Frederick Bell Papers on St. Augustine Presbyterian Church, 1938–2006
Information, Description, and Finding Aid
Collection Information
Reference: MS-BELL
Dates: 1938–2006 (bulk 1938–1965)
Extent: 0.21 linear ft. across 1 archival box
Finding Aid Information
Creator(s): Steven Payne, Ph.D., Librarian and Archivist
Date created/updated: September 23, 2020
Administrative History
St. Augustine Presbyterian Church, located at 838 E. 165th St., was started by Rev. Edler G. Hawkins of The Bronx in 1938. The church quickly became one of the most vibrant Protestant churches in Morrisania for newly arrived Black Bronxites. By the 1950s, St. Augustine had also added a Spanish-language minister to serve the needs of the area’s growing Puerto Rican population. The church was a thriving cultural and social center, at one time hosting Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and producing regular musical programming, including classical concerts organized by Frederick Bell, the organist during the 1950s–1960s. (Bell also regularly played at various churches and other venues around the New York City metropolitan area, so he was well-connected and well-known.) The church’s head pastor, Rev. Hawkins, eventually went on to become the first African American Moderator of the General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church in 1964 and in that capacity traveled around the world to various African nations, the Middle East, and Europe. He resigned as Reverend of St. Augustine Presbyterian Church in February 1971 and began teaching at Princeton Theological Seminary as Professor of Practical Theology in September 1971. He died on December 18, 1977. Most of the material related to Rev. Hawkins’s career is housed at the Atlanta University Center, but The Bronx County Historical Society has general material related to St. Augustine Presbyterian Church, as well as a good amount of material related to the musical career of Frederick Bell. Information for this biography was gathered from the material in this collection as well as from the Edler G. Hawkins Collection Guide from the Atlanta University Center, Robert W. Woodruff Library.
Description/Scope and Content
The collection contains print ephemera and photographs related to Rev. Edler G. Hawkins and St. Augustine Presbyterian Church as well as documentation about the musical career of Frederick Bell, the church’s organist during the 1950s–1960s.
Provenance
This collection was acquired by Megan A. Hibbitts in May 2008 from Renee Hawkins Bell, the daughter of Frederick Bell.
Preferred Citation
[Item name or description,] Frederick Bell papers on St. Augustine Presbyterian Church, box _, folder _, The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
Points of Access
- Churches, The Bronx, New York -- St. Augustine Presbyterian Church (838 E. 165th Street)
- Ethnic groups -- African Americans -- Puerto Ricans
- Neighborhoods, The Bronx, New York -- Longwood -- Morrisania
- Pan-africanism
- St. Augustine Presbyterian Church (The Bronx, New York) -- Boy Scouts -- Christmas pageants -- Concerts -- Classical music -- Girl Scouts -- Sully's Club -- Vacation Bible School
- Individuals -- Bell, Frederick -- Hawkins, Rev. Edler G. -- Hawkins, Ellen Gail
Related Collections
- The Bronx African American History Project Digital Collection of Oral Histories. Fordham University Library.
- The Bronx African American History Project. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
- Bronx Board of Trade records. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
- Bronx Symphony Orchestra records. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
- Elias Karmon papers. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
- Listener-News collection. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
- Hansel L. McGee papers. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
- Maxine Sullivan papers. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
- Urban League, Bronx Branch Records. The Bronx county Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
Series
| Series | Title | Box | Folders |
| 1 | Print Ephemera | 1 | 2–6 |
| 2 | Fragile Material | 1 | 7 |
| 3 | Photographs [PH.BELL.1–75] | 1 | 8 |
Container List
Series 1: Print Ephemera
|
Box |
Folder |
Contents |
Date |
|
1 |
2 |
Bell, Frederick, musical career |
1954–1976 |
|
1 |
3 |
Clippings |
1953–2006 |
|
1 |
4 |
Publications, misc. (involving Rev. Hawkins) |
1946–1964 |
|
1 |
5 |
Print material, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
1952–1968 |
|
1 |
6 |
Religious periodicals |
1944–1947 |
Series 2: Fragile Material
|
Box |
Folder |
Contents |
Date |
|
1 |
7 |
Your World, December 1951 |
1951 |
Series 3: Photographs [PH-BELL.1–75]
|
Box |
Folder |
Contents |
Date |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.1: Adults, group photo |
1963 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.2: Anniversary Dinner, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church, part 1 (damaged) |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.3: Anniversary Dinner, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church, part 2 (damaged) |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.4: Boy Scout Troop 173, group photo at Bethel Temple in Morrisania |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.5: Boy Scout Troop 173, three boys |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.6: Child, peeking behind curtain |
1963 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.7: Child, standing in front of mural, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church, |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.8: Children, dancing, Sunday School/VBS, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.9: Children, eating, Sunday School/VBS, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.10: Children, group photo, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.11: Children, moving, Sunday School/VBS, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.12: Children, rehearsing, Sunday School/VBS, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.13: Children, standing, Sunday School/VBS, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.14: Children, sitting, Sunday School/VBS, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.15: Children, sitting at table, Sunday School/VBS, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.16: Choir, young adult, group photo, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.17: Choir, young adult, group photo, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.18: Christmas greeting, in multiple languages, from Cameroon |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.19: Christmas pageant, photo album cover (Burke Camera Shop, 3451 Boston Rd.) |
December 1965 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.20: Christmas pageant, action shot, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
December 1965 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.21: Christmas pageant, action shot, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
