Frances Brand

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Frances “The Purple Lady” Brand. Photo credit: Charlottesville Woman

Frances Brand (1901-1990) was a local artist whose most-celebrated work was a collection of portraits called "Firsts" - images of local people who were pioneers in a field or endeavor. [1]

Born in 1901 in New York, Frances Brand married a military man with whom she had two children. At the age of 41, she joined the army where she spent a 10 year career as a liaison (particularly in Germany working with children affected by the Nazi regime), ultimately becoming an army major. [1] Brand once said she was asked out by Al Capone and was once arrested for civil disobedience at a protest organized by Martin Luther King Jr. [2]

Upon her retirement, she studied art at Mexico City College (now the University of Mexico) for five years. [3][dead link]

Frances Christian Brand died on November 19, 1990 (aged 89) in Charlottesville.

Collection

Her collection of "Firsts" reflects the influence of the Mexican folk painting she studied[4].[dead link]

The "Firsts" were painted between 1974-78 and include 157 portraits (although some may be part of her "modern madonna" series). The subjects are "people that Mrs. Brand had met and befriended in Charlottesville or Albemarle County, people whose strength of character she admired." [5] Many of her portraits were of notable women in the community or of civil rights leaders. Subjects include Nancy O'Brien, the first woman mayor of Charlottesville, Cornelia Johnson, the city's first female African-American police officer, and Jill Rinehart, the first woman elected to city council. [2]

The Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society owns the collection. [6][dead link]

A museum had been open at the site of her home at 111 Washington Avenue in the Jefferson Park Avenue neighborhood. The house was painted purple to honor Brand's penchant to dress in purple. [2] However, her granddaughter [citation needed] sold the house in February 2012. [7]

