Descriptive Summary
Simpson, Rev. Lee
Haywood
Rev. Lee Haywood Simpson
Papers
1921-1976
Materials are in
English.
MSS 0239
9.3 linear feet: 12
document boxes, 1 flat box, 3 additional document boxes & 1 rs box
containing miscellaneous material.
Houston Metropolitan Research Center,
Houston Public Library
Biographical Note
Rev. Lee Haywood Simpson, known as Rev. L.H. Simpson, was born in
Calvert, Texas on July 20, 1884. In 1925 he was elected as the pastor of
Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, located in the Fifth Ward section of Houston.
When he began as pastor there were six members, but within fifteen years there
were over three thousand members.
Pleasant Hill Baptist Church received much of the media's attention
while under the direction of Rev. Simpson, and there was rarely any negative
press. Rev. Simpson was not only active in the many facets of Pleasant Hill,
but he was also very involved with other organizations in the community. He was
chosen to head the Colored Baptist Minister's Association in 1939. He was
reelected consistently over a thirty year period. The N.A.A.C.P. elected him as
the director of their local chapter. Rev L.H. Simpson was also associated with
many other organizations and institutions. Politics was another arena in which
Rev. L.H. Simpson took part. He ran for a seat on city council in 1946,
although he was not elected, the fact that he received positive press
concerning his attempt during such a racially aware time in such a racially
aware city was an accomplishment within itself. The mayor of Houston at that
time, Mayor Hofheinz, officially declared the day in which Rev. L.H. Simpson
married Ms. Julie Josey as Josey-Simpson Merger Day.
When Rev. L.H. Simpson was laid to rest in 1967, he was mourned by
over one thousand people from all over the nation.
Scope and Contents
This collection is compiled of papers concerning the many, varied
activities of Rev. L.H. Simpson. The history and activities of the Pleasant
Hill Baptist Church make up a large portion of this collection. The other areas
cover Rev. L.H. Simpson's involvement in different groups, such as the
Gibralter Benevolent Association, N.A.A.C.P., the Houston Housing Reclamation
Commission, and the National Baptist Convention of America. This material
covers a fifty year span from the 1920s through the 1970s.
Arrangement
This collection is divided into ten subgroups. The first subgroup is
information on Pleasant Hill Baptist Church. The second subgroup contains Rev.
L.H. Simpson's sermons, some are complete, some are fragments, and there are
also some notes. The third subgroup consists of the Baptist Ministers'
Association information. The fourth and fifth subgroups deal with
correspondence and different organizations. The sixth subgroup concerns Rev.
L.H. Simpson's death and funeral. The seventh through tenth subgroups involve
clippings, miscellaneous items, Texas Southern University Annuals, and some
awards Rev. L.H. Simpson received.
Use Restrictions
None
Preferred Citation
Rev. Lee Haywood Simpson Papers. Houston Metropolitan Research Center,
Houston Public Library
Acquisition Information
Donated by Julie Simpson on August 3, 1983
Processing Information
Processed by Nikeesha Burrell, February 9, 1996
Index Terms
Subjects
African American
men--Texas--Houston
African
Americans--Texas--Houston
African American
churches--Texas--Houston
African American clergy--Texas--Houston
Organizations
Pleasant Hill Baptist
Church (Houston, Tex.)
Other names
Simpson, Lee
Haywood
Detailed Description
I. Pleasant Hill Baptist Church
1
1
The History of the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church,
undated
1
2
Pleasant Hill Baptist Church,
1920s-1930s
1
3
Pleasant Hill Baptist Church,
1940s
1
4
Pleasant Hill Baptist Church,
1950s
1
5
Pleasant Hill Baptist Church,
1960s and
1970s
1
6
Pleasant Hill Baptist Church,
undated
1
7
Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Mission Society `Minutes',
1938-1939
1
8
Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Mission Society `Minutes',
1939-1941
1
9
Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Architecture Material,
1939-1940
1
10
Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Real Estate Records
1943,
1949,
1966,
undated
1
11
Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Financial Records,
1930-1958
1
12
Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Miscellaneous Financial
Records,
1933-1959
1
13
Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Miscellaneous Financial
Records
1960-1968, some
undated
1
14
Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Miscellaneous Church
Bulletins,
1932-1973
II. Sermons
2
1
Address to Pullman Porters
(1940s?)