December 1965 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.22: Christmas pageant, action shot, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
December 1965 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.23: Christmas pageant, action shot, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
December 1965 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.24: Christmas pageant, action shot, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
December 1965 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.25: Christmas pageant, action shot, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
December 1965 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.26: Christmas pageant, action shot, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
December 1965 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.27: Christmas pageant, action shot, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
December 1965 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.28: Christmas pageant, action shot, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
December 1965 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.29: Christmas pageant, action shot, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
December 1965 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.30: Christmas pageant, action shot, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
December 1965 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.31: Christmas pageant, action shot, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
December 1965 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.32: Christmas pageant, action shot, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
December 1965 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.33: Christmas pageant, action shot, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
December 1965 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.34: Christmas pageant, action shot, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
December 1965 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.35: Christmas pageant, action shot, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
December 1965 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.36: Christmas pageant, action shot, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
December 1965 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.37: Christmas pageant, action shot, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
December 1965 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.38: Christmas pageant, action shot, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
December 1965 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.39: Christmas pageant, action shot, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
December 1965 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.40: Church formal, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church (fragment) |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.41: Church formal, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church (fragment) |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.42: Congregants, women, at church social cutting cake, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.43: Congregants, women, sewing at table, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.44: Daily Vacation Bible School, children gardening |
1938 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.45: Dioramas (from VBS?), St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.46: Dioramas (from VBS?), St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.47: Dioramas (from VBS?), St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.48: Flower girl and ring bearer, wedding procession |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.49: Girl Scout Troop 79, girls dancing |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.50: Hawkins, Edler G., group photo, with Archie Crouch and 2 other men |
Summer 1964 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.51: Hawkins, Edler G., church service, Douala, Cameroon |
Summer 1964 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.52: Hawkins, Edler G., with children, at Mbalmayo, Cameroon |
Summer 1964 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.53: Hawkins, Edler G., group shot, at Mbalmayo, Cameroon |
Summer 1964 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.54: Hawkins, Edler G., group photo, Yaoundé, Cameroon |
Summer 1964 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.55: Hawkins, Edler G., group photo, with Paramount Chief Nana Kwame Ofori II at Akropong, Ghana, chief adviser at left with solid gold mace of office |
Summer 1964 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.56: Hawkins, Edler G., group photo, with Paramount Chief Nana Kwame Ofori II, Akropong, Ghana |
Summer 1964 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.57: Hawkins, Edler G., group photo, with Archie Crouch and 3 other men, Newbigin Center, University College, Ghana |
Summer 1964 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.58: Hawkins, Edler G., group photo, with Archie Crouch and 2 other men, Lott Cary Mission, Liberia |
Summer 1964 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.59: Hawkins, Edler G., group photo, with Christopher Mojekwu, Lagos, Nigeria |
Summer 1964 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.60: Hawkins, Edler G., group photo, with two men at Scottish Presbyterian Church, Lagos, Nigeria |
Summer 1964 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.61: Hawkins, Edler G., at market, with Edmund Hogu (?), of Nigerian Broadcasting Company, Shadan (?), Nigeria |
Summer 1964 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.62: Hawkins, Edler G., group photo, with church leadership, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
Summer 1964 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.63: Hawkins, Edler G., shaking hands with congregants, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.64: Hawkins, Ellen Gail, face shot as child |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.65: Hawkins, Ellen Gail, face shot as adult |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.66: Men’s Group, St. Augustine Presbyterian Church |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.67: Participants, Presbyterian Council of the North and West, Jethro Memorial Presbyterian Church, Atlantic City, NJ |
October 5–9, 1955 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.68: Sully’s Club, group shot |
Spring 1939 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.69: Teenagers, basketball players, group shot |
March 1963 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.70: Teenagers, girls receiving awards, group shot |
March 1963 |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.71: Unidentified couple, at wedding |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.72: Unidentified man, face shot |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.73: Unidentified man, face shot |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.74: Unidentified man, face shot |
n.d. |
|
1 |
8 |
PH-BELL.75: Unidentified women, group shot |
n.d. |