Subjects

' '
Ruth Klüger Angress Jewish survivor of Concentration Camp who later taught philosophy at UVA in Fall 7 who resigned in 1976 over disagreement with UVA administration
Anne Mae Bailey Introduced French into Charlottesville Public Schools, President of The Albemarle Arts Association, founded what would become Bailey Park at U.S. 250 & Hillcrest
Tim T.L.W. "Tillie" Bailey Jr. First "cotton technologist" for the Foreign Agriculture Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and during World War II was a leading 'microscopist'
Charles L. Barbour First Black Mayor of Charlottesville
[[Rev. Arie D. Bestebreurtje Minister at First Presbyterian Church on Park St. (1966-1981), active in Dutch Resistance during World War II
Sarah Patton Boyle Author of The Desegregated Heart, first white person on the board of the C'ville Chapter of the NAACP
Frances Brand Self portrait of the artist
Gina Alycia Brooks Miss NAACP USA, article July 8, 1977, father Van B. Brooks Jr.
Drewary John Birchard Brown One of the founders of Monticello Area Community Action Agency (MACAA) anti-poverty agency
John Brown Bunn broadcaster "wanted by local FBI for not having certain certificates" 1974 ran one of the few commercial cable radio stations in U.S.
Benjamin F. Bunn Founder of local NAACP and minister of Main Street Baptist Church. Married Imogene Bunn on June 10, 1939
Imogene Morgan Bunn First Black nurse to be in charge of city nurses. Married Benjamin F. Bunn on June 10, 39
E. Wells Bunyea CBS radio announcer with his alter-ego "Aunt Emma" AM107
Catherine Lynn Burke First female Rhodes Scholar at University of Virginia in 1976, the first year that was open to women
Brenda Burrough first African American female page
* Gail Burton Jones Area's first African American female mail carrier
James Butler First African American elected to Alb Co Board of Supervisors, first Afric. Amer. chief of an Extension Office (Alb.) in VA, Baker-Butler
*Margaret Mcleod Cain Attorney named as a member of the Daily Progress' "Distinguished Dozen"
Grace H. Carpenter First woman elected president of YMCA in 1974, broker
Martha S. Carpenter Woman on the first team of radio astronomers, UVA
Duanne Carter President of Soroptimists International Club, professional women who provide volunteer service to their communities
Ruth Harvey Charity First Black woman on National Democratic Committee, from Danville
Eliot Candee Clark President of the National Watercolor Society of the U.S.
Mary Williams Clark First female orthopedic surgeon at UVA's (Kluge) Children's Rehab. Ctr. in 1981
Otelia Abbott Coles mortician
Roberts "Rob" Coles Jr. 5th great grandson of Thomas Jefferson, acting, playing T.J. since 1976
Elizabeth "Babs" Conant local expert on lung fish, Ivy Creek?
Nincie Cornelia Darby Currier 1 of.. Women artist in area, involved in forming C-A Arts Assoc
Joy Suzanne Dallas Eshelman 1 of.. African Americans to graduate from U.S. Military Academy at West Point, incorrectly labelled Joan Gellis
Opal D. David first woman elected to Albemarle County Board of Supervisors
Amy Doggett First woman to graduate from the Naval ROTC program at University of Virginia
Mattie Dudley 1982 Medicaid benefits suspended because she transferred a pre-paided funeral plan worth $1200, Gov. Robb waived penalties
Gertrude Ballou Dunbar served during WWII overseas, genealogy
Ann Fulton Humphreys Dyer 1 of.. Women to graduate from UVA? Medical School, medical missionary
Mary Ann Wilder Elwood
Dorothy Emerson volunteer extraordinaire, retired from Church Women United, Meals On Wheels, missionary in India
Frances Farmer Head Librarian of UVA Law School 1942-76, 1979 started Oral History of UVA Law School's Second Century 1927-2027
Francis H. Fife 1 of.. Mayors to become housing advocate for the poor, City Council 1970-78, Mayor 1972-74
Frank Finger UVA Professor of Psychology, wresting coach, runner (wife- Eleanor "Nell")
Nancy (Rudolf) Flint founder of "First Night," C'ville's New Years Eve celebration, 1982?
Evelyn Patricia Foote Brigadier General in Army
Mary Elizabeth Forbes she married to 72 year old widower who advertised for second wife
James N. Galloway environmental science, air quality, funny
Nina Garfield first woman president of Temple Beth Israel
Paul Conrad Garrett attorney, Charlottesville City Clerk of Circuit Court 1981, 1st Af.Amer. C'ville City Atty 1976, 1971 grad of UVA Law School
Mary L. Garwood & Rebecca C. Haas area's first women firefighters
Paul M. Gaston author of The New South Creed: A Study in Southern Mythmaking, UVA professor, civil rights leader
Cynthia Gatton founder of UVA Chapter of Pi Beta Phi in 74 or 75, 77 BS in EDSA, m. Malloy
Vivian V. Gordon first African American woman on UVA faculty to receive tenure, grant to research interracial relations, divorced from Ronald C. Gordon
