George W. Gore’s speeches at Florida A&M College (and later University) emphasized the institution's role in fostering first-class citizenship. In "Are We Ready for the Promised Land," he explored the Negro’s role, voting rights, and history since emancipation in 1863.
Andrew L. Johnson expressed gratitude for the new chapel and the privilege of worshiping in a beautiful space, followed by a prayer thanking God’s provision and calling the congregation to follow Jesus as the author and finisher of their faith, to which the assembly responded with a resounding “Amen.”
Vernon A. Jones blends prayers and hymns with a sermon that seeks God’s mercy and guidance for the academic community, especially students’ identity and values, and culminates in a message challenging believers to live creatively in a permissive society by integrating theory with practice.
Dr. Charles Gomillion provided a sermon on George Washington Carver Day of Dr. Carver's appealed utterances and how the message was aimed for the Tuskegee citizens.
Coretta Scott King preached on the need for the militancy and simplicity of the earliest Christians who were not caught up in the trappings of form and fashion of worship.
A reply letter from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to Chaplain Wynn’s 04/06/1956 letter, informing Chaplain Wynn that he would be happy to speak at the Tuskegee Chapel on 11/11/1956.
A letter from Chaplain Wynn to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. advising him on the activities set to take place during the Religious Emphasis Week Activities for Jan 6-10 1958.
A program created by the Tuskegee Civic Association governing board to show the rest of the organization and community of the accomplishments of Mrs. M.E. Tilly.
A letter released in 1961 affirms the academic freedom and civil liberties of students at colleges and universities. It states that students will not face academic punishment for breaking the law under circumstances but may face civil charges or significant disciplinary actions, ensuring a balance between personal rights and institutional policies.
A letter sent to all students on November 11, 1963, detailed disciplinary actions under President Gore’s administration. Records showed 108 students faced academic probation, fines owed to the university, or indefinite suspension, reflecting strict enforcement of university policies during a period of heightened campus unrest.
Frankye Adams Johnson (Malika) writes this letter to her supporters outlining the criminal charges she is facing in 1980 stemming from a 1974 arrest. She is asking for any support that may be given to her during this time.
A list from February 1960 records the arrest of 32 individuals, including 30 FAMU students and civil rights leader C. K. Steele. The arrests followed student-led protests advocating for desegregation and civil rights, marking a pivotal moment in the university’s involvement in the broader movement for social justice.
On November 7, 1963, a list was issued naming over 100 students to be reprimanded for breaking the University's code of conduct. The list included each student's hometown and classification, reflecting the administration’s commitment to enforcing order and upholding standards during campus unrest.
In this entry, Margaret Walker is writing from Minneapolis, Minnesota. She is reacting to the assassanation that day of Martin Luther King Jr., writing, “May God have mercy on us! What will happen next?” This page also reflects her doodling, which can be found across the entire collection of her journals.
This sketch by John Biggers is part of his planning process for his mural in Christia V. Adair Park, named for an iconic Houston civil rights activist. As part of this project, Biggers also designed a pavilion to contain this mural, drawing inspiration from the homes of the Dogon people of Mali. The mural itself features scenes from Adair's life interspersed with Biggers's own Afrocentric iconography.
Alphonso Alexander Barron was born in Mt. Olive, Mississippi, in 1905. He talks about what he considers the "good old days," the years from his childhood through the early years of his marriage. He discusses family, his education, his church life, his marriage, his career as an educator, and his experiences living in Jackson, Mississippi.
Cornett's work shows Stokely Carmichael with angelic features amidst raised hands. He was a key civil rights activist, a leader of the SNCC, and popularized the term "Black Power." He spoke at Texas Southern one month prior to the TSU Invasion, when Houston police invaded the campus, fired 5,000 rounds into dormitories, and arrested 488 students.
Annie Morganfield talks about sending her children to Head Start in 1966. She recounts going to community organizing meetings and informational sessions about the beginning of Head Start in Rolling Fork, Mississippi. She also talks about the experiences her children had in Head Start and other schools and touches on racial differences in schools.
Romare Bearden was an artist, author, and songwriter from Charlotte, NC. "Atlanta Mural" is a maquette of a mural created for City Scenes '76-'77, the National Paint and Coatings Association bicentennial. Bearden includes the Kente symbol, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's head, the silhouette of a Black family, a church, and a plot of land to represent the African American influence in the city.
Beatrice Coats talks about her involvement in voter registration work with the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. She talks extensively about her experiences helping to register people to vote in 1964, after being a registered voter herself since 1946. That work led her to helping open a Head Start Center in Hollandale, Mississippi.
Betty Gray was born in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1903. She remembers the "Good Old Days" as a child growing up in Jackson when school days, games, and family all made for pleasant times. She also talks about her memories of the Farish Street District as well as Emmett Till and Martin Luther King, Jr. The transcript is edited with handwritten notes.
White square button for the Birmingham, Alabama, 1963 Foot Soldiers Reunion. There is also text on the button that says: "Inspired by what we did for ourselves-and the world." The 1963 Foot Soldiers were children marchers in Birmingham who encountered police resistance in the form of water hoses, attack dogs, and arrests.
Charles Clinton Spaulding, born in 1874, rose from a farm boy in North Carolina to leading the largest black insurance company, the North Carolina Mutual and Provident Association.
In this interview, former Texas Southern art student Brenda Mackey Lang discusses her time as an art student (1967-73) and as an artist later on. At TSU, Lang learned from Dr. John T. Biggers and Professor Carroll Harris Simms, met Maya Angelou, and protested with Mickey Leland.
These images are from the spring of 1979 when Kwame Ture, formerly known as Stokely Carmichael, visited Florida A&M University to speak to students. Ture was a field organizer with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and coined the “Black Power” slogan, making him a key figure during the Civil Rights Movement.
Carolyn Parker began working with the Child Development Group of Mississippi (CDGM) in 1966 after years of working clerical jobs for different human rights organizations. She talks about her work in the Civil Rights Movement and the role of community organization in the beginning of Head Start.
Attorney Carsie Hall moved to Jackson in 1921 to attend Jackson College. He passed the bar exam in 1953 and operated a law firm in the Farish Street District. He talks about a case he worked with the Freedom Marchers during the Civil Rights Movement. He discusses the effect of desegregation on Black businesses and current revitalization efforts.
Ceolia Herman was born in McGee, Mississippi, in 1904 and came to Jackson in 1919 to go to high school while living with her sister until getting married and moving to Chicago. She moved back and worked as a nurse and then in a cleaners. She recalls the "Good Old Days" as days when she was younger and didn't have to worry about anything.
