A construction front elevation drawing blueprint of the Library Building at Wiley University. This drawing the front face of the building depciting stone placement, brick placement, window and light placements, and pillars.
A construction blueprint drawing for the Home Economics Building under the electrical drawing section of the plans. This drawing shows the front and right-side elevations.
In a triptych style, Williams’ mural shows three central themes: a family gathered around a newborn (religion), seated near a hearth (home), and working together in the fields (labor). Black rural life is a major subject in the Hannah Hall murals.
A brief synopsis of Friends of Children of Mississippi, Inc., a non profit corporation organized 1964 to assist governmental and private agencies in administering grant funds for Head Start. The position paper discusses issues facing Head Start in Mississippi, such as the need for increased pay and improved working conditions.
Margaret Taylor Goss Burroughs was an artist, historian, teacher, and writer from St. Rose, LA. Friends is a print depicting an interracial friendship. Two girls, one black and the other white, are sitting on a loveseat in front of a patterned curtain. This radical image of race relations was created during the height of the Jim Crow era.
A white button in support of freeing the "Queens 2." Their names, Bashir Hameed and Abdul Majid, are listed on the button. The two members of the Black Liberation Army were sentenced to 33 years in prison for the 1981 murder of a New York cop. They were considered political prisoners because of discrepancies in their cases and convictions.
Fred Banks Jr. served in the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1976-1985 and Circuit Judge for the 7th Circuit District from 1985-1991. He details his experiences in the state legislature and his journey running for office. He also describes the early beginnings of the Mississippi Black Caucus and his mentorship under Robert Clark.
Frank Conic moved to the Farish Street District in 1919. He talks about his time growing up on Farish Street and working as a barber with his father while in high school. In 1950 he opened Conic Beauty and Barber Supply and he talks about that experience as a business owner in the district. The transcript is heavily edited with handwritten notes.
Francis Alexander did extensive Civil Rights Movement work in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, in the 1960s. In this interview, Ms. Alexander talks in detail about that work as well as her work in the greater Rolling Fork community. Later, she went on to open a Head Start school in her home after she began teaching her own children how to read and write.
Calvin Burnett was a graphic artist, illustrator, painter, designer, and art teacher from Cambridge, MA. Four Girls Dancing Together depicts two young girls and two adolescent girls dancing in one room. Their faces wear a sorrowful expression. Their nude, shadowy bodies stand together in pairs as they sway, caressing each other.
Mark Hewitt was an artist from Boston, MA. Fort Devens is a black-and-white drawing of three Black soldiers at a U.S. Army Reserves base in Massachusetts. In 1945, Fort Devens was a protest site for the treatment of the Black Women's Army Corps.
Anderson D. Macklin was an artist, professor, art historian, and author from Luther, OK. Flowers and Paper Magnified is an abstract view of its namesake. Macklin uses muted pastels and charcoal shadows to create a magnified perspective of the objects.
The Florida Tuberculosis and Health Association released this press release to raise awareness of how tuberculosis was affecting death rates in ethnic communities versus white communities. Dr. George W. Gore, Jr., as chairman of the Negro Seal Sale, also encouraged audiences to buy “Christmas Seals” to help ward off the illness through education.
This vintage Florida souvenir postcard depicts slave quarters built before the Civil War. The image captures small, weathered structures used to house enslaved people on plantations. Such postcards often romanticized the antebellum South, overlooking the harsh realities of slavery while promoting Florida’s historic landscape to tourists.
This 1954 Florida postcard shows a striking image of an alligator circling a palm tree, with a Black man seemingly holding on for dear life, his expression filled with fear. The alligators in this serve as a symbolic representation of the dangers and challenges faced by Black men in society, reflecting the racial tensions and struggles of the time.
In January 1976, the Leon County Bicentennial Committee nominated and approved Dr. Benjamin L. Perry for “outstanding contributions in the fields of Human Relations and Education.” The document showcases the deep respect Dr. Perry fostered in his community through hard work performed locally, nationally, and internationally.
This article was featured in The Crisis, a magazine published by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). In it, William H. Gray, Jr., president of the Florida Normal and Industrial Institute (modern-day Florida Memorial University), became the youngest Negro college president to receive a Ph.D.
The Miami Whip covered the Florida State Legislature’s allocation of one million dollars for FAMC’s maintenance. Tensions arose when Governor Fred C. Cone criticized the late President J.R.E. Lee’s $4,600 salary, stating, “No Negro is worth that much,” revealing racial bias in the funding debate.
Rosewood Massacre-related Florida laws that established legal procedures for investigating the events and compensating affected families. These statutes set the groundwork for the state’s efforts to rectify the injustices of 1923 by ensuring a formal process for recognizing the descendants' claims and preserving the history of the tragedy.
House of Representative bills introduced during the Rosewood investigation outlining committees, subcommittees, and procedures for claim bills under Section 6.63. Included are rosters of families eligible for compensation and an excerpt from the NAACP presenting uncontested facts for consideration throughout the investigation.
The Florida Department of Education conducted numerous conferences over the years. Florida A&M College/University strived to maintain the improvements and promises from the Department of Education years down the line.
One-page document from Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University's fourth president William H. Gray Jr. offering condolences to Tuskegee president Dr. Frederick D. Patterson on the loss of Monroe N. Work. The work that Monroe N. Work did for the negro race is immeasurable.
In this news article, Florida A&M President Benjamin L. Perry Jr. questioned the federal government, stating, “Is a 3% enrollment of blacks at a predominantly white institution ‘making strides’ toward progress while a similar number of whites at a predominantly black institution is a perpetuation of segregation?”
In the article “Florida A&M Tops List of State-Supported Schools,” FAMC’s historic role in education was lauded. The piece honored President J.R.E. Lee’s two-decade tenure and credited President W. H. Gray for his current leadership. The announcement of a $4 million grant highlighted the university’s commitment to progress and veteran support.
This photograph features two male and female students using a bow and arrow on the field of Bragg Memorial Stadium. Because Florida A&M University does not have an archery club or team, this photograph represents a lost aspect of FAMU student life. It’s unclear when this image was taken or who took it.
This two-page spread was featured in the 1994 Rattler yearbook, showcasing student life at the time. “The Set” was a location on campus in front of the Student Union where students regularly hung around during downtime. These images also highlight the clothing trends of the early ‘90s with baggy jeans, plaid and patterns, and letterman jackets.
This photograph features three (two fully visible) student campaign posters for Florida A&M University’s Royal Court, students who represent the class bodies. One says “Vote For Conchita M. Clarke Sophomore Attendant” while the other says “Vote For Experience Vote Faye Gary Miss FAMU.”
