African-American broadcaster (1906?1986)
Alma Vessells John
|
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John in 1963
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Born
| Alma Vessells
(
1906-09-27
)
September 27, 1906
|
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Died
| April 8, 1986
(1986-04-08)
(aged 79)
New York City, US
|
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Other names
| - Alma Vessels John
- Alma John
|
---|
Alma mater
| |
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Occupations
| - Nurse
- civil rights activist
- newsletter writer
- radio and television personality
|
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Years active
| 1929?1986
|
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Alma Vessells John
(September 27, 1906 ? April 8, 1986) was an American nurse, newsletter writer, radio and television personality, and civil rights activist. Born in Philadelphia in 1906, she moved to New York to take nursing classes after graduating from high school. She completed her nursing training at
Harlem Hospital School of Nursing
in 1929 and worked for two years as a nurse before being promoted to the director of the educational and recreational programs at
Harlem Hospital
. After being fired for trying to unionize nurses in 1938, she became the director of the
Upper Manhattan YWCA School for Practical Nurses
, the
first African American
to serve as director of a school of nursing in the state of New York. (
Adah Belle Thoms
had served as acting director of
Lincoln School for Nurses
between 1906 and 1923).
[1]
In 1944, John became a lecturer and consultant with the National Nursing Council for War Service, serving until the war ended, and was the last director of the
National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses
from 1946 until it dissolved in 1951. Her position at both organizations was to expand nursing opportunities for black women and integrate black nurses throughout the nation into the health care system.
In 1949, John wrote a script titled
Brown Women in White
for production on
WNBC
, which led to a second career in radio and television. In 1952, she presented
The Homemaker's Club
on station
WWRL
in New York. The following year, she became the first black radio personality to be invited as a member of the New York chapter of the
Association of Women in Radio and Television
. She campaigned successfully for the organization meetings to be held in
unsegregated
facilities. In 1957, she received the
McCall's
Golden Mike Award for her show
What's Right with Teenagers
and in 1959 she became the director of women's programming at WWRL. Over her 25-year career at the radio station, she wrote and produced numerous programs giving household tips, health care advice, and providing community service information. In 1970, John began appearing on television shows at
WPIX-TV
. She interviewed prominent black figures on her shows
Black Pride
and
Positively Black
. John worked up to her death in 1986 and is remembered mainly for her pioneering role in radio.
Early life and education
[
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]
Alma Vessells
[Notes 1]
was born on September 27, 1906, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, to Hattie (nee Taylor) and Joseph Vessells.
[Notes 2]
She came from a family of nine siblings, which struggled with poverty.
Her mother died when she was twelve and Vessells, as the oldest child, helped raise her younger siblings.
Her father was a carpenter and Vessells worked as a
domestic
and vegetable peeler to earn money. The family read
Negro World
, published by
Marcus Garvey
, which strongly impacted her work ethic and ethnic pride.
After graduating from high school, she moved to New York City, to study nursing.
She enrolled at the
Harlem Hospital School of Nursing
in 1926 and graduated in 1929.
Career
[
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]
Nursing (1929?1951)
[
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]
After earning her license to practice, Vessells worked as a nurse at
Harlem Hospital
.
In 1930, she was hired as the director of the educational and recreational programs for them.
While working there, she met Cornwall Lisley John, whom she would marry on October 1, 1937. Lisley was a barber from
Saint Vincent
in the
British West Indies
, who worked in New York.
In October 1938, John tried to
unionize
the nurses to demand higher pay and better working conditions and was fired by the hospital.
Though a petition to get her job back was presented to the Civil Service convention held in New York that year,
John accepted a new post in 1938 as the director of
Harlem
's
Upper Manhattan YWCA School for Practical Nurses
.
In taking the position, John became the first African-American woman to direct a school of practical nurses in
New York State
.
John remained with the
YWCA
until 1944, when she left to work as a lecturer and consultant with the National Nursing Council for War Service.
Working as an assistant to
Estelle Massey Riddle
, she helped to eliminate the nursing shortage by increasing the number of black nurses. Their goal was to establish training programs for black students and to provide instruction to nursing school administrators, directors, and public officials on how to increase enrollment. Riddle and John pointed out that
segregated schools in the United States
meant that many black students needed improvements to their basic education in order to complete nursing training, and encouraged schools to develop curricula that would provide for a well-rounded education.
During this time, John returned to school, joined
Alpha Kappa Alpha
, and completed her
Bachelor of Science
in 1946 at
New York University
in education and public health nursing.
At the end of the year, she was the first nurse elected to membership on the National Committee on Children and Youth, a group organized to advise legislators about issues effecting young people.
Soon after her graduation, she became the executive secretary of the
National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses
.
