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Coach Alonzo "Jake" Gaither Collection
Coach Alonzo "Jake" Gaither Collection
Meek-Eaton Archival Collection MS_0002 · File · 1938 - 1984

Location: AC.2.A.3.3.1 - AC.2.A.3.5.2

Born April 11, 1903 in Dayton, Tennessee, Alonzo S. "Jake" Gaither was head football coach of the FAMC Rattlers from 1945 to 1969. During his 25-year tenure, Gaither compiled a record of 203 wins, 36 losses, and 4 ties - for a winning percentage of .844, the highest for any college coach of his time, Black or white, with 200 victories.

Forty-two student athletes under Gaither's coaching went on to play in the National Football League including: "Bullet" Bob Hayes, a star wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys who also earned two gold medals for track during the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo; Willie Galimore, an acclaimed running back with the Chicago Bears; Ken Riley, a defensive back with the Cincinnati Bengals; and Robert Paremore, a halfback with the St. Louis Cardinals. Under his leadership, the Rattlers won 6 Negro Collegiate Football championships. Recognizing the dynamic impact of his coaching career, Gaither was inducted into the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame in 1975.

Gaither retired on August 31, 1973. He died February 18, 1994, at the age of 90. In Tallahassee, a FAMU gymnasium, community playground, public golf course, recreation center, street, and neighborhood are named in his honor. His private home, located at 212 Young Street, which he shared for more than 40 years with his late wife, Sadie (an English professor at Florida A&M University), has been preserved as a cultural center and museum to honor the Gaithers, the people of Tallahassee, the State of Florida, the nation, and the world. A historic marker was also installed in the home’s hilltop yard and the home listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

 Jake Gaither
Genevieve J. Wheeler Thomas Collection
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.
John F. Matheus Collection
Meek-Eaton Archival Collection MS_0056 · File · 1909-1983

Location: AC.2.B.3.6.2 - AC.3.A.1.2.8

The John F. Matheus Collection documents the life, literary career, and intellectual contributions of John Frederick Matheus, an American writer and scholar associated with the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s. The materials in this collection date from 1909 to 1983 and provide insight into Matheus’s development as a prominent literary figure known for his short stories, as well as his work in essays, plays, and poetry.

Matheus gained national recognition for his literary achievements, including his short story “Fog,” which won first place in Opportunity magazine’s literary contest in 1925 and was subsequently published in The New Negro. He continued to receive acclaim with his story “Swamp Moccasin,” which earned first prize in The Crisis magazine’s contest in 1926. His writing reflects the broader artistic and cultural movements of the Harlem Renaissance and was influenced by earlier literary figures such as Harriet Beecher Stowe, Edgar Allan Poe, Phillis Wheatley, and Paul Laurence Dunbar.

The collection consists of personal papers and literary materials that illustrate both Matheus’s professional accomplishments and personal life. Included are correspondence, original manuscripts, notes, and newspaper articles that document his writing process and engagement with literary communities. Photographs and personal items further contextualize his experiences and relationships within the cultural and intellectual circles of his time.

Collectively, the John F. Matheus Collection provides valuable documentation of an important voice of the Harlem Renaissance and offers researchers insight into early twentieth-century African American literature, artistic expression, and scholarly thought.
Senator Arthenia L. Joyner Collection
Senator Arthenia L. Joyner Collection
Meek-Eaton Archival Collection MS_0071 · File

Location: AC.2.B.2.4.4 - AC.2.B.3.1.3

Arthenia L. Joyner born 1943 in Lakeland, Florida, and raised in Tampa. She emerged as a leader during the Civil Rights Movement, participating in protests as both a high school and college student at Florida A&M University. Joyner attended the original FAMU College of Law, graduating in 1968, and went on to break significant barriers as the first Black woman to practice law in Hillsborough County and the first African American to practice law in Polk County. She later served as a legislative aide to State Representative Joe Lang Kershaw, the first Black legislator in Florida since Reconstruction, and was elected to three terms in the Florida House of Representatives representing the 59th District.

The Senator Arthenia L. Joyner Collection consists of eight boxes of materials documenting her career in law, public service, and civil rights advocacy. The collection includes correspondence, meeting records, travel documents, and speeches that reflect her work as an attorney, legislative aide, and elected official.

These materials provide insight into Joyner’s role in shaping public policy, her legislative activities, and her engagement with constituents and colleagues. The collection also highlights her involvement in civil rights initiatives and her contributions to expanding opportunities for African Americans in the legal and political arenas. Collectively, the records document her impact on Florida’s political landscape and her legacy as a pioneering African American woman in law and government.