The materials in Box 2 of the Arthur L. Kidd Collection consist of news clippings and articles dated from 1955 to 1967 that document significant events and public discourse during the segregation era. The majority of these materials pertain to civil rights–related topics, including boycotts, sit-ins, and contemporary opinions on racial segregation and social justice.

These clippings and articles reflect the evolving national and regional conversations surrounding the Civil Rights Movement, capturing both the actions of activists and the responses of the broader public. The materials provide insight into how key events were reported and interpreted, as well as the ways in which issues of race and equality were debated during this period.

The folders within this box are arranged in alphabetical order, allowing for organized access by subject and topic. Collectively, Box 2 offers valuable documentation of mid-twentieth-century civil rights struggles and the media coverage that shaped public understanding of segregation and social change.

This file contains general and special correspondence dating from 1942 to 1949, generated during the presidency of Florida A&M College President Dr. William H. Gray, Jr. The materials are arranged alphabetically by correspondent within the “Special – Names” series and document communications with individuals representing universities, colleges, foundations, government agencies, civic organizations, civil rights leaders, and educational institutions.

The correspondence reflects President Gray’s extensive professional network and his administrative leadership during a transformative period in higher education. Notably, communications with other universities and schools are arranged in alphabetical order by institutional representative, illustrating formal academic exchanges, institutional collaboration, personnel matters, educational policy discussions, and broader issues affecting Black higher education in the mid-twentieth century.

Collectively, these papers provide insight into Florida A&M College’s regional and national relationships between 1942 and 1949, highlighting its engagement with peer institutions, civil rights advocates, philanthropic foundations, federal agencies, and educational reform efforts during the segregation era.

This file contains correspondence dating from 1941 to 1949 generated during the presidency of Dr. William H. Gray, Jr., President of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical College (Florida A&M College). The materials are arranged alphabetically by institution and correspondent name and document Dr. Gray’s professional communications with administrators, faculty, and presidents at colleges and universities throughout the United States.

The correspondence reflects inter-institutional collaboration among historically Black colleges and universities as well as interactions with other academic institutions. Subjects represented include administrative planning, academic programming, institutional development, faculty and student initiatives, and broader higher education policy concerns during the World War II and immediate postwar periods.

Collectively, these records provide insight into Florida A&M College’s leadership priorities, regional and national academic networks, and the role of HBCU administrators in navigating segregation-era educational systems while expanding opportunities for African American higher education and professional advancement.

This file contains administrative papers and related records dating from 1950 to 1967 generated during the presidency of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) President George W. Gore Jr. The materials are arranged alphabetically by subject title and reflect the routine administrative, disciplinary, and student-affairs activities of the Office of the President during this period.

The papers include documentation related to student demonstrations, including discipline notices, arrest and conviction records, and student arrest lists. The file also contains records concerning FAMU student activities, such as materials related to entertainment funds, senior receptions, and correspondence and documentation to and from the Acting Director and PAM Week. Additional materials include general student correspondence, correspondence addressing racial segregation incidents, and records from the FAMU Student Council. Topics represented include student governance, campus discipline, student life programming, racial climate and unrest, and institutional responses to student activism.

Collectively, these papers provide insight into student life and administrative responses at Florida A&M University during a period marked by heightened student activism and civil rights–era tensions. The materials illustrate the role of the university presidency in overseeing student affairs, maintaining campus order, and navigating issues of race, discipline, and student expression during the mid-twentieth century.

Location: R.4.A.4.1.1

The FAMU Hospital first started in 1911 as a sanitorium supervised by Nurse Virginia Hilyer. For many years this clinic served the student population and when an annex was added to the hospital in 1922 services were opened to the larger Tallahassee community, with services provided by doctors from all over the city to all ethnicities. African American physicians in Tallahassee also served at the hospital including, Drs. William G. Gunn, Alpha Omega Campbell, and L.H.B. Foote.