Her role as director was to remove barriers and racial policies which prohibited the advancement of black nurses.
A second major part of her position was to assist with the transition of merging the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses into the
American Nurses Association
. She traveled around the
South
trying to smooth over concerns of white nurses about the merger, while trying to reassure black nurses that the merger could improve their professional status and open opportunities.
To reach broader audiences and expand nursing opportunities, John began broadcasting programs on the radio. In 1949, she wrote a script
Brown Women in White
for production on
WNBC
, which led to a consultation with
Margaret Cuthbert
, an
NBC
programming executive, for other radio work.
The show covered 40 years of the struggle for black women to work as nurses and was aired nationwide on 69 stations.
She continued to work as a consultant for the National Nursing Council for War Service until the war ended, and served as the last director of the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses until it dissolved in 1951.
In 1950, John was appointed as a delegate to the
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
's National Mobilization for Civil Rights. She was among the delegates chosen to speak directly with President
Harry Truman
about pressing needs of the black community and the need for civil rights legislation. The delegates stressed that the primary focus should be on the unrestricted right to vote by elimination of
poll taxes
and a federal
anti-lynching
law, but the administration chose to focus on fair employment practices legislation.
At the end of her tenure with the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses, John reported that prior to World War II, only 14 nursing schools throughout the country admitted black students. By 1950, nationally, 304 nursing schools allowed African-American students. She also noted that only five states still prohibited black nurses from joining associations, though there were still gaps in opportunity and pay nationwide.
Radio and television (1952?1978)
[
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]
In 1952, John began writing and presenting
The Homemaker's Club
on the New York station
WWRL
.
Initially the program was a 15-minute spot, but was soon expanded to a half-hour show in the station's drive to attract women listeners.
The show mixed household tips with conversation by John and her guests, which focused on social issues and community affairs and ran nationwide five days per week.
That same year, she and her husband began offering a
concierge
service, which they called the
House of Service
, for visitors to New York. Because of her extensive travel experience, she recognized the difficulty when traveling of making arrangements in an unknown city and their business helped travelers with informational requests, researching travel arrangements, setting reservations, and finding service providers for various needs.
In 1953, John became the first black woman admitted to the New York chapter of the
Association of Women in Radio and Television
.
She ran a successful campaign with
Mary Dee Dudley
, the first African-American female disc jockey in the United States, for the association to adopt a policy that all of their meetings would be held in non-segregated facilities.
[26]
[27]
Beginning in 1954, John produced the radio programs
Alma John Talks to Teens
and
What's Right with Teenagers
, the latter broadcasting three times a week.
These shows encouraged black youth to complete their education and strive for career opportunities, inspiring many to dream of entering the broadcasting business.
What's Right with Teenagers
was produced and directed by teenagers, and John helped them write scripts, plan programs, schedule interviews, and taught them to use the recording technology. Working with their schools, she also offered career advice and helped many of the students find employment.
[26]
In 1957, she was awarded the
McCall's
Golden Mike Award at the national convention of the Association of Women in Radio and Television held in
San Francisco
for her work on
What's Right with Teenagers
. She was the first black woman to receive the award.
In 1959, she was promoted to director of women's programming for WWRL.
Over her 25-year association with WWRL,
she produced various syndicated series on household hints, like
Alma John Shoppers' Guide
,
At Home With Alma John
,
Household Hints
and
Speak of Color
, which featured advice on budgeting, credit, decorating, and nutrition.
She produced a wide variety of shows including
The World at Your Doorstep
, an interview show featuring talks with foreign visitors and a program geared to senior citizens called
Golden Agers
. Other programs included public service projects such as information on health and civil rights issues, along with well-known guests like
Eleanor Roosevelt
.
[26]
In 1960, she was honored by the
National Urban League
,
and throughout her career received numerous awards and honors from various civic organizations.
In 1970, she was approached by New York City television station
WPIX
to host a program about black issues and achievements. For two years she hosted
Black Pride
, before becoming the show's producer in 1972. The program ran twice each week
and featured a wide variety of guests, including
Coretta Scott King
,
Ella Fitzgerald
,
Edythe J. Gaines
,
Roberta Flack
,
Rosa Parks
, and
Pamela Strobel
(aka Princess Pamela), among others.
She also hosted the talk series
Positively Black
.
Her last television production was a talk show,
Like It Is
, which was produced for WPIX in 1978.
Later career (1977?1986)
[
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]
John hosted the Alma John Workshops and published a newsletter of the same name from 1979 to 1986.
The workshops aimed to promote community uplift, education, and public health.
They offered community members of all ages a place to share their creative works and organized events for participation, like visiting prisons,
detention centers
, or children's homes.
In connection with the workshops, she traveled widely and spoke to various organizations and groups.
