Ella Fountain Keesler Pratt (1914-2008) was a Duke University employee for almost thirty years. Ms. Pratt was also a patron of the arts and community organizer in Durham, North Carolina. This collection contains documents, records, photographs, and notes that document her life as a Duke employee and Durham arts organizer. Items include personal notebooks, photographs of family and events, art exhibition catalogs, and audio recordings of performances at Duke University. The collection materials range in date from circa 1850 to 2008.

The Ella Fountain Pratt Papers contain materials pertaining to Pratts's personal life and professional accomplishments. A majority of the collection is comprised of personal correspondence, records, and news clippings that document Ella's education, her participation in the Durham Arts scene, and her experiences as a longtime employee at Duke University. Newer accessions also include photographs (largely unidentified and undated) of both Ella and her husband as well as their sons and Mr. Pratt's family as well as genealogical information, Mr. Pratt's correspondence, and materials pertaining to his education and work at Duke University, in addition to his service in the U. S. Navy during World War II. Of note is a letter signed by Richard Nixon soon after he was defeated in the 1960 election. The collection also includes notable autographs of the various artists Ella Fountain Pratt encountered during her lifetime. Items in the collection range from circa 1850-2008, with the bulk from 1960-2000.