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Archival description
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Southern Workman Collection
Meek-Eaton Archival Collection MS_0118 · 1910 - 1939

Location: AC.6.B.4.3.4 - AC.6.B.4.3.8

The Southern Workman Collection consists of five boxes of materials dating from 1910 to 1939, documenting a significant period in the publication history of The Southern Workman. Published monthly by the Hampton Institute Press at Hampton Institute (now Hampton University), the magazine originated in 1872 as Southern Workman and Hampton School Record and served as an important platform for education, culture, and social commentary.

The collection includes issues of the magazine featuring articles, lectures, essays, and book reviews that reflect the intellectual and cultural life of the institution. Content highlights the activities of Hampton Institute, including information about its faculty, students, and graduates, while also addressing broader social issues of the time.

With a primary focus on African American and Native American history, the materials provide valuable insight into educational practices, cultural expression, and social conditions in the early twentieth century. Collectively, the collection illustrates the role of The Southern Workman as a key publication in advancing knowledge and documenting the experiences and contributions of marginalized communities.

Meek-Eaton Archival Collection MS_0120 · 1954 - 1965

Location: AC.6.B.4.2.7 - AC.6.B.4.3.3

The Southern School News Collection consists of issues of Southern School News, a publication produced by the Southern Education Reporting Service between 1954 and 1965. Established in response to the landmark 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education, the Southern Education Reporting Service sought to provide nonpartisan, factual reporting on the evolving landscape of public education in the American South during the era of school desegregation.

The publication was designed to inform school administrators, public officials, educators, and interested citizens about significant developments in education following the Court’s ruling. Reports featured in Southern School News were compiled by southern newspaper editors and educators, offering regionally grounded perspectives on policy changes, legal challenges, community responses, and the progress of desegregation efforts across southern states.

The collection includes serial issues of Southern School News that document key events, debates, and implementation strategies related to desegregation. These materials provide detailed accounts of state and local actions, including legislative measures, court cases, school board decisions, and public reactions. As a contemporary source, the publication captures the complexities and tensions surrounding the transition from segregated to integrated school systems in the South.

Collectively, the Southern School News Collection serves as an important resource for understanding the educational, political, and social transformations that followed the Brown decision. It offers researchers valuable insight into how information about desegregation was disseminated, interpreted, and contested, while also highlighting the role of media and educators in documenting one of the most significant periods in American educational history.

Meek-Eaton Archival Collection MS_0022 · Collection

Location: AC.2.B.2.3.2 - AC.2.B.2.3.5

Reverend Dr. James L. Hudson, Sr. (1904–1980) was a minister, educator, and civil rights leader. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, he graduated from Morehouse College in 1926 and later earned a divinity degree from Colgate-Rochester School of Religion in 1931. He served as a chaplain at Leland College until 1946 before completing doctoral studies at Boston College. Dr. Hudson later joined Florida A&M University as a chaplain and professor, where he founded the Department of Religion and Philosophy and served as its first chair. A close associate of Rev. Charles K. Steele, he played a key role in civil rights efforts, including the 1956 Tallahassee Bus Boycott, and was active in organizations such as the Tallahassee Ministerial Alliance and the Inter-Civic Council.

The Reverend Dr. James Hudson, Sr. Collection documents Hudson’s career in ministry, education, and civil rights activism. The collection contains materials related to his work at Florida A&M University, including records associated with the establishment of the Department of Religion and Philosophy, as well as documents reflecting his role as a chaplain and educator.

Additional materials highlight his involvement in civil rights initiatives in Tallahassee, including his collaboration with local religious and community leaders. The collection may include correspondence, sermons, speeches, and organizational records that illustrate his leadership in religious and civic life. Collectively, these materials provide insight into Hudson’s lasting contributions to higher education, faith leadership, and the advancement of social justice.

Meek-Eaton Archival Collection MS_0116 · 1956 - 1973

Location: AC.3.B.1.4.4 - AC.3.B.1.5.1

The Mrs. Willie Ziegler White Collection consists of 5 boxes of materials documenting her involvement in education and parent-teacher organizations, particularly within the Florida State Congress of Colored Parents and Teachers and related networks. The collection reflects her role as an educator and community leader engaged in advancing African American education and parental involvement during the era of segregation.