Death and legacy
[
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]
John died at Harlem Hospital on April 8, 1986, after suffering a stroke the previous day.
Her funeral was held at Saint Paul Baptist Church of Harlem on April 12 and on May 1, the
United States House of Representatives
paid tribute to her memory.
She was remembered for her contributions in the fight for civil rights, nursing, and as a pioneer radio personality.
She influenced the careers of numerous media communications professionals like
Gary Byrd
,
Pablo Guzman
, David Lampel, and
Gil Noble
, among others.
John's papers were willed to the
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
in New York City, which received them in 1990.
She was one of the radio pioneers featured on the
Smithsonian Productions
documentary series
Black Radio: Telling It Like It Was
created by Jacqueline Gales Webb in 1996. The archival records of the program, including taped interviews with John are housed at the
Indiana University
Archives of African American Music and Culture
in
Bloomington
.
Notes
[
edit
]
- ^
Her birth name was initially recorded as Hattie, but the birth certificate was later corrected to Alma.
- ^
Records are mixed as to whether her name is spelled as Vessells or
Vessels.
References
[
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]
Citations
[
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]
Bibliography
[
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]
- Adamczyk, Alice, ed. (1992).
"John, Alma Vessells, 1906-1986"
.
The Kaiser Index to Black Resources, 1948?1986
. Vol. 3: I-N. Brooklyn, New York: Carlson Publishing. p. 82.
ISBN
0-926019-60-0
.
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5th Annual Report of the Nursing Service of Bellevue, Harlem, Fordham & Gouverneur Hospitals and the 57th Annual Report of the Bellevue Training School for Nurses
(Report). New York, New York: Nursing Service of Bellevue, Harlem, Fordham and Gouverneur Hospitals
. Retrieved
September 25,
2020
.
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America's Tenth Man: a Pictorial Review of One-Tenth of a Nation
. New York, New York: Twayne Publishers, Inc.
OCLC
1011968695
.
- Clark, Karen (August 9, 1993).
"Guide to the Alma John Papers"
(PDF)
.
New York Public Library
. New York City, New York:
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
.
Archived
(PDF)
from the original on September 24, 2020
. Retrieved
September 24,
2020
.
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"Pioneering Is Old Story for Alma Vessells John"
.
The New York Age
. New York, New York. p. 4.
Archived
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. Retrieved
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2020
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.
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"Pioneer Broadcaster Mary 'Dee' Leaves a Legacy"
.
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. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. p. 2:1
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2020
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.
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"This Nurse Turned Radio Personality Uses the Air"
.
The Pittsburgh Courier
. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. p. 10
. Retrieved
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2020
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.
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(April 20, 1986).
"City Sounds"
.
The Daily News
. New York, New York. p. 10
. Retrieved
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.
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"Talking About Black Awareness"
.
The Record
. Hackensack, New Jersey. p. 14
. Retrieved
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.
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(1992).
Carson, Clayborne
(ed.).
The Papers of Martin Luther King, Jr
. Vol. II: Rediscovering Precious Values, July 1951 ? November 1955. Berkeley, California:
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.
ISBN
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.
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(May 1, 1986).
"A Tribute to Alma John of Harlem"
(PDF)
.
Congressional Record
. Washington, D. C.: Government Printing Office: 9359.
OCLC
304398268
.
Archived
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. Retrieved
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.
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(1961).
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. New York, New York:
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.
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.
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Black-Oriented Radio and the Campaign for Civil Rights in the United States, 1945?1975
(PDF)
(PhD). Newcastle upon Tyne, England:
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. Archived from
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(PDF)
on September 26, 2020
. Retrieved
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2020
.
- White, Joyce (March 13, 1973).
"Her Gentle Voice Will Be Heard"
.
The Daily News
. New York, New York. p. 47
. Retrieved
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2020
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Newspapers.com
.
- Whiting, Estelle (December 22, 1991).
"Remembering Sister Alma John"
(PDF)
.
Routes
.
1
(29). Old Chelsea Station, New York: OCR for Publishers: 1?2.
ISSN
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. Archived from
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(PDF)
on September 26, 2020
. Retrieved
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.
- "AKA to Host Regional Confab"
.
The Huntsville Mirror
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. Retrieved
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.
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.
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. New York, New York. April 12, 1986. p. 8.
Archived
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. Retrieved
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2020
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.
- Alma John Workshops Association, Inc. Newsletter
. New York, New York: Columbia University. September 20, 2012.
Archived
from the original on January 2, 2024
. Retrieved
September 26,
2020
.
- "Black Radio: Telling It Like It Was, circa 1920s?1997, bulk 1991?1995"
.
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. Bloomington, Indiana:
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. 2010. Collection #SC 39.
Archived
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. Retrieved
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.
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.
