MS181
Hannah Soloman Block
Collection
1930's - 1990's
Noted philanthropist Hannah Block was active in numerous endeavors in the Wilmington community, advocating for local historic preservation, developing the Azalea Festival, and serving as Mayor Pro Tem of the city. Born in Portsmouth, VA, Block attended the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore and worked as a jazz singer and pianist in New York City before the advent of WWII. In 1935, Block came to Wilmington with her husband, Charles Morris Block. In addition to her community involvement, Block spent years coaching young women for local, state, and national pageants, culminating in Maria Bell Fletcher’s 1961 Miss America win.
This collection includes consists of 21 boxes of letters, cards, invitations, programs, news clippings and full length newspapers, magazines, postcards, notes, and a manuscript. Three albums of photos, political and pageant buttons, letters, and awards are included in these albums. Also included are WWII-era items such as Civil Defense ID cards, Red Cross membership materials, ration books for food and gasoline, V-mail, and information on USO dances.
This Collection has been designated Accession Number 181 of the Manuscripts Collection, Special Collections Department, William Madison Randall Library, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, 601 South College Road, Wilmington, North Carolina 28403-3297.
There are no access restrictions on this collection.
Processed by Carroll R. Jones
Manuscripts
Collection
William Madison Randall Library
The University of North Carolina Wilmington
Winter
2001
I
Manuscript/Box/File
181/1/1
Pageants- dates unknown
Pageants- 1950's
Pageants- Programs, 1950's
Pageants- Programs, 1960
Pageants- Congratulations- telegrams, notes, Miss America win
1961
Pageants- Congratulations, 1962 - 1963
181/1/7
Pageants- Congratulations, 1964
181/1/8
Pageants- Congratulations, 1965 - 1966
181/1/9
Pageants- Congratulations, 1967 - 1968
181/1/10
Pageants- Congratulations, 1970's
181/1/11
Pageants- 1991 certificate from SUN-FUN FESTIVAL
181/2/1
Community service, no dates
181/2/2
Community service, 1946 -1957
181/2/3
Community Service,
American Legion Auxiliary Log 1956
181/2/4
Community Service, 1963 - 1964
181/2/5
Community Service,1965 - 1966
181/2/6
Community Service,1966
181/2/7
Community Service,1968 - 1971
181/2/8
Community Service,1982
181/2/9
Community Service,1985
181/2/10
Community Service,1990
181/2/11
Community Service,1990
181/2/12
Community Service,1993 - 1994
181/2/13
Community Service,1995
181/2/14
Community Service,1997
181/2/15
Community Service,1998
181/3/1
Assorted letters, cards, 1935 - 1945
181/3/2
Personal- Assorted letters, cards, 1940's
181/3/3
Personal- Assorted letters, cards, Undated
181/3/4
Personal- Assorted letters, cards, Undated
181/3/5
Personal- Assorted letters, cards, Undated
181/3/6
Personal- Assorted letters, cards, Undated
181/3/7
Personal- Copies of "Block's Log", 1942 - 1944
181/3/8
Personal- Assorted, undated
181/3/9
Personal- 1950 - 1955
181/3/10
Personal- 1956 - 1959
181/3/11
Personal- 1960 - 1965
181/3/12
Personal- Beachcomber Cruise, 1963
181/4/1
Personal- RMS Queen Elizabeth, 1966
181/4/2
Personal- 1966 - 1969
181/4/3
Personal- 1970's, refer. "Old Wilmington" properties
181/4/4
Personal- 1970's, copies of old deeds Front Street
181/4/5
Personal- 1970's
181/4/6
Personal- 1980's
181/4/7
Personal- 1990's
181/4/8
Personal- Various years, Assorted cards, programs
181/5/1
Assorted: various years
181/5/2
WWII volunteer involvement
181/5/3
NC Inaugural Ball, 1953
181/5/4
Political involvement 1950's - 1960's
181/5/5
Political involvement 1950's - 1960's
181/5/6
Cape Fear Memorial Bridge Dedications, October 20, 1969
Chamber of Commerce Christmas Dance, 1951
NC Jazz Festival, February 1985
181/5/7
Visitors Pass, U.S. House of Representatives
First Presbyterian Church Program, February 24, 1985
Cape Fear Museum, January 17, 1992
Invitation From Mayor Betz
Letter to City Council on Downtown Tourism, January 6, 1982
181/6/1
Newspaper clippings- 1935 - 1940's
181/6/2
Newspaper clippings- 1950's
181/6/3
Newspaper clippings-1950's
181/6/4
Newspaper clippings- 1950's
181/6/5
Newspaper clippings- 1950's
181/6/6
Newspaper clippings-1960's
181/6/7
Newspaper clippings-1960's
181/6/8
Newspaper clippings-1960's
181/6/9
Newspaper clippings-1960's
181/7/1
Newspaper clippings-1960's
181/7/2
Newspaper clippings-1960's
181/7/3
Newspaper clippings-1970's
181/7/4
Newspaper clippings-1980"s
181/7/5
Newspaper clippings-1990"s
181/7/6
Newspaper clippings-no dates
181/7/7
Newspaper clippings- no dates
181/8
Numerous cards, World Cruise folders, dried corsage
181/9/1
Art Of Producing a Local and State Pageant,
1955
181/9/2
Duplicate copy of Producing Pageant
181/9/3
Outline for local Pageants
181/9/4
At Home Abroad, production c. 1930's
181/9/5
Lifeguard sign- Carolina Beach First Aid
181/9/6
1965 license plates HB - 1, and Wilmington
181/9/7
Princess Moonfeathers! Manuscript, 1980
181/9/8
Assorted pages from Moonfeathers! Manuscript
181/9/9
American Jewish Times - Outlook 1959
181/9/10
Prop-Wash, Dec. 1944, Lions International,
1952
2nd annual Firemans's show, 1948, V.F.W.
