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The Rosewood Massacre Papers
The Rosewood Massacre Papers
Meek-Eaton Archival Collection MS_0001 · Collection · 1900 - 1996

Location: AC.6.B.2.4.7-AC.6.B.3.4.4

The Rosewood Massacre was a racially motivated attack on the predominantly African American town of Rosewood, Florida, in January 1923. Sparked by false accusations and fueled by racial tensions under Jim Crow segregation, white mobs destroyed homes, churches, and businesses, forcing residents to flee and permanently abandon the town. For decades, the event remained largely suppressed in public memory until renewed attention in 1982 by journalist Gary Moore prompted survivors and descendants to seek justice. Their efforts led to a state investigation and compensation legislation, marking one of the first instances of reparations for racial violence in the United States.

Archival Description:
The Rosewood Massacre Papers Collection spans 35 boxes with materials dating from 1900 to 1996 and documents the historical, legal, and commemorative efforts surrounding the 1923 massacre. The collection includes narrative reports, multiple versions of documented histories, survivor affidavits, administrative files, correspondence, interview transcripts, handwritten notes, vital records such as birth certificates, census records including the 1920 U.S. Census, property records such as Levy County deed indexes, and materials related to claims verification.

Folders within the collection contain complete narrative reports and reproduced copies used for research, review, and preservation; affidavits from survivors including Bertha Fagin, Ivory T. Fuller, Vera G. Goins Hamilton, Thelma Hawkins, and Dorothy G. Hosey; correspondence from agencies such as the Florida State Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services and Offices of Vital Statistics; as well as administrative communications, genealogical documentation, and evidentiary records supporting compensation claims.

Collectively, these materials document both the historical reconstruction of the Rosewood Massacre and the legal and administrative processes undertaken to verify survivors, establish lineage, and secure restitution.
Organizations – American Council on Education – Office of Higher Education and National Defense – A Report of the Commission on Higher Education of the Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools for Negroes – “The Use of Negro Colleges by the Armed Forces” – by Dr. William H. Gray, Jr. – Correspondence – Gibson, Truman K., Jr. – Civilian Aide to the U.S. Secretary of War
Meek-Eaton Archival Collection AR_0007-_001-_004-Box 22-Folder 13 · 1943
Part of History of FAMU
Joseph Lang Kershaw, Sr. Collection
Joseph Lang Kershaw, Sr. Collection
Meek-Eaton Archival Collection MS_0009 · Collection

Location: AC.8.B.1.1.1-AC.8.B.1.1.3

Joseph “Joe” Lang Kershaw, Sr. (June 27, 1911–November 7, 1999) was the first African American elected to the Florida Legislature since Reconstruction. Born in Live Oak, Florida, he attended Florida A&M University in the 1930s, where he was involved in early campus life, including the beginnings of the football program, and pledged Kappa Alpha Psi. He later worked as a teacher in Miami-Dade County and as a janitor in the Florida Legislature before entering politics. Elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1968, Kershaw served for fourteen years and chaired the Elections Committee, contributing to the establishment of the Florida Human Rights Commission.

The Joseph Lang Kershaw, Sr. Collection documents Kershaw’s life, career, and contributions to Florida’s political and educational history. The collection contains materials related to his personal and academic background, as well as records reflecting his tenure in the Florida House of Representatives.

Included are documents that highlight his legislative work, professional activities, and community involvement. The collection also contains materials pertaining to his family, including references to his father, A. J. Kershaw, as well as correspondence and documents related to colleagues and contemporaries such as Gwendolyn Cherry and Althea Gibson. Collectively, these records provide insight into Kershaw’s role as a pioneering African American legislator and his broader impact on civil rights and public service in Florida.
Gray, President William H.
Meek-Eaton Archival Collection AR_0007-_001-_004-Box 14 · 1941 - 1949
Part of History of FAMU

This file contains special correspondence dating from 1941 to 1949 generated during the presidency of Florida A&M College President Dr. William H. Gray, Jr. The materials are arranged alphabetically by individual name and institutional affiliation and consist primarily of professional correspondence between President Gray and administrators, faculty, clergy, government officials, alumni leaders, civic organizations, and representatives of universities and secondary schools.

The correspondence documents interactions with colleges and universities, state and federal agencies, chambers of commerce, religious organizations, professional associations, and public officials throughout Florida and across the United States. Many letters reflect communications with other institutions of higher education, including historically Black colleges and universities, as well as public and private educational entities. The files are organized alphabetically by correspondent surname, demonstrating a structured administrative filing system within the Office of the President.

Collectively, these papers provide insight into Florida A&M College’s expanding institutional networks during the 1940s, illustrating President Gray’s leadership during the World War II and postwar era. The correspondence reflects matters related to educational policy, inter-institutional collaboration, alumni affairs, public relations, economic development, religious partnerships, and state and federal engagement. These materials highlight the administrative scope and external relationships of the presidency during a pivotal period of growth and transformation in Black higher education.
Gray, President William H.
Meek-Eaton Archival Collection AR_0007-_001-_004-Box 15 · 1940 - 1949
Part of History of FAMU

This file contains special name correspondence dating from 1940 to 1949 generated during the presidency of Florida A&M College (FAMC) President Dr. William H. Gray, Jr. The materials are arranged alphabetically by correspondent surname and reflect institutional, academic, civic, religious, and governmental communications of the Office of the President during this decade.

