The collection is comprised primarily of St. Louis civic and religious event programs and individual memorial service programs collected by Theonis Guyton during her service in many church and philanthropic organizations in the St. Louis African American community from 1948 to 2017. The bulk of the collection dates from 1993 to 2018. There are several notable date gaps: 1952-1953, 1955-1956, 1958-1962, 1966-1968, 1970-1973, 1976-1980, and 1989-1992. The collection is arranged alphabetically by name of organization and individual.

The collection also contains materials related to Marion Guyton and his work at Scruggs Memorial Church and with the Christian Methodist Episcopal (CME) Church (B1/f.3-4). Mr. Guyton served as Sunday School Superintendent at Scruggs for many years and attended the CME general conferences. In 1966, Guyton was president of the Annual Conference Lay Department for the CME, which made him eligible for a clergy railroad pass. Theonis Guyton received a memorial certificate of appreciation for her father’s role as a founder of the Interdenominational Sunday School Worker’s and Superintendent’s Council in 1981 (B1/f.6).

There is an Order of the Eastern Star (O.E.S.) / Masons / Shrine souvenir program, presumably from the Harmony Grand Chapter Annual Session held in St. Louis in 1950 (B1/f.11). The Harmony Grand Chapter is the parent chapter to more than 66 African American O.E.S. chapters throughout Missouri, with the majority located in the City of St. Louis. The program cover includes a photo of Rev. D.S. Cunningham, pastor of Scruggs Memorial Church. It is unclear what role Rev. Cunningham and Scruggs played in the convention. It is also unclear if the Guytons were members of any of the affiliated lodges. The program contains greetings from officers of various chapters/lodges, often with photographs, and from African American businesses. There is a directory on the back cover, possibly to members of the New Hope Chapter No.56 O.E.S., who were responsible for producing the program.

Theonis Guyton saved memorial service programs for many individuals, primarily from 2009 to 2016. Many programs include biographies of the deceased and provide names of immediate family members and information about professional and community activities (B1/f.8-9). She also collected literature and programs from events sponsored by organizations to which she belonged or with which she volunteered, including the St. Louis Association of Colored Women’s Clubs and the Antioch District Missionary Baptist Association. Theonis founded the People of Faith for Foster Care but the collection contains only an agenda and minutes for a 12 November 2010 meeting held at Leonard Baptist Church and a thank you letter dated 4 February 2012 for donations received.

The Zeta Sigma Chapter of the Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority presented the first Afro-American Arts Festival in 1969 to celebrate Black History Week. It credits Pearl S. White for coordinating the first festival to increase awareness in St. Louis of the talented African Americans working in the arts. The eight programs in the collection include historical notes on the festival and black history week/month, brief biographies of the exhibiting artists, and spotlights and memorials for chapter members (B1/f.15, B2/f.1-2). Additional items relating to the sorority include a 2000-2002 directory along with awards/event programs, a note, and newsclippings.