magazine 1951
181/9/11
City Council cartoon, inscribed by Buck Myers
181/9/12
American Jewish Times - Outlook, 1953
181/9/13
The Southern Israelite, Dec. 1953. 2 additional
covers
181/9/14
The Southern Israelite, 1961, Hannah Block on
cover
181/9/15
Life, Dec. 25, 1964; The Bible
The Saturday Evening Post, February 1969
181/9/16
2 issues LIFE, Spirit of Israel, 25th
anniversary, 1973
181/10/1
UNCW magazine 1997
181/10/2
Wilmington Magazine, 1997. 2 issues
181/10/3
UNCW Fall convocation program
181/10/4
Life around Wilmington, June 14, 1951
181/10/5
Life around Wilmington, June 21, 1951 2
issues
181/10/6
Life around Wilmington, October 1951
181/10/7
Life around Wilmington, October 1951
181/10/8
Life around Wilmington, December 20,
1951
181/10/9
Life around Wilmington,
February 21, 1952
181/10/10
Life around Wilmington,
March 20, 1952
181/10/11
Life around Wilmington,
June 26, 1952
181/10/12
Life around Wilmington,
August 21, 1952
181/10/13
Life around Wilmington,
September 18, 1952, 2 issues
181/10/14
Life around Wilmington,
September 25, 1952
181/10/15
Life around Wilmington,
November 26, 1952
181/10/16
Life around Wilmington,
December 4, 1952
181/10/17
Life around Wilmington,
January 8,, 1953
181/10/18
Life around Wilmington,
January 22, 1953
181/10/19
Life around Wilmington,
January 29, 1953
181/10/20
Life around Wilmington,
February 26, 1953
181/10/21
Life around Wilmington,
March 12, 1953
181/10/22
Life around Wilmington,
March 26, 1853
181/10/23
Life around Wilmington,
April 2, 1953
181/10/24
Life around Wilmington,
April 9, 1953, 2 issues
181/10/25
Life around Wilmington,
April 16, 1953
181/10/26
Life around Wilmington,
April 23, 1953
181/10/27
Life around Wilmington,
October 15, 1953
181/10/28
Life around Wilmington,
July 1, 1954
181/10/29
Life around Wilmington,
October 28, 1954
181/10/30
Life around Wilmington,
April 14, 1955
181/10/31
Life around Wilmington,
February 9, 1955
181/10/32
Life around Wilmington,
July 19, 1956
181/10/33
Life around Wilmington,
February 27, 1958
181/10/34
Life around Wilmington,
1966
181/10/35
Wilmington and the Azalea Coast guide, 1970
181/11/1
Assorted name tags various years
181/11/2
Masquerade Ball, Sisterhood of Gomley Chesed
Synagogue 1931
181/11/3
The Metropolitan Host, Feb. 12, 1935
181/11/4
Folie Parisienne French Casino, program
181/11/5
The Hollywood, 1936
181/11/6
Peabody Bulletin, May, 1933
181/11/7
Peabody Conservatory of Music yearbook,
1932-33
181/11/8
2 issues The Metropolitan Host, 1935
181/11/9
VFW Magazine, Oct. 1951
181/11/10
National Rivers & Harbors Congress, 1965
Washington trip, June 8 -11
181/11/11
Indiana Rose Festival, 50 yrs. Amer. Legion June
1969
181/11/12
Miss Sun-Fun USA, 1960
181/11/13
2 issues Miss Sun-Fun USA 1961
181/11/14
2 issues Miss Sun-Fun USA 1962
181/11/15
2 issues Miss Sun-Fun USA 1963
181/11/16
2 issues Miss Sun-Fun USA 1964
181/12/1
Miss America Pageant 1954
181/12/2
Miss America Pageant 1956
181/12/3
Miss America Pageant 1957
181/12/4
Miss America Pageant 1958, 2 issues
181/12/5
Miss America Pageant 1960
181/12/6
Miss America Pageant 1960
181/12/7
Miss America Pageant 1961, 2 issues
181/12/8
Miss America 1962 - Homecoming Program
181/12/9
Miss America Pageant, 1962
181/12/10
Miss America Pageant 1963
181/12/11
Miss America Pageant 1980
181/12/12
Miss America Pageant 1992
181/13/1
