

The item(s) listed below have been sent to the division indicated, either to be retained or disposed of there. Any items that should receive special disposition are clearly marked.

Schomburg Photographs and Print Division Two (2) folders: family and A.M.E. Church.

Accessioned by: D. Lachatanere

Date: May 26, 1989