The collection includes correspondence, news clippings, directories, handbooks, ledgers, notepads, and record books, as well as files related to Parent Teacher Association activities. These materials document both administrative functions and community outreach efforts. Also included are records from affiliated organizations such as the National Congress of Colored Parents and Teachers, the National Convention of Christians and Jews, and the Georgia Congress of Colored Parents and Teachers.

Additional materials consist of songs, poems, manuals, publications, and magazines that reflect the educational, cultural, and organizational priorities of the groups with which Mrs. White was associated. Correspondence within the collection highlights communication between educators, administrators, and community members involved in improving educational opportunities.

Collectively, the collection provides insight into the leadership, organization, and advocacy efforts of African American educators and parent organizations, as well as the broader network of institutions working to support Black education in the early to mid-twentieth century.

Kimberly Brown Collection
Meek-Eaton Archival Collection MS_0026 · Collection

Location: AC.1.B.1.4.8

Dr. Kimberly Brown Pellum is a historian, author, and two-time Florida A&M University alumna, as well as a former “Miss FAMU” pageant queen. She serves as an assistant professor of history at Florida A&M University and is the founding director of MuseumofBlackBeauty.com, a digital public history initiative. Her scholarship focuses on twentieth-century African American women, beauty culture, southern history, and freedom movements. Dr. Pellum has contributed to major public history institutions, including the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, the National Park Service, and the Rosa Parks Museum. She is the author of Black Beauties: African American Pageant Queens in the Segregated South and Queen Like Me: The True Story of Girls Who Changed the World.

The Kimberly Brown Collection consists of one box of materials centered on Queen Like Me: The True Story of Girls Who Changed the World. The collection includes multiple copies of the publication as well as related materials such as children’s worksheets and miscellaneous documents associated with the book.

These materials reflect Dr. Pellum’s work in public history and youth education, emphasizing themes of empowerment, representation, and African American girlhood. The collection provides insight into the development and educational use of the publication, highlighting its role in promoting positive identity and historical awareness among young readers.

Gilbert Porter Collection
Meek-Eaton Archival Collection MS_0021 · Collection · 1947 - 1977

Location: AC.3.A.2.6.1 - AC.3.A.3.1.3

Dr. Gilbert Lawrence Porter was an educational pioneer in the state of Florida who devoted more than five decades of his life to advancing educational equality during the era of segregation and desegregation. Born on January 6, 1909, in Kansas, Porter pursued higher education at Talladega College, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry. He later obtained a master’s degree in educational administration from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. in philosophy from The Ohio State University, becoming the first African American to receive this distinguished degree from the institution. Throughout his career, Porter remained committed to improving the quality of education for all students while advocating for equal salaries, professional recognition, and civil rights for African American teachers within a segregated and unequal educational system.

The Gilbert Porter Desegregation Files document Porter’s extensive work in educational reform, particularly in relation to school integration and policy development in Florida. The collection consists of Dade County school reports, national reports on desegregation plans and procedures, and materials related to organizations such as the Florida Conference of Social Welfare and the Florida Conference of Social Work. A significant portion of the collection includes newspaper clippings that highlight race relations and integration efforts in Dade County and throughout the state of Florida.

The records reflect the administrative, social, and political challenges surrounding desegregation and provide insight into the strategies and policies implemented during this transformative period.

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.

Meek-Eaton Archival Collection MS_0018 · 1943 - 2012

Location: AC.7.A.4.1.2-AC.7.A.4.1.4

This collection, titled Florida’s Black Junior Colleges, spans the years 1943–2012, with the bulk of materials concentrated between 1958 and 1966. The collection documents the lives, administration, and institutional development of Black junior colleges in Florida that operated primarily from the late 1940s through their closure in 1966 during the era of desegregation. It provides insight into the educational experiences of students, as well as the professional and administrative networks that sustained these institutions.