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Archived
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. Retrieved
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.
- "Bradfield to Feature Pair at Workshops"
.
The Lima News
. Lima, Ohio. February 20, 1977. p. D-2.
Archived
from the original on January 2, 2024
. Retrieved
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2020
– via
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.
- "Certificate of Birth: Alma
Hattie
Vessels"
.
Ancestry.com
. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Bureau of Vital Statistics. October 4, 1906. file #160136.
Archived
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. Retrieved
September 25,
2020
.
? via
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(subscription required)
- "Certificate of Death: Hattie Vessels"
.
Ancestry.com
. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Health. February 27, 1919. file #3165, registration #6188.
Archived
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. Retrieved
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.
? via
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(subscription required)
- "Civil Service Workers Vow A.L.P. Support"
(PDF)
.
The Daily Worker
. New York, New York. October 31, 1938. p. 4. Archived from
the original
(PDF)
on October 14, 2020
. Retrieved
September 25,
2020
.
- "Dial Data"
.
The Daily News
. New York, New York. April 7, 1949. p. 23C
. Retrieved
September 25,
2020
– via
Newspapers.com
.
- "Famous Radio Personality and Staff"
.
The Huntsville Mirror
. Huntsville, Alabama. March 25, 1961. p. 3
. Retrieved
September 27,
2020
– via
Newspaperarchive.com
.
- "Feminine Front"
.
The Baltimore Afro-American
. Baltimore, Maryland. July 5, 1960. p. 10
. Retrieved
September 26,
2020
– via
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.
- "From the Speaker's Rostrum"
.
The Hartford Courant
. Hartford, Connecticut. April 28, 1963. p. 9E.
Archived
from the original on January 2, 2024
. Retrieved
September 26,
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– via
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.
- "House of Service"
.
The Union
. Cincinnati, Ohio. April 10, 1952. p. 1.
Archived
from the original on January 2, 2024
. Retrieved
September 25,
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– via
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.
- "Lectures in Canada"
.
The New York Age
. New York, New York. November 10, 1945. p. 5.
Archived
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. Retrieved
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.
- "Mrs. Alma Vessells John: Golden "Mike" Winner"
.
The San Antonio Register
. San Antonio, Texas.
Associated Negro Press
. May 23, 1958. p. 3.
Archived
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. Retrieved
September 26,
2020
.
- "Odd and Even"
.
The Pittsburgh Courier
. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. April 16, 1949. p. 8.
Archived
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. Retrieved
September 25,
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– via
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.
- "Nurses Adopt Resolutions To Be Sent to 80th Congress"
.
The New York Age
. New York, New York. December 12, 1946. p. 4.
Archived
from the original on January 2, 2024
. Retrieved
September 25,
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– via
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.
- "Practical Nurses Hold Meeting"
.
The New York Age
. New York, New York. January 27, 1945. p. 4.
Archived
from the original on January 2, 2024
. Retrieved
September 25,
2020
– via
Newspapers.com
.
- "Progress Noted in 'Integration' of Negroes, Whites in Nursing"
.
The Courier-Journal
. Louisville, Kentucky. May 27, 1950. p. 14.
Archived
from the original on January 2, 2024
. Retrieved
September 25,
2020
– via
Newspapers.com
.
- "Say Southern Negro By-Passed at Mobilization"
.
The Jackson Advocate
. Jackson, Mississippi. January 28, 1950. pp. 1, 6
. Retrieved
September 25,
2020
.
- "Sister Alma John, Versatile Lady"
(PDF)
.
New York Amsterdam News
. New York, New York. April 20, 1974. p. D-12. Archived from
the original
(PDF)
on October 13, 2020
. Retrieved
September 24,
2020
.
- "Summit County, Ohio Marriage Records: John/Vessells"
.
FamilySearch
. Akron, Ohio: Summit County Courthouse. October 6, 1937. p. 364. volume #74
. Retrieved
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.
? via
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(subscription required)
- "Top Voice in Radio: Alma John is Director of WWRL Women's Activities"
.
The Pittsburgh Courier
. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. February 21, 1959. p. 16.
Archived
from the original on January 2, 2024
. Retrieved
September 27,
2020
– via
Newspapers.com
.
- "Tuning In On...WWRL-New York: Grass Roots Approach To Social Ills"
(PDF)
.
The Cash Box
. New York, New York: Cash Box Publishing Co., Inc. June 28, 1969. p. 44.
ISSN
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. Archived from
the original
(PDF)
on September 26, 2020.
- "John, Alma Vessells"
.
Who's Who of American Women: A Biographical Dictionary of Notable Living American Women
. Vol. 1 (1st ed.). Chicago, Illinois:
A.N. Marquis & Company
. 1958. p. 651.
OCLC
1001493690
.
External links
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