It was under L. H. B. Foote's directorship that the first annual Medical Clinic was hosted on campus in 1926. The Medical Clinic was created to host informational presentations and networking between medical professionals and education groups and later fused with Florida A&M Clinical Association. The clinical association's focus on sharing knowledge, resources, and training opportunities to medical professionals throughout Florida, Georgia, and Alabama added to the overall goal of getting modern medical care to Black patients.
The 1930s saw several initiatives blooming at the campus hospital; continued expansions to the hospital, the campaign to add a nursing training facility, and partnerships with the Florida State Board of Health to host midwife training workshops all created an air of growth, advancement, and modernity. It took twenty ear and two university presidents (J.R.E. Lee and George W. Gore) to establish the full hospital and nurse training unit on the basis of the already existing hospital that would serve African Americans from Tallahassee and surrounding counties.

It took federal grants, support from the Tallahassee City Commission, and a capital campaign that included donations from various civic leagues and from a stymied effort to build a Black hospital in Jacksonville to gather the $2,000,000 needed for the facility but finally it was done. The grand opening was opening liberally celebrated.

Through the 1960s, the FAMU Hospital continued to serve the community but advancements in civil rights for African Americans had a surprising adverse affect--in the effort to integrate both Tallahassee Memorial Hospital and FAMU Hospital both institutions were issued orders to integrate, which should not have been a problem for FAMU Hospital since it had always employed both Black and White doctors and been open to all patients. However, withdrawal of state and federal financial support for the hospital and accusations of mismanagement of funds began to compromise it's efficacy and by the end of the decade plans were already in motion for its closure. The hospital officially closed in 1971 and in 1981 the building housing the hospital was remodeled and rededicated as the Foote-Hilyer Administration Building, containing the University's administrative offices and Student Health Services.

This collection comprises primarily correspondence, reports, and publications of the FAMU Hospital Fund Committee--tasked with raising and organizing funds for the hospital expansion of 1951, and administrative records of the Hospital Advisory Board--tasked with governing the FAMU Hospital during its existence from 1951 to 1971. Much of the correspondence is to or from Dr. George W. Gore, FAMU's eighth University President. Other figures of note are then-Senator Leroy Collins, who served as the Chairman of the Advisory Board; Dr. LH.B. Foote who also served on the Hospital Advisory Board. Other organizations and offices whose activities are recorded in this collection are FAMU Clinical Association; the Board of Regents; the Board of Control; Leon County; and the City of Tallahassee as it relates to the establishment, management, and dissolution of the FAMU Hospital.

Some of the significant topics represented in these files are the complexities of desegregation and integration; Black hospital management; public health; nurse training and education; professional development; fundraising.

Items were arranged in series by type of communication object, sorted into folders chronologically, and each series arranged alphabetically. Attachments are listed alphanumerically starting with the item number of the document they were originally attached to. All hardware was removed and documents sleeved. Some documents will require flattening, cleaning, and other conservation efforts.

Location: AC.2.A.1.5.7

Patricia Stephens Due (1939–2012) was a prominent civil rights activist and leader in the movement for racial equality, particularly in Florida. Born in Quincy, Florida, she became actively involved in the struggle against segregation while a student at Florida A&M University. As a key member of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), Due helped organize sit-ins and protests, including the historic 1960 Tallahassee “jail-in,” where she and other students chose imprisonment over paying fines for challenging segregation laws.
Throughout her life, Due remained committed to civil rights advocacy, working to desegregate public spaces and increase voter registration among African Americans. She later co-authored Freedom in the Family with her daughter, documenting her experiences in the movement. Her legacy endures as a symbol of courage, resilience, and lifelong dedication to justice.

https://www.thehistorymakers.org/biography/patricia-stephens-due-41

This box provides a focused view of Davis’s contributions within the broader historical context of African American military service during segregation, as well as the continued efforts to honor his legacy at the local, state, and national levels.

The records within this box consist of a variety of formats, including correspondence, legislative recognitions, photographs, news articles, cassette tapes, and official service-related documentation. Early materials dating from the 1940s reflect Davis’s World War II service and include photographic and documentary evidence associated with the Congressional Gold Medal and other recognitions tied to the Montford Point Marines. These records highlight the significance of Davis’s role within one of the first groups of African Americans to serve in the United States Marine Corps.