The collection consists of a wide variety of paper-based and photographic materials, including agendas, applications, correspondence, directories, meeting minutes, memoranda, reports, newsletters, programs, speeches, yearbooks, and photographs. Also included are items such as guidebooks, maps, manuals, musical compositions, poems, resolutions, and personnel records. These materials reflect both the daily operations and broader cultural and academic environments of the institutions.

Of particular significance is a comprehensive study conducted by Dr. Walter L. Smith titled “A Study of Black Junior Colleges in Florida 1957–1966,” which documents key events, institutional challenges, and the lasting impact of these colleges on students, faculty, and surrounding communities. The collection also contains extensive correspondence that highlights collaboration among administrators, educators, and state officials during a pivotal period in Florida’s educational history.

Arranged across three boxes, the collection captures themes of education, segregation, integration, and desegregation within the state of Florida, with a strong emphasis on the role of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and their junior college counterparts. The materials provide valuable context for understanding the transition from segregated educational systems to integrated institutions and the effects of these changes on Black communities.

MS_0122 · 1957 - 1963

Location: AC.7.A.4.3.1 - AC.7.A.4.3.2

The Florida State Teachers Association Collection documents the activities and advocacy of the Florida State Teachers Association (FSTA), a professional organization composed of African American educators, administrators, school staff, and parents across the state of Florida. The materials date from 1957 to 1963, a critical period during the Civil Rights Movement when Black teachers and educational leaders actively confronted systemic inequality within segregated school systems.

During this era, African American educators faced widespread discrimination, including unequal pay, limited resources, and underfunded schools. In response, members of the FSTA organized collectively to advocate for improved working conditions, equitable educational opportunities for Black students, and broader social change. The association served not only as a professional network but also as a platform for activism, positioning educators at the forefront of efforts to challenge segregation and promote civil rights.

The collection consists of organizational and administrative records that reflect the operations and impact of the association. Materials include correspondence, meeting minutes, conference and workshop documentation, reports, and publications that highlight the planning and execution of statewide initiatives. These records illustrate collaboration among educators and community stakeholders, as well as the development of strategies aimed at addressing disparities in education.

Collectively, the Florida State Teachers Association Collection provides valuable insight into the role of Black educators as advocates for equity and justice in mid-twentieth-century Florida. The materials underscore the importance of professional organizations in advancing civil rights and demonstrate the lasting impact of the FSTA’s efforts to improve educational access and opportunities for African American communities.

Meek-Eaton Archival Collection MS_0121 · 1995 - 2003

Location: AC.7.A.3.5.1 - AC.7.A.3.6.1

The Florida African American History Education Task Force Files document the development, implementation, and advancement of statewide initiatives to incorporate African American history into Florida’s public school curriculum. The materials date from 1995 to 2003 and are closely tied to the legislative mandate established by the State of Florida in 1994 through Florida Statute 1003.42, which required the teaching of the history, culture, experiences, and contributions of African Americans in K–12 education.

Following the passage of this legislation, the African American History Task Force (AAHTF) was established to ensure the effective execution and sustainability of this mandate. The Task Force played a central role in guiding curriculum development, supporting teacher training, and promoting educational equity through the integration of African American history across grade levels. Grant-supported initiatives were also developed under the Task Force’s direction to provide resources, workshops, and programming aligned with the original intent of the statute.

The collection consists of administrative and programmatic records that reflect the operations and impact of the Task Force. Materials include correspondence, meeting minutes, reports, grant documentation, curriculum guides, workshop and conference materials, and educational publications. These records highlight collaboration among educators, policymakers, and community stakeholders working to institutionalize African American history education throughout Florida’s school system. The files also document outreach efforts, training sessions for teachers, and the evaluation of program effectiveness.

Collectively, the Florida African American History Education Task Force Files provide valuable insight into the institutionalization of African American history within public education in Florida. The collection underscores the role of legislative action, educational advocacy, and community engagement in shaping inclusive curricula and preserving the historical narratives of African Americans for future generations.