| Repository: | Western Reserve Historical Society |
| Creator: | Brown, Albert M. |
| Title: | Albert M. Brown Photographs |
| Dates: | 1908-1973 |
| Extent: | 0.41 linear feet (1 container and 1 oversize folder) |
| Abstract: | Albert M. Brown (1901-1994) was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of Russian Jewish immigrants. Brown became involved in social work in the Cleveland Jewish community, working at the Kinsman branch of the Council Educational Alliance from 1923-1929. After working at a New York City settlement house from 1930-1938, he returned to Cleveland and worked at the National Youth Administration and Bellefaire. In 1942, he became director of the Toledo Jewish Community Center. After returning to Cleveland in 1955, he served as executive director of the Community Temple (Beth Am) until 1963, when he was appointed the founding director of Council Gardens in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, a senior adult housing community. During his retirement, he worked part-time as the social director of his own residence, the Concord Apartments in Cleveland Heights. Brown wrote and produced many one-act plays. He was also authored The Camp Wise Story: 1907-1988, published in 1989. The collection consists of individual portraits of Albert M. Brown, group portraits depicting his associates and activities at Camp Wise and the Jewish Community Center, views of Camp Wise, and a view of B. J. Brown Hardware, his father's business. The slides depict Council Gardens in the 1960s and 1970s when Brown served as director there. |
| PG Number | PG 486 |
| Location: | closed stacks |
| Language: | The records are in English |
Albert M. Brown (1901-1994) was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1901, the son of Russian immigrants Esther and Abraham Brown. He attended Central High School until World War I. Too young to enlist in military service, he left school to help support his family. His brother Jack died in the influenza epidemic in 1918.
Brown later returned to night school, graduating in 1920. After working at the H. S. Rivitz Company, he became involved in social work. He worked at the Kinsman branch of the Council Educational Alliance (1923-1929) and a settlement house in New York City (1930-1938) before returning to Cleveland to work at the National Youth Administration (1938-1940) and Bellefaire (1941-1942). In 1942 he became director of the Toledo Jewish Community Center. After returning to Cleveland in 1955, he served as executive director of the Community Temple (Beth Am) until 1963 when he was appointed the founding director of Council Gardens in Cleveland Heights, a senior adult housing community.
Brown wrote and produced many one-act plays for children and adults. He also wrote The Camp Wise Story: 1907-1988, published in 1989 by the Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland and the Western Reserve Historical Society. After retiring, Brown worked part-time as the social director of his own residence, the Concord Apartments in Cleveland Heights. He died in 1994.
The Albert M. Brown Photographs, 1908-1973 and undated, consists of fifteen black and white photographs and 150 color slides. The photographs include portraits of Brown, group portraits depicting his associates and communal activities at Camp Wise and the Jewish Community Center; views of Camp Wise; and a view of B. J. Brown Hardware, his father's business. All of the slides, with one exception, are of Council Gardens in the 1960s and 1970s when Brown served as director there.
This photograph collection is of value to researchers studying Jewish communal institutions in Cleveland and northeast Ohio, especially Camp Wise and Council Gardens, particularly those for youth and the elderly. The 1950 photograph of B. J. Brown Hardware is an unusual city view of a business, the Cleveland skyline, and contemporary automobiles including a delivery truck.
None.
Related MaterialThe researcher should also consult MS 4760 Albert M. Brown Papers.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
[Container ___, Folder ___ ] PG 486 Albert M. Brown Photographs, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio
Gift of Aline Brown Shader in 1995.
Processed by Jane A. Avner in 1997.
Albert M. Brown Photographs 1908-1973 undated |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 1 | Portraits, Albert M. Brown 1967 undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 2 | Portraits, group, Camp Wise workers (oversize material removed to Oversize Folder 1) 1908 | |||||||||
| 1 | 2 | Six group portraits of Camp Wise scenes 1920s undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 2 | Jewish Community Center workers, including Brown 1949 | |||||||||
| 1 | 2 | Two Council Gardens group portraits 1964 | |||||||||
| 1 | 2 | Portraits, Central High School Class of 1920 reunion 1970 | |||||||||
| 1 | 3 | Views, Camp Wise, Painesville, Ohio undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 3 | Views, B. J. Brown Hardware, Cleveland, Ohio, Woodland and East 14th Streets 1950 | |||||||||
| 1 | 4 | Color slides of group portraits, interior and exterior views of Council Gardens, Cleveland Heights, Ohio 1964-1967 1969-1973 undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 4 | Color slides, artist's drawing of Mandel Jewish Community Center, Beachwood, Ohio undated | |||||||||