Showing 99 results

Location: AC.2.A.3.6.1

Attorney Joseph Gibbs was a law professor and professor of political science at Florida A&M College. In the early 1950s, when the Florida A&M College of Law was first established, he served as the Librarian for the Law School. He would later serve as an associate professor of law. When the FAMU College of Law closed in 1986, Gibbs served as an associate professor of political science and public management. During the period of racial desegregation and school integration, Gibbs served on numerous legal committees and research teams such as the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO), in efforts of devising and monitoring desegregation programs that were fair and equitable to all citizens, especially African Americans.

Gibbs was born in Caroline County, Maryland, and attended school in Chester, Pennsylvania. He attended Morgan State College in Baltimore, Maryland, where he studied education and economics. He served in the United States military during World War II and afterward enrolled at St. Johns University Law School, where he earned a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree in 1949. Gibbs also earned a master's degree from Temple University, where he majored in public administration and economics. He and his wife Cordelia lived in Fayetteville, North Carolina, before he began his teaching career at FAMCEE. Gibbs retired from FAMU in 1982 and lived in Clearwater, Florida, until his death in the mid-1990s.

The records in this collection consist of the professional papers of Attorney Joseph Gibbs. The records include correspondence, court cases, publications, reports and research logs. The documents reflect Gibbs' legal activities and work regarding school integration at the college level during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The main threat and growing trend at this time was to close historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and merge them with large white institutions. Numerous public and private HBCUs joined alliances in efforts to retain their sovereignty.

Location: AC.8.A.2.2.4

The Attorney Armstrong Purdee Collection documents the life, legacy, and historical significance of one of Jackson County’s earliest African American legal professionals. The collection contains photographs, commemorative materials, newspaper articles, publications, and digital resources that highlight Purdee’s professional accomplishments and the lasting impact of his work within the community.

Materials include images of commemorative events, a photograph of Purdee’s gravesite, and newspaper coverage discussing his life and contributions. The collection also contains publications related to African American history in Jackson County, including a family reunion cookbook and a scrapbook documenting the legacy of African Americans in the region.

In addition to printed materials, the collection includes a video link documenting a Black History Month program featuring the Jackson County NAACP and the Jackson County School Board. Together, these materials provide insight into community efforts to preserve the historical legacy of Attorney Armstrong Purdee and the broader history of African American leadership and civic engagement in Jackson County, Florida.

The collection is arranged in a single box and organized by subject and material type, including commemorations, news articles, photographs, and publications related to Attorney Armstrong Purdee.

Location: AC.2.B.3.2.2- AC.2.B.3.2.5

This collection consists of personal papers from Florida A&M University’s Arthur L. Kidd. Kidd, a native of Pennsylvania, earned a B.A. degree in 1924 from the University of Michigan, and in 1929, a Masters of Arts degree from Columbia University. Kidd also did additional studying at the University of Iowa, Columbia University, and New York University. He began his teaching career at Tuskegee Institute in 1924 before accepting a position at Florida A&M College (FAMCEE) in 1925 as Principal of the High School. Kidd worked at FAMCEE until 1944. During his nineteen years of service to the college, Kidd worked in numerous positions, including: Head of the Department of History, Acting Director of the Extension Division, Acting Dean for the College of Arts and Sciences and College Registrar. In October 1944, Kidd left his position at FAMCEE to work with the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration, where he worked in various capacities in Washington, D.C., and abroad in locations including France, Germany, and Holland. He returned to the United States in 1950 and worked for a year at Maryland State College before accepting a second appointment at FAMCEE in 1951 as Director of the Division of Social Studies. Upon the college reaching university status in 1954, in the academic re-organization, Kidd consequently became the Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Until 1969, he served FAMU in various capacities, including director of institutional studies and director of university administrative planning.

The material type in this collection were mainly magazines, news articles, and news clippings from 1949-19687 that followed local and national events affecting Negro people and occurrences impacting their lives. The records of this collection are especially important and informative in that they as resources that document firsthand the many historic events that occurred during the American Negro Civil Rights Years. Most of the records document the passing of school integration and public desegregation legislation, mass boycotts, sit-ins, and other forms of protest, as well as the brutal, nationwide social turbulence that accompanied this period. Additionally, a small amount of materials related to Kidd's instructional duties at FAMU are included.

Biographical data and inclusive subjects were acquired from Murell Dawson circa 2002.

Location: AC.3.A.3.3.3
Anika Noni Rose (born September 6, 1972) is a Tony Award-winning American actress and singer, best known for voicing Princess Tiana in Disney’s The Princess and the Frog (2009) and starring in Dreamgirls (2006). A Disney Legend, she has an extensive career in theater, film, and television, including roles in Maid, The Quad, and Power

Location: AC.2.B.1.4.4

Location: AC.3.A.3.1.4 - AC.3.A.3.2.2

Location: AC.3.A.1.3.6 - AC.3.A.1.4.1

AC.7.B.1.2.2 - AC.7.B.1.2.3

The Afro-American Life Insurance Company was a pioneering African American–owned business founded in 1901 in Jacksonville, Florida, by Abraham Lincoln Lewis and a group of associates. Established during a time of widespread racial discrimination and segregation in the United States, the company emerged in response to the limited access Black Americans had to essential financial services. Many mainstream insurance companies either denied coverage to Black individuals or offered policies at unaffordable rates, leaving Black communities without the financial protection that life insurance could provide.

In addition to offering life insurance policies, the Afro-American Life Insurance Company played a vital role as a financial institution within the African American community. It provided opportunities for economic stability through services such as mortgages and financial planning, helping to build wealth and security for families who were otherwise excluded from traditional banking systems. The company’s influence extended beyond finance; it was instrumental in the development of American Beach, a recreational resort established in 1935 as a safe and welcoming destination for Black Americans during the era of segregation.

Throughout the early and mid-20th century, the Afro-American Life Insurance Company stood as a symbol of Black entrepreneurship, resilience, and self-sufficiency. However, increasing competition from larger insurance companies in the latter half of the 20th century contributed to its eventual closure in 1990. Despite this, the company’s legacy endures as a significant example of African American economic empowerment and community development. The historic building that once housed the company at 101 East Union Street in Jacksonville has since been renovated and repurposed, continuing to serve the community in new ways. https://unfdhi.org/earthawhite/items/show/49

Location: AC.2.B.2.3.7