Showing 2 results

Archival description
Only top-level descriptions Florida File
Print preview Hierarchy
Card view Table view
1 results with digital objects Show results with digital objects
Genevieve J. Wheeler Thomas Collection
Meek-Eaton Archival Collection MS_0105 · File · 1949 - 1960

Location: AC.3.B.1.3.5 - AC.3.B.1.4.3

Genevieve Josephine Wheeler Thomas (1914–December 24, 2006) was an educator whose career spanned 36 years in the field of home economics. She served as a classroom instructor before becoming Dean of the School of Home Economics, where she played a significant role in advancing academic programming and facilities. During her administration, notable developments included the construction and furnishing of a new Home Economics annex within the Perry-Paige Agriculture and Home Economics Building. She concluded her tenure in 1977 after returning to classroom instruction, leaving a lasting impact on both students and institutional growth.

The Genevieve J. Wheeler Thomas Collection consists of three boxes of materials dating from 1949 to 1960, documenting her professional contributions to education and academic administration. The collection includes instructional materials, meeting minutes, correspondence, and related documents that reflect her work as both an educator and administrator.

These materials provide insight into curriculum development, departmental operations, and the evolution of home economics education during the mid-twentieth century. The collection also highlights Wheeler Thomas’s leadership and involvement in institutional planning, particularly during a period of expansion and modernization. Collectively, the records offer valuable documentation of her career and the broader educational landscape in which she served.
Senator Arthenia L. Joyner Collection
Senator Arthenia L. Joyner Collection
Meek-Eaton Archival Collection MS_0071 · File

Location: AC.2.B.2.4.4 - AC.2.B.3.1.3

Arthenia L. Joyner born 1943 in Lakeland, Florida, and raised in Tampa. She emerged as a leader during the Civil Rights Movement, participating in protests as both a high school and college student at Florida A&M University. Joyner attended the original FAMU College of Law, graduating in 1968, and went on to break significant barriers as the first Black woman to practice law in Hillsborough County and the first African American to practice law in Polk County. She later served as a legislative aide to State Representative Joe Lang Kershaw, the first Black legislator in Florida since Reconstruction, and was elected to three terms in the Florida House of Representatives representing the 59th District.

The Senator Arthenia L. Joyner Collection consists of eight boxes of materials documenting her career in law, public service, and civil rights advocacy. The collection includes correspondence, meeting records, travel documents, and speeches that reflect her work as an attorney, legislative aide, and elected official.

These materials provide insight into Joyner’s role in shaping public policy, her legislative activities, and her engagement with constituents and colleagues. The collection also highlights her involvement in civil rights initiatives and her contributions to expanding opportunities for African Americans in the legal and political arenas. Collectively, the records document her impact on Florida’s political landscape and her legacy as a pioneering African American woman in law and government.