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Location: AC.2.A.3.3.1 - AC.2.A.3.5.2

Born April 11, 1903 in Dayton, Tennessee, Alonzo S. "Jake" Gaither was head football coach of the FAMC Rattlers from 1945 to 1969. During his 25-year tenure, Gaither compiled a record of 203 wins, 36 losses, and 4 ties - for a winning percentage of .844, the highest for any college coach of his time, Black or white, with 200 victories.

Forty-two student athletes under Gaither's coaching went on to play in the National Football League including: "Bullet" Bob Hayes, a star wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys who also earned two gold medals for track during the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo; Willie Galimore, an acclaimed running back with the Chicago Bears; Ken Riley, a defensive back with the Cincinnati Bengals; and Robert Paremore, a halfback with the St. Louis Cardinals. Under his leadership, the Rattlers won 6 Negro Collegiate Football championships. Recognizing the dynamic impact of his coaching career, Gaither was inducted into the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame in 1975.

Gaither retired on August 31, 1973. He died February 18, 1994, at the age of 90. In Tallahassee, a FAMU gymnasium, community playground, public golf course, recreation center, street, and neighborhood are named in his honor. His private home, located at 212 Young Street, which he shared for more than 40 years with his late wife, Sadie (an English professor at Florida A&M University), has been preserved as a cultural center and museum to honor the Gaithers, the people of Tallahassee, the State of Florida, the nation, and the world. A historic marker was also installed in the home’s hilltop yard and the home listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Location: AC.8.A.2.4.3
Bishop David Henry Sims was a prominent African American religious leader, educator, and administrator in the African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church during the early twentieth century. Born in 1889 in Talladega, Alabama, he was the son of Reverend Felix Rice Sims, a well-educated minister who greatly influenced his early life and commitment to education and faith. Sims pursued higher education at several institutions, including Livingstone College, Oberlin College, and Yale University, where he completed advanced theological training.

Throughout his career, Sims held numerous leadership roles in both religious and academic settings. He served as a professor of education and later as vice president at Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia. His work within the A.M.E. Church included pastoral leadership, administrative service, and participation in major church conferences. In 1932, he was elected Bishop in the A.M.E. Church, marking a significant achievement in his career.

Sims was also involved in broader social and political efforts, including service on commissions related to education and public affairs. His work extended internationally, particularly in South Africa, where he contributed to missionary and educational initiatives. His life and career reflect a deep commitment to religious leadership, education, and the advancement of African American communities during a period of significant social change.

The majority of the records in this collection are handwritten letters from Bishop Sims to his sister, Mrs. Miriam Sims-Tooke. These letters provide a detailed and intimate account of his daily life, thoughts, and activities, particularly during the period in which he was working in South Africa. Through this correspondence, the collection highlights Sims’ involvement in missionary work, his observations of social and cultural conditions abroad, and his ongoing connection to family in the United States.

In addition to correspondence, the collection includes greeting cards and photographs that further document Sims’ personal and professional networks. These materials complement the letters by providing visual and contextual evidence of his life and relationships during this period.

The collection was processed in 1985 and is arranged at the file level, reflecting a coherent grouping of personal papers centered on correspondence and related materials. Collectively, the Bishop David Henry Sims Collection offers a unique perspective on the experiences of an African American religious leader working in an international context, while also shedding light on familial bonds, missionary efforts, and transnational connections within the African diaspora during the early twentieth century.