Charlotte Schuster Price

The daughter of Alfred Ernest Schuster and Cora Hawley Schuster, Mrs. Price was born on October 6, 1912, in New Haven, Connecticut. She grew up in nearby West Haven. In 1935, she married Dr. Kline A. Price, Sr., who would go on to become only the second African-American physician in the United States to earn certification from the American Board of Urology, They spent their entire married lives in Washington DC. During World War II after her sons reached elementary and nursery school age, she returned to Howard University to earn a B.A. degree. In the 1940s, she belonged to an organization of African-American parents, known as Consolidated Parents, which fought for school desegregation in DC. As a member of the League of Women Voters, Charlotte fought for voting rights for DC residents. She was very active in the Americans for Democratic Action and served as vice president of the Washington chapter. In her mid-50s, she transformed herself from activist to archivist by earning a Master’s Degree in Library Sciences from Catholic University. Charlotte Price lived for nearly 40 years entirely on her own following her husband’s death in 1973. A native New Englander, she moved from Washington to Plymouth, Massachusetts, where, at the age of 61, she launched a new career as an archivist at Pilgrim Hall, the historical society there. She set up the archives and was Curator of Books and Manuscripts for twelve years. In 1975-76, she served as acting executive director of Pilgrim Hall. Mrs. Price spent fourteen years at Cape Cod Community College establishing an archive of documents about Cape history. Mrs. Price is survived by her son Dr. Kline A. Price, Jr., and his wife Bebe Drew Price of Columbia, Maryland; her son Hugh B. Price and his wife Marilyn Lloyd Price of New Rochelle, New York; seven grandchildren – Kelly Price Noble, Traer Price, Kline Price, III, Dr. Kendall Price, Janeen Price, Kathryn Price and Lauren Price; nine great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews and their families.