Ronald C. Gordon paralyzed, founded organization to invent Assistive Technology for Individuals with disabilities
Rae Gore woman carpenter in area, m. Burnette?
Mary Gore gardener at St. Paul's Episcopal Church
William A.Guthrie
Bessie Guy member of Church Women United, sang for troops oversees, "The Green Pastures" spirituals by Hall Johnson, in film and Europe
Nancy Hale Bowers first woman journalist on the New York Times
Beverly A. Hankins 1 of.. Working mother who commuted to DC, Ford Theatre restoration, 76 1st female faculty at UVA McIntyre Sch of Commerce
Sheila Hardy founder of UVA branch of Delta Epsilon Omega, African Amer fraternity/sorority, 75 BS Nursing, m. Vega
William McKinley "Bill" Harris founding dean of UVA's "Afro-American Affairs Office" to promote the welfare of black students, at UVA Aug 76 - July 82
Carolyn B. "Karen" HOP Hartsock young girl who saved her brother and sister in house fire on 6/13/82
Satyendra Singh Huja in charge of building and planning in 1973 (Dir of Planning & Community Development) 1st major project pedestrian (Downtown) mall
Charlotte Jennings Yancey Humphris Queen of the 1st Annual C'ville Apple Harvest Festival 10/16-21/1950, 1989-2001on Albemarle County Board of Supervisors
John & Mary Isreal funded by Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C., US-China People's Friendship Association, divorced
Alice Wesley Ivory sculpture, art
Margaret Jefferson
Nathan Johnson 1st black professor at UVA 1967-79, 6 yrs as Assoc Dir of UVA Desegregation Center
Cornelia Johnson 1st black police officer 1976, 3rd female officer
Donald W. Jones African American assistant to President of UVA Frank Hereford
Richard Chapin Jones first state forester for Virginia, appointed 3/1/1915, taught Forestry at UVA until 1928
Frances Ramsey Joseph to start July 4th Scottsville Festival
Marion Kanour woman graduate from UVA Army R.O.T.C.
Ellie Wood Page Keith woman to have city street named after her, horseback riding teacher
Alice Gertrude Whitten Kelso member of AAUW
Hazel Hopkins Key employed 50 years at UVA, assistant librarian in the law school
Heinz Kramp founder of Innisfree Village in 1971, a voluntary community with adults with mental disabilities; 1991 started "The Bridge"
Suzy M. Thomas & Nathan Lane Tom built Frances Brand's galleries, studied architecture
Charles "Chuck" Langham founder of SCROOGE - Society to Curtail Ridiculous Outrageous & Ostentatious Gift Exchanges
Lyn Lee doctor
David Lee
Sandra Levine restored the local American Association of University Women; 1979 helped found Piedmont Council of the Arts
Priscilla Little founder of FOCUS organization, helping women start a career; elder at Westminster Presbyterian in 1983; singer
Liu first (UVA?) graduate student from China
Adah Anita Lotti 1 of 1st woman MD in area, grad of UVA Medical School 1925, 1st class to include women, AAUW
John Christian Lowe international lawyer, cofounder of Camp Faith
Dumas Lowe Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation Biographer-in-Residence, professor emeritus of history at UVA
John Eacott "Jack" Manahan
Anna Anderson Manahan Claimed to be Anastasia, daughter of Czar Nicholas II of Russia
Ora Ann Manahan C'ville City Treasurer
George & Ruth Maverick friends of F. Brand; Ruth 8/11/1893-1/4/1983; "lynch" and "maverick" words originated from their family name; m.7/26/1917 San Ant.TX
Ellen Dale McCallin first seminarian planning to be a priest
Irina Igorevna Estakhova McCallin married UVA Russian Hist. Prof Woodford D. McC. 5/4/1974 in Moscow, reunited 1/30/1986, 1987 Alexandria, "Of Love & Russia"
Irena Berry Norvelle McCormick "specialist in living because her life is so rich and also did beautiful quilting" lived to age 107, Covesville
Sally McCormick SPCA
John F. Merchant first black graduate of UVA law school in 1958, 2004 honored at Conn. Law Day, lives in (Stamford, Stratford, or Southport CT?); golf
Henry Mitchell African American president (chairman?) of the Board of Education, priest at Trinity Episcopal
Gertrude Mitchell 1st black memb local AAUW, 1st black empl of Army Foreign Science & Tech Ctr, 1st black woman civil servant in Reg 3 of HEW
Beatrice "Bea" Mook first woman to deliver baby using Lamaze methods, 2007 publicist for The Jefferson Area Board For Aging
Martha Brown Morrison 1st Char-Alb member of the famous 99's, the Int'l Org of Women Pilots, licensed pilot in 1941, came to C'ville in 1968
Edith K. Mosher developed teaching methods; coauthor "ESEA The Office of Education Administers A Law" 1968
Susan & Sandra Murray first girls on boy's soccer team with the City League in C'ville, attended AHS
