The Theodore H. H. Harris Local History Research Papers is organized into four series. Series I, L.B. Fouse Civic League, Inc. Records, contains two volumes of meeting minutes (1953-1964). The L.B. Fouse Civic League, founded in March 1953, was a significant African American civic organization in Covington, Kentucky whose leaders and members were active in the Civil Rights movement and in providing social services for the community. The meeting minutes document the league’s membership, events, projects, and finances.

Series II, Historical Research Files, contains research files on various topics related to local African American history created by Harris in preparation for writing entries on these topics for the Encyclopedia of Northern Kentucky. A few folders contain research and articles written for the Register of the Kentucky Historical Society including extensive research about Isaac E. Black, a 19th century African American lawyer. Researchers will find subject files on African American organizations, businesses, churches, schools, and individuals. The files include news clippings, photographs (mostly reproductions), research notes, photocopies of vital and census records, programs, brochures, manuscript drafts, and published articles. Researchers may be particularly interested in the file on Alice Shimfessel as she was president of the L.B. Fouse Civic League, Inc. The research files are arranged alphabetically according to Harris’ original scheme. Folder titles listed are Harris’ original titles.

Series III, Historical Research, contains completed research papers by Harris.

Series IV, Personal Papers, contains an oral history interview with Harris conducted by Lois Hamill and Anne Ryckbost about his U.S Navy experience in Vietnam in the 1960s and an interview with Harris conducted by Katie Bramell about his research on the 1937 trial and execution of John Montjoy in Covington, Kentucky. The research file (Covington’s Legal Lynchings) is located in Series I. The series also contains papers from his involvement with two history-related civic organizations. Subseries 1 includes materials from his tenure on the Kentucky African American Heritage Commission, which was a partnership with the Kentucky Heritage Council, the State Historic Preservation Office. It has reviews conducted by Harris on grant proposals made to the commission for African American history projects. Subseries 2, Northern Kentucky African American Heritage Task Force (NKAAHTF), has correspondence written by Harris as the task force’s secretary; NKAAHTF quarterly newsletters from 1995-2004 (incomplete); and programs, newsletters, and guides from historic sites, programs, and conferences.