Miss North Carolina 1949 - Morehead City
181/13/2
Miss North Carolina 1951 - Burlington
181/13/3
Miss North Carolina 1952 -
Winston-Salem
181/13/4
Miss North Carolina 1955 - Wilmington,
2 issues
181/13/5
Miss North Carolina 1956 - Morehead
City
181/13/6
Miss North Carolina 1959 - Durham
181/13/7
Miss North Carolina 1961 - Greensboro
181/13/8
Miss North Carolina 1977 -
Winston-Salem
181/13/9
Miss North Carolina 1980 - Raleigh
181/13/10
Miss North Carolina 1987 - Raleigh
181/13/11
Miss North Carolina 1988 - Raleigh
181/13/12
Miss Portsmouth, 1956
181/13/13
Miss Portsmouth, 1958, 2 issues
181/13/14
Miss Southern 500, 1960, Darlington, SC
181/14/1
Miss NC Apple Festival, 1962
181/14/2
Miss Norfolk, 1965. 2 issues
181/14/3
Miss Wilmington, 1971
181/14/4
Mrs. NC, 1991
181/14/5
Miss Canada, 1957, Hamilton, Ontario
181/14/6
Miss SC 1960
181/14/7
Miss Erwin Pageant, 1966
181/14/8
NC Rhododendron Festival, 1968
181/14/9
Miss Myrtle Beach, 1969
181/14/10
Miss Florida, 1969
181/14/11
Miss Miami Beach, 1973
181/14/12
Miss Fayetville, Cumberland Cty. Scholarship,
1979
181/14/13
Sudan Temple Fall Ceremony, 1945
181/14/14
NC Cotton Festival of Clayton, 1955
181/14/15
Jr. Chamber Commerce Miss Wilmington, 1957
181/14/16
Azalea Festival souvenir book, 1959
181/14/17
Azalea Festival souvenir book, 1960
181/14/18
Mock Beauty Pageant Veteran Foreign Wars, no
date
181/15/1
Proposal for State Assistance, Historic Preservation,
1972
181/15/2
Historic Wilmington Calendar, 1977
181/15/3
Scene magazine, 1978
181/15/4
Wildlife in North Carolina, Oct. 1979
181/15/5
Southern Living, July 1982
181/15/6
Southern Living, July 1982
181/15/7
1987 Opera House Theatre Co. Summer Program, 2
issues
181/15/8
2 issues "Anything Goes" - Opera House
programs
181/15/9
Builder Review, 1987
181/15/10
Thalian Hall Center for Performing Arts Gala,
1990
181/15/11
NC magazine, 1990
181/15/12
Historic Wilmington Foundation annual Report,
1996
181/15/13
The New Yorker, Feb. 16, 1935
181/15/14
The New Yorker, May 4, 1935
181/16/1
Assorted photos
181/16/2
Assorted photos
181/16/3
Many duplicate photos
181/16/4
Many duplicate photos
181/16/5
Duplicate photos, most undated
181/16/6
Duplicate photos, most undated
181/16/7
Duplicate photos, most undated
181/16/8
Assorted photos, most undated
181/16/9
Assorted photos, most undated
181/16/10
Photo Article on Hannah Block
USO Encore 2001
181/17
Small flat box
Assorted negatives, dried flower hair wreath, photo
Hannah
Block in Red Cross Ambulance driver
uniform
181/18
Wood scrapbook and Guest Log covers,
original
"Block's Log"
181/19
Newspapers, Hannah Block caricature, original color
costume designs, 1935 - 1985
181/20
Newspapers reference Pageants, Miss America. 1945 -
84
181/21
Newspapers: political, community, personal. 1935 -
1995
Album 1
Assorted political and pageant buttons, name tags, ID cards, membership cards. Also, news Clippings and photos. Letters, cards, announcements, visitors pass.
Album 2
Early years photos, post cards. Family, New York life. Letters, membership cards,
telegrams, news clips. European trip, before and after photos of Front Street renovation.
Album 3
Early years: photos with family in South America, West Indies cruise.
New York life: promo portraits of Hannah Block (aka Nina Rhodes) for publicity
COPYRIGHT: Retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.