Ellen Virginia "Enie" Nash long standing attorney in area, 1 of 1st women to practice law on C'ville Court Square, 2nd woman on Alb Co Board of Supervisors
Marion Nolan m. Stanton
Nancy Kirkpatrick O'Brien 1st woman mayor of C'ville
Doris Overcash 1st female mail carrier 1973?
Julia Pace 1st white female police officer
Yvette Parsons hospital ombudsman in area
Camilla or Comilla Payne 1st teacher of Arts in local public schools
Sara A. Payne 1st woman minister of Presbyterian Church in Crozet
Catherine G. "Kay" Peaslee first woman to produce a newspaper (weekly), 1978 founded The Observer
Elizabeth Pigeon early 1900's was the only woman professor at UVA, founded Charlottesville Chapter of AAUW
Anna Lucia Puerta 1st flag woman in area
Elbert L. Radford Scottsville
Booker Reaves African American to receive master's degree from UVA
Brenda C. Redmond 1 of 1st women mystery writers in area, wrote Rena under pen name B. Gayle pub. 1977
Amy Carter Reid African American woman Baptist minister ordained 1944, president of C'ville Church Women United
Glenda F. Richardson 1st woman welder in area
Jill Tietsort Rinehart first woman member of the Charlottesville City Council 1972-1976
Leslie E. Rudolf 1st MD to perform kidney transplant in area; Amer Soc. Of Transplant Surgeons 5/22/1978?
Ralph L. Jr. Sampson professional basketball player (1983-1992), while at UVA was a three-time College Player of the Year; 1979-83 at UVA
Virginia Ann Scott first woman who sued to open UVA to women, 1969-70 (Carolyn can get contact info.)
Elizabeth TOWE Seabrook 1978 became The Senior Center's exec. Director; 1989 Woman of the Year
Jannene L. Shannon area's first woman judge
W. Ralph Singleton 1st from area to perfect a hybrid corn which then was grown all over the world
William Spence Smith Presbyterian minister, community workshops, at Westminster 1969-88
Zengxuan Song painting- "TC-1 Cell Line" lab coat, bottle
William A. Stickle first Roman Catholic chaplain to UVA 1959-75; founded St. Thomas Aquinas 1963
Gregory Hayes Swanson first African American who sued to open UVA to African Americans, applied in 1950 at age 26, lawyer from Danville
Kathryn C. SORENSON Thornton astronaut, selected by NASA in May 1984, became astronaut in July 1985, physicist
Grace L. Tinsley 1st African American member of C'ville Board of Education
Elizabeth Nelson Tompkins 1st woman graduate of UVA School of Law 1923, 23-25 law office of Judge Duke, 1925 on in Richmond
Paul Toomey champion ice skater from area, field research in India, later in Boston
Mary Updike started meals on Wheels in area
Otis Updike Professor Emeritus of chemical and biochemical engineering at UVA, worked with NASA, 41 BS CHE
Joseph Lee Vaughan 1st UVA Provost
Teresa J. Walker Price 1st African American librarian in local school system
Miriam Cooper Walsh 1st woman Hollywood movie star in area
Hong Kui Wang 1st scholar from mainland China to come to UVA, computer expert 1980's, holding "Edward A. Parish Jr. Elec ENGR, Computers"
Constance Chandler Ward 1st woman from St. Paul Church to become a priest Feb. 1978
Linwood Hughes Warwick Geologist for Virginia for 50 years, 1908-1959, U.S. Geological Survey
Randolph White Charlottesville-Albemarle Tribune
Eugene Williams buys and renovates houses to rent or sell, 1954 pres. of local NAACP
David Wilson to have psychiatric hosp named after him, founded UVA's Psychiatric department, 1938 estab UVA's 1st psychiatric ward
Margaret Wood first woman hired by UVA to teach stress training, Soroptimist Int'l
Jay Worrall Founder of Offender Aid & Restoration June 1970, Colonel in Army, Quaker (MACH Vol. 40), founder of & 1st exec dir of MACAA
1st mainland Chinese woman to work at a local job, given Apple computer when returned to China, pharmacologist?

External Links

Interview with Frances Brand about her interactions with civil rights leaders, provided by the University of Virginia Library[dead link]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Web. Remarkable "firsts" in Charlottesville, Lynn Rainville, Blog Post, Loco History, July 27, 2008, retrieved May 4, 2022.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Web. Purple Gain: France Brand's house gets painted, Maxey Hackworth, The Hook, January 30, 2003, retrieved January 26, 2012.
  3. Web. [ Our Firsts, Great and Small], Aleta Burchyski, Charlottesville Woman, March 1, 2011, retrieved January 26, 2012.
  4. Web. Online Exhibit: France Brand Collection Exhibit, Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society, retrieved January 26, 2012.
  5. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named painting
  6. Web. Online Exhibit: France Brand Collection Exhibit, Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society, January 30, 2003, retrieved January 26, 2012.
  7. https://gisweb.charlottesville.org/GisViewer/