Katherine Morgan Hobbie Storms
Papers, 1953-2016

SC23027

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Biographical Note:

Katherine ("Kate") Morgan Hobbie Storms was raised in Sodus, New York, where she attended public schools.  She graduated from high school in 1964 and began collegiate studies the same year at Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. As an adult, Kate became involved with numerous social justice causes, which is reflected in her papers. She was active in the Walls Temple A.M.E. Zion Church as well as other A.M.E. Zion Churches in the region and around the state of New York. The A.M.E. Zion Church is the steward of the Harriet Tubman Home in Auburn, NY, and Kate took on an active role with the Harriet Tubman Home, Inc.'s Board of Directors. She was also active with the Underground Railroad History Project of the Capital Region and the planning of its conference each year.

Scope and Content Note:

The papers have been divided into series, which have been described in more detail below. Series I covers Kate's early life, up through college. A 2016 accretion to this collection added a small amount of personal ephemera from later in her life, but this first series is mostly related to her early life. Series II-IV relate to Kate's social justice work with religious institutions and cultural organizations in the capital region and throughout the state of New York.

Some abbreviations to be mindful of throughout:

A.M.E.: African Methodist Episcopal
WHOMS (or WH&OMS): Women's Home and Overseas Missionary Society
HTH: Harriet Tubman Home
UGRR: Underground Railroad
URHPCR: Underground Railroad History Project of the Capital Region

Series Descriptions:

Series I: Scrapbooks
(Box 1, Volume 1 – Box 4a)

1953-2009
This series is comprised mainly of scrapbooks related to the experiences and activities of Kate Storms, first as child growing up in Sodus, New York, and later as a student at Westminster College. Childhood scrapbooks include drawings, writings, school papers, newspaper clippings, and assorted mementos. The college scrapbooks include letters and photographs along with an array of printed memorabilia. Interest and participation in drama and music performances is indicated by the abundance of programs found in these scrapbooks. The scrapbooks for 1966-1967 are filled with mementos of her studies and travels in Europe. A 2016 accretion to the collection added holiday cards and other personal ephemera, circa 2000s, to this series.

Series II: African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
(Box 5, Folder 1 – Box 6, Folder 6)

1999-2007
This series consists of records related to the activities of the African Methodist Epsicopal (A.M.E.) Zion Church's New York districts, including: directories, conference materials, and educational/study materials. The Albany District and the Walls Temple A.M.E. Zion Church are well represented as this was Storms' home region. A significant amount of records exists for the Western NY District, and the remainder of the materials relate to Storms' work with the Women's Home and Overseas Missionary Society (WHOMS), an organization within the A.M.E. Zion Church.

Series III: The Harriet Tubman Home, Inc.
(Box 6, Folder 7 – Box 7, Folder 17)

1999-2008
This series consists of records related to the activities of the Harriet Tubman Home, Inc. Board of Directors, on which Storms served. Most of the records are related to Board of Directors meetings. A significant amount of records relate to fundraising projects, including those with the goal of restoring the HTH. Additionally, the series includes some records of related causes and organizations, including: The Harriet Tubman March 10 Coalition and the Freedom Trail Coalition.

Series IV: The Underground Railroad History Project of the Capital Region (Box 7, Folder 18 – Box 12, Folder 18)

2003-2016
This series consists of records related to the activities of the Underground Railroad History Project of the Capital Region (URHPCR). Primarily, the series documents the Underground Railroad (UGRR) History Conference put on by the URHPCR annually. Storms served on the Board of Directors of the URHPCR, served on the conference planning committee, and also presented workshops at the conference itself.

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