Correspondence files within the box provide insight into communication between Davis or his representatives and notable individuals and institutions, including the Marine Corps Archives and various public officials. Legislative recognitions from entities such as the United States Congress, the State of Florida, and the City of Quincy further emphasize the long-overdue acknowledgment of Davis’s service and sacrifice. Photographic materials document both his military-related achievements and commemorative events, including images of medals, awards, and presentations involving public figures and family members.

Additional materials, including news articles and cassette tapes, contribute to a broader understanding of how Davis’s story has been preserved, interpreted, and shared over time. The inclusion of official service records and undated photographs provides further documentation of his military experience and personal life. Collectively, these materials illustrate the enduring impact of Davis’s service, as well as the evolving recognition of Montford Point Marines in American history.

The records in Box 1 are arranged by subject and record type, with files organized alphabetically and materials within files arranged chronologically where applicable. This organization facilitates access while preserving the contextual relationships between documents. As a cohesive unit, Box 1 serves as a significant resource for researchers examining African American military history, World War II service, and the legacy of the Montford Point Marines.

Location: Jim Crow Exhibition Hall

A "colored only" sign was a segregation-era sign typically found in the United States during the Jim Crow era, which enforced racial segregation in public places. These signs were used to designate areas, facilities, or services that were reserved for people of color.

Location: AC.8.B.1.6.2

This file documents the life, military service, and posthumous recognition of Chester Lee Davis, Sr., one of the pioneering African American Marines trained at Montford Point during World War II. Spanning the years 1942 to 2017, this collection provides valuable insight into both Davis’s individual experiences and the broader historical significance of African American service members who served under segregated conditions in the United States Marine Corps.

Chester Lee Davis, Sr. (1923–1981) was born in Quincy, Florida, to Tommie and Iola Davis and was raised in a large farming family. Prior to the outbreak of World War II, his family relocated to Orlando, Florida. In 1943, at the age of eighteen, Davis enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, becoming part of the first generation of African American Marines admitted into service. Due to racial segregation, he trained at Montford Point Camp in North Carolina, a facility established specifically for Black Marines and located near Camp Lejeune, where white Marines trained. Despite facing systemic discrimination and harsh conditions, Davis served with distinction as a member of the 2nd and 3rd Marine Depot Companies. His responsibilities included transporting ammunition and supplies to troops on the frontlines, and he later participated in combat operations throughout the Pacific theater, including assignments in New Caledonia, Guadalcanal, the Solomon Islands, the Marshall Islands, Guam, and Okinawa. After completing his service, Davis returned home as a corporal and lived in Gadsden County, Florida, where he raised a family. He passed away in 1981 at the age of 58. In 2011, his service, along with that of fellow Montford Point Marines, was formally recognized when the United States Congress awarded them the Congressional Gold Medal, a distinction signed into law by President Barack Obama.

Donated to the Meek-Eaton Black Archives by Chester L. Davis, Jr. on June 13, 2017, the collection reflects a deliberate effort to preserve and share the legacy of Davis and other Montford Point Marines. The materials within the collection collectively document Davis’s military career, his contributions during World War II, and the national, state, and local recognition he received posthumously. The collection includes correspondence, legislative recognitions from the United States Congress, the State of Florida, and the City of Quincy, news articles, photographs depicting medals, military service, and commemorative events, as well as official service records and cassette tapes. These materials not only highlight Davis’s individual achievements but also situate his experiences within the broader narrative of African American military service and the struggle for equality within the armed forces.

At the time of processing in February 2017, the collection lacked an original order. As a result, the materials were organized by subject matter and date, then arranged alphabetically and housed in acid-free folders within a single archival storage box. Where applicable, items within individual files have been arranged chronologically to preserve contextual relationships. The collection was processed and cataloged by Dr. Murell Dawson, Senior Archivist, with assistance from undergraduate intern Shaarnè Morris, and is currently stored in the archival storage area on the third floor. As a cohesive body of records, this collection provides an important resource for understanding the experiences of Montford Point Marines and the enduring legacy of their service, sacrifice, and recognition within American military and social history.