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Central Life Insurance Company of Florida Collection
Meek-Eaton Archival Collection MS_0015 · Collection · 1922 - 1987

Location: AC.7A.3.1.2- AC.7A.3.2.2

The Central Life Insurance Company of Florida Collection documents the operations, administrative activities, and historical record of the Central Life Insurance Company of Florida through corporate records, certificates, photographs, and ephemera spanning from 1922 to 1987. The collection includes blank certificates, certificates issued to policyholders, stock certificates, occupational licenses, newspaper clippings, and photographic materials documenting company personnel, activities, and community engagement. Together, these materials provide insight into the business practices, visual history, and public presence of the company during the twentieth century.
This collection consists of administrative records, financial documentation, and visual materials related to the Central Life Insurance Company of Florida. The records include blank certificates used by the company, certificates issued to policyholders, occupational licenses, stock certificates, and a stockholders list. The collection also contains newspaper clippings documenting company activities and public recognition. Photographic materials form a significant portion of the collection and include black-and-white prints in various sizes, snapshot photographs, oblong photographs, oversized prints, and photographic negatives depicting company employees, events, and community involvement.

These records provide documentation of the company’s corporate operations as well as its role within the broader community. The materials date from 1922 through 1987 and reflect both the administrative and public-facing aspects of the organization.

The materials are arranged by record type and subject. Administrative documents and certificates appear first, followed by miscellaneous materials and printed ephemera, with photographic materials organized by size and format. Stock certificates and a stockholders list conclude the collection.

The records were processed following a preliminary survey of the materials. Documents were sorted by record type and subject. Rusting hardware was removed, and the materials were rehoused in acid-free folders and archival boxes. The files were arranged alphabetically and by format where appropriate.

The Central Life Insurance Company of Florida records were transferred to the Black Archives from the Florida Department of Insurance.
Carrie Meek Collection
Meek-Eaton Archival Collection MS_0059

Location: AC.3.A.1.4.2 - AC.3.A.1.4.6

Carrie P. Meek (1926–2021) was a pioneering educator, politician, and civil rights advocate who made a lasting impact in Florida and across the nation. Born in Tallahassee, Florida, she graduated from Florida A&M University and later earned a master’s degree from the University of Michigan.

Meek began her career as a teacher and later served as an administrator at Miami-Dade Community College, where she worked to expand access to higher education. She entered politics in the 1970s, becoming one of the first African American women elected to the Florida Legislature. In 1992, she made history as the first Black person elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida since Reconstruction, representing Miami-Dade County.

Throughout her career, Meek was a strong advocate for education, economic opportunity, and social justice. Known for her dedication to underserved communities, she helped secure funding for infrastructure, job programs, and education initiatives. Her legacy endures as a trailblazer who opened doors for future generations in public service and politics.

https://history.house.gov/People/Detail/18110
Bob Hall Collection
Meek-Eaton Archival Collection MS_0049

Location: AC.2.B.1.4.3
Black Schools in Florida Collection
Meek-Eaton Archival Collection MS_0119

Location: AC.7.A.1.2.2 - AC.7.A.1.5.3

The Black Schools in Florida Collection documents the history, administration, and cultural life of African American education in Florida during the era of segregation and beyond. Comprising twelve boxes of materials, this collection provides rich insight into the development of Black primary and secondary schools, as well as the educators, administrators, and communities that sustained them. The records collectively highlight the structure of segregated schooling, the professional networks of Black educators, and the efforts toward institutional improvement and accreditation.

The collection consists of a wide range of materials, including correspondences, school records, conference records, and publications that reflect the daily operations and broader educational initiatives of Black schools throughout the state. Printed materials such as programs, event programs, yearbooks, newspapers, and school publications illustrate student life, extracurricular activities, and community engagement. Additional items, including certificates of membership, certificates of accreditation, high school diploma covers, plaques, and school emblems, provide evidence of institutional identity, achievement, and recognition.

Educational development and administrative practices are further represented through instructional materials and reports, including a self-study of Nims Middle School, an instructional book for Duval County middle schools, a junior high school handbook, and documentation related to teacher workshops and professional training. The collection also includes records such as a statewide list of Negro principals and materials pertaining to educators in Gadsden County, offering valuable context on leadership and staffing within Black educational institutions. Notably, one empty box labeled “Foreign Affairs” is present, suggesting either removed or relocated materials.

Photographs within the collection visually document school buildings, faculty, students, and events, complementing the textual records and enhancing the historical narrative. Together, these materials provide a comprehensive view of the educational experiences of African American students and educators in Florida, emphasizing both the challenges of segregation and the resilience and accomplishments of Black school communities.
Bishop David Henry Sims Collection
Bishop David Henry Sims Collection
Meek-Eaton Archival Collection MS_0023 · Collection · 1931 - 1939

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.
Benard and Shirley Kinsey Collection
Meek-Eaton Archival Collection MS_0074

Location: AC.2.B.3.3.1 - AC.2.B.3.3.3
Bernard and Shirley Kinsey are renowned collectors, philanthropists, and cultural preservationists best known for building one of the largest private collections of African American art and history in the world. Beginning in the early 1970s, the couple started collecting artwork, rare books, manuscripts, and historical artifacts during their travels, eventually amassing a collection of over 700 pieces that document more than 400 years of Black history and culture.

Bernard Kinsey, a Florida native and graduate of Florida A&M University, is an entrepreneur and former corporate executive, while Shirley Kinsey, also a FAMU graduate, is a former educator. Together, they founded the Bernard and Shirley Kinsey Foundation for Arts and Education and have dedicated their lives to preserving and sharing African American history through exhibitions, publications, and educational initiatives.

Through their work, the Kinsey's have helped bring greater visibility to the achievements, struggles, and contributions of African Americans, leaving a lasting legacy in the fields of art, history, and education.