The correspondence documents interactions between President Gray and university administrators, professors, clergy, politicians, journalists, business leaders, alumni, civic officials, and representatives of state and federal agencies. Included within this grouping are communications with individuals affiliated with colleges and universities, public institutions, philanthropic foundations, newspapers, churches, and professional organizations. Correspondence to other universities and schools is maintained in alphabetical order by surname within the broader alphabetical arrangement of special names files.

Collectively, these papers provide insight into Florida A&M College’s administrative leadership, regional and national partnerships, academic expansion, and civic engagement during the 1940s. The files illustrate the institutional development of FAMC in the postwar era, its connections to higher education networks, and its participation in broader political, educational, and social reform initiatives affecting historically Black colleges and universities during this period.
Gray, President William H.
Meek-Eaton Archival Collection AR_0007-_001-_004-Box 16 · 1942 - 1951
Part of History of FAMU

The Presidential Papers of Dr. William H. Gray, Jr. document his administrative leadership and professional correspondence during his tenure at Florida A&M College. This series consists primarily of incoming and outgoing correspondence dated 1942–1951, reflecting institutional development, educational policy, civic engagement, and professional relationships with universities, government officials, religious leaders, and civic organizations.

The files include correspondence with representatives of other universities and schools, public officials, educators, and community leaders across the United States. These materials provide insight into inter-institutional collaboration, educational advancement, and public service initiatives during the mid-twentieth century.

The correspondence files are arranged alphabetically by surname within the “Special – Names” series. Date ranges are indicated at the file level. Collectively, these papers document Dr. Gray’s administrative priorities, national professional networks, and the broader landscape of higher education during the 1940s and early 1950s.
Gray, President William H.
Meek-Eaton Archival Collection AR_0007-_001-_004-Box 19 · 1938 - 1985
Part of History of FAMU

The Dr. William H. Gray, Jr. Presidential Papers document the administrative leadership, institutional development, academic expansion, and public engagement of Florida A&M College during Gray’s presidency and its lasting legacy. Spanning 1938–1985, the collection includes correspondence, institutional reports, committee records, news clippings, press releases, academic program materials, legislative investigations, campus building documentation, hospital development records, faculty materials, and commemorative materials related to President Gray’s life and service.

The bulk of the materials (1940s) reflect Gray’s active presidency, highlighting developments in graduate education, journalism seminars, medical education, nursing education, military training programs, and campus infrastructure projects such as hospital construction and the William H. Gray Core Building. Later materials (1967–1985) document posthumous recognitions, background information, building naming efforts, and institutional memorialization.

Correspondence within the collection — particularly those to other universities, schools, and external institutions — is arranged alphabetically by institution and correspondent, reflecting original filing practices. Materials provide insight into Gray’s leadership style, statewide and national educational networks, engagement with legislative bodies, and his broader influence in higher education for African Americans.
Gray, President William H.
Meek-Eaton Archival Collection AR_0007-_001-_004-Box 01 · 1933 - 1949
Part of History of FAMU

This file group contains correspondence, programs, publications, and related materials dating from 1933 to 1949 generated during the presidency of Dr. William H. Gray, Jr., President of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical College (formerly Florida Normal and Industrial Institute). The materials are arranged alphabetically by institution name and document Dr. Gray’s professional and administrative communications with colleges and universities across the United States.

The correspondence reflects interactions between President Gray and administrators, faculty, and officials at peer institutions, including historically Black colleges and universities and predominantly white institutions. Materials within this grouping document routine administrative exchanges, inter-institutional cooperation, academic programming, public broadcasts, and the dissemination of institutional publications. Subjects represented include institutional planning, academic collaboration, wartime educational initiatives, faculty and student programming, and broader higher-education policy concerns during the World War II and immediate postwar periods.

Collectively, these records provide insight into Florida A&M University’s presidential leadership, inter-institutional relationships, and administrative priorities during the mid-twentieth century. The materials illustrate the role of HBCU leadership in navigating segregation-era constraints while fostering national academic networks and sustaining institutional growth within evolving state and federal educational frameworks.
Gray, President William H.
Meek-Eaton Archival Collection AR_0007-_001-_004-Box 03 · 1943 - 1949
Part of History of FAMU

This file contains general correspondence dating from 1943 to 1949 created during the presidency of Dr. William H. Gray, Jr., President of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical College. The materials are arranged alphabetically by subject and correspondent, documenting communications with other universities, schools, and external organizations, as well as routine presidential correspondence maintained by the Office of the President.

The correspondence reflects administrative, academic, and institutional communications between President Gray and faculty, administrators, and representatives of educational institutions and professional organizations. Topics represented across these files include institutional planning, personnel matters, academic coordination, inter-institutional collaboration, and general administrative operations during the World War II and immediate postwar years.

Collectively, these records provide insight into Florida A&M University’s presidential administration and external relationships during the mid-twentieth century. They illustrate the scope of Dr. Gray’s leadership responsibilities and the role of the university within broader regional and national educational networks during a period shaped by segregation-era policies, wartime demands, and postwar institutional transition.