2
2
Complete Sermons,
1929-1961
2
3
Complete Sermons,
undated
2
4
Complete Sermons,
undated
2
5
Complete Sermons,
undated
2
6
Complete Sermons,
undated
2
7
Complete Sermons,
undated
2
8
Sermon Fragments
1938,
1937,
1941,
1957
2
9
Sermon Fragments,
undated
2
10
Notes Collection
2
11
Roberts' Sermons
III. Baptist Ministers
3
1
Houston Colored Baptists Ministers' Association
1939,
1940-1942,
1953,
1956,
1958-1963,
1965,
1967-1968,
1971-1972
3
2
Missionary Baptist General Convention of Texas
1935,
1940,
1955,
1960,
1967
3
3
General Central (Baptist) District Association of Texas
1941,
1959-1960,
1962-1964,
1966
3
4
National Baptist Convention of America
1939-1941,
1952,
1955,
1961-1964
3
5
Journal, National Baptist Convention of America,
1958
3
6
Journal, National Baptist Convention of America,
1962
3
7
Program, Annual Session of the Sunday School and Baptist
Training Union Congress,
1961-1962
IV. Correspondence and Foreign Tour Files
3
8
Correspondence
1929,
1937,
1941,
1943-1947,
1949
3
9
Correspondence
1950,
1952-1959
3
10
Foreign Tour: Correspondence,
1954-1955
3
11
Foreign Tour: Miscellaneous,
1955
4
1
Correspondence,
1960-1962
4
2
Correspondence,
1963-1968
4
3
Correspondence,
undated
V. Organizations and Programs
4
4
Ownership Transfer, Colored Orphans Home (New Waverly,
TX.)
1927
4
5
Annual Report, Houston Community Chest,
1930
4
6
Gibralter Benevolent Association,
1936,
1955
4
7
Program, Booker T. Washington High School Graduation,
1943
4
8
Annual Report, National Association for the Advancement
of Colored People (N.A.A.C.P.),
1943
4
9
Program, Watchtower's Annual Roundup and Outing,
1944
4
10
Program, Conroe Normal and Industrial College,
1945,
1950
4
11
Financial Records, Houston Training School for Negro
Blind,
1946
4
12
N.A.A.C.P.
1951-1952,
1956,
1958-1959,
1963-1964,
1969,
some undated
4
13
Minutes, Northside Business and Professional, Political,
Labor, and Civic League,
1953-1956
4
14
Minutes, Houston Housing Reclamation Commission,
1954
4
15
Retirement Home New Waverly, TX.,
1958-1964
4
16
Program, Independent District Association of Texas
Meeting,
1961
5
1
Mary Allen College,
1960,
1962-1963
5
2
Program, 4th Annual Town and Rural Ministries
Conference, Prairie View A&M College,
1963
5
3
The Prairie View Standard,
1964
5
4
Program, Ross Mortuary 27th Anniversary Service,
1965
5
5
Profile of the Houston Negro
Community with Special Tribute to Barbara Jordan by The Harris County
Council of Organizations,
1967
5
6
Working Draft, The Clever Leader, by Julie
Simpson
5
7
Book, The Clever Leader, and related
documents
5
8
1946 Election of Rev. L.H.
Simpson
5
9
Miscellaneous,
1951,
1954,
1956,
1959,
1961-1967,
1970,
1976,
some undated
VI. Obituary and Funeral Attendance Registers
5
10
Obituary
5
11
Funeral Roster
5
12
Funeral Roster
5
13
Funeral Roster
5
14
Funeral Roster
5
15
Funeral Roster
VII. Press
6
1
Various Clippings, dated and arranged
6
2
Press,
undated
6
3
Miscellaneous
VIII. Miscellaneous
6
4
Pamphlets
6
5
Essays
6
6
Miscellaneous
6
7
Rev. L.V. Bolton
IX. Texas Southern University Annuals
6
8
Texas Southern University Annual, The Tiger,
1957
6
9
Texas Southern University Annual, The Tiger,
1958
X. Awards
7
1
First Forty Congratulations Certificate
7
2
Proclamation of Josey-Simpson Merger Day,
1954
7
3
Greater 5th Ward Citizens League Board Member's
Certificate,
1952-1953
7
4
Great Thinker Plaque
7
5
Distinguished Service Award Plaque,
1964
7
6
Outstanding Political Development Plaque,
1951
8
1
Conroe Normal and Industrial College, Honorary D.D.
Degree,
1937
8
2
Councilman At Large Flyer,
1946
(2 copies)
8
3
Erma Hughes Business College, Honorary Science of
Business Degree,
1950
8
4
Membership Certificate to The United Supreme Council, 32
degrees of Freemasonry,
1951
8
5
N.A.A.C.P. Lifetime Membership Certificate,
1952
8
6
Union Baptist Theological Seminary, Doctor of Laws
Degree,
1960
8
7
Top Award and 78th Birthday Plaque,
1962
8
8
Proclamation of Rev. L.H. Simpson Day,
1964
XI. Photographs
9-13