The Soldier's Handbook, U.S.A., revised in 1898, is a vital historical document designed to guide soldiers in military conduct, tactics, and survival techniques during the Spanish-American War. Featuring practical advice and regulations, it reflects the military culture of the era.
In this newspaper article by members of the Sentinel Staff, Rosewood families were set to receive $500,000 as a part of an approved payment from the Florida Attorney General’s Office and Legislature. However, the payments were delayed for several weeks due to last-minute questions about family relationships and property ownership.
A 1973 pencil sketch of an African American Blue Bell man by Thomas Harris. The hat-wearing man is looking off to the side with his jacket draping his shoulder, showing off his “Blue Bell”-tagged apron (or overalls) and collared shirt.
This black and white photograph features the third wife of Muhammad Ali, Veronica Porché Ali, shaking hands with an unidentified female holding a Florida A&M flag. The photo is also blessed with a note and signature from Muhammad Ali, stating, “To Walter… Muhammad Ali Oct 27 - 79 Love always.”
This photograph belongs to the Signal Corps, U.S. Army. Within this picture, two Black female soldiers squat and kneel with a trophy while others smile and pose for the camera. This interracial, intergender photograph shows the inclusivity of the U.S. military.
Entrusted to FAMU based on the university's studies in agriculture, the Sentry to the Fields, protects crops, like the plantains it is holding, from trespassers in Ghana fields. This spirit itself shows evidence of violence, decay and death.
Letters from the Office of Student Financial Assistance regarding a scholarship for Rosewood descendants. Issued by the Florida Department of Education, they request documentation such as proof of lineage through great-grandparents and beyond, ensuring the preservation of these families’ legacies.
In this photograph obtained from the Rattler 1975, the official Florida A&M University yearbook, the star is “Rudy the Rattler.” Rudy the Rattler was FAMU’s official mascot, a taxidermy rattlesnake sculpture, possibly modeled after a real-life one.
Actress Ruby Dee’s correspondence with President W. H. Gray revealed frustration over delayed payment after her FAMC appearance. Five letters over three months highlighted the issue, with Mr. Wiggins' absence causing delays. Miss Dee expressed disappointment but still hoped to serve FAMC in the future.
Property affidavits from the Rosewood Massacre, documenting both approved and denied claims, personal testimonies, and harrowing accounts of the tragedy. These affidavits also capture the strong community ties of the all-Black town before its devastating destruction.
This image was taken at the burial site of Martin Goins in Rosewood, FL. Goins, a part of a family subjected to the racial attack at Rosewood by white townsfolk, was born on June 15, 1842, and died on December 16, 1905.
A collection of Rosewood Claims Bill checklists, affidavits, and claims used to verify descendant ties. These documents capture the meticulous process of proving lineage through stories of approved and denied claims, altered narratives, and the struggles faced by families seeking justice and compensation.
This button was one of three designs in a VisitGainesville bag from the Rosewood Museum. It depicts a map of Florida (except for the uppermost part of the panhandle and the lowermost tip of the southern region), pointing out where the town of Rosewood used to stand before it was subjected to racial violence.
This button was one of three designs in a VisitGainesville bag from the Rosewood Museum. It depicts a downtrodden man looking down at the burned remains of what could be his home or business. The community is also looking onward at the rubble in the background.
In this electric black-and-white photograph, track star and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical student Robert “Bullet Bob” Hayes is seen in Lane 4 crossing the finish line seconds away from his competitors. An integrated crowd looks on gleefully in anticipation. The image has “Robert Hayes” inscribed on the top in blue ink.
Newspaper clippings from 1995 document Minnie Lee Langley’s efforts to secure compensation for the 1923 Rosewood Massacre. Through her written statements, Langley shares vivid accounts of the tragedy, reflecting on the losses endured and her pursuit of justice for her community.
A 1995 newspaper clipping highlighting Minnie Lee Langley’s written plea for compensation tied to the 1923 Rosewood Massacre. A survivor of the event, Langley recounts the devastating events, the personal losses she endured, and her pursuit of justice decades after the destruction of the all-Black community.
Packet from President Gore to the Commission for Quality Education and the Board of Regents outlining his vision for the university’s future. He emphasizes the importance of both academic excellence and campus life, stressing that the university's reputation depends on the collective efforts of the administration, students, and sports programs.
A report outlines an emergency session in the FAMU President’s Office regarding the suspension of classes during the week of April 8, 1968. University officials coordinated the details, ensuring support for students and faculty. Two photographs feature the session's speakers, and another shows the MLK Center for Social Change.
This document is a report of the findings of a committee appointed to interrogate existing legislation regarding the recapture of enslaved persons who would escape from slave states to non-slaveholding states. One of the conclusions of this report was to amend the law “to secure to the slave owners in the south the rights guaranteed to them.”
Through correspondence and faculty recommendations, President Gore and Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune worked together to strengthen their respective institutions. Their collaboration focused on exchanging ideas and fostering support, driven by a mutual commitment to educational advancement and the empowerment of their communities.
Reception lists from 1964-67 document the first and last names of guests attending official events at Florida A&M University. These records highlight the diverse attendees, including faculty, students, and distinguished visitors, reflecting the university's commitment to community engagement and institutional representation during this era.
This collection contains correspondences sent in response to a Florida Times-Union article stating that the Florida legislative committee was to investigate communistic activities in higher education and a subsequent questionnaire sent out to Florida A&M faculty and leadership.
After the Department of H.E.W. ordered Florida to submit its desegregation plan by early February 1974, Chairmans of the Black Coalition for Education, W. George Allen and Gilbert Porter, gathered B. L. Perry and other HBCU leaders to develop a plan. Perry mentions potentially filing ‘a minority report’ and clarifies ‘opinionated’ misinformation.
This legal document depicts a Decatur County civil lawsuit between complainant Mr. Lott and defendant Martin Hardin with the Honorable Judge Carleton B. Cole presiding. It is dated August 25, 1836.
This legal document depicts a Decatur County, Georgia, civil lawsuit presided over by the Honorable Judge Carleton B. Cole and dated October 31, 1836. The writ requests Thomas Bishop’s presence at a meeting on the second Monday in December.
These rare cast iron shackles, used during the enslavement period, serve as haunting artifacts that symbolize the brutal reality of slavery. Designed to restrain and control, they reflect the dehumanization and suffering endured by enslaved individuals.
This rare cast iron collar, used to enslave individuals, symbolizes the severe oppression and dehumanization during the enslavement period. Designed to restrain and control, it reflects the brutality faced by those who were enslaved.
A 1994 hate mail letter from Joseph Wilson, Jr. sent to Lincoln Diaz-Balart, a Cuban-American U.S. House Rep representing Florida. The letter recommended shipping all of America’s “thugs” to a penal colony as an economic solution to crime; it also featured hand-drawn art – a racist caricature of a Black man with a gun and dollar bills.
This newspaper article, dispatched from the Associated Press, was featured in the January 1923 issue of the Tallahassee Daily Democrat. It details the background of the massacre, the death toll, and the lack of information from the governor at the time, Cary Hardee, and other local officials.
