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.
The vintage can of Black Mammy Plastic Roof Cement features a depiction of a Black female figure, reflecting the problematic stereotypes prevalent in mid-20th-century advertising. Often portrayed as a caretaker or domestic figure, this imagery reveals the complexities of racial representation and the commodification of Black identity.
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 and donated by Dr. James Eaton.
94-page document containing more than 10 articles by a variety of contributors, including a 12-page article by Monroe N. Work titled "A Half Century of Progress: A Contrast, The Negro in America in 1866 and in 1922."
The iron "Whites Only" swimming pool sign from Selma, Alabama, dating back to 1931, starkly illustrates the era's racial segregation and discrimination. This historical artifact symbolizes the oppressive Jim Crow laws that enforced racial barriers in public spaces.
A page of a draft of Margaret Walker’s biography of Richard Wright with edits. She writes about Wright’s Natchez years.. After exhaustive research and extended legal battle, Margaret Walker published her biography of famed novelist Richard Wright. She titled the biography, “Richard Wright Daemonic Genius,” published by Warner Books in 1988.
Under President Gore's administration, a White House message tackled harmful statistical stereotypes and societal biases. It condemned discrimination, emphasized voting and education rights, and advocated for the extension and expansion of the Commission on Civil Rights to promote equality and protect civil liberties for all.
Samella Sanders Lewis was a printmaker, painter, sculptor, and art historian from New Orleans, LA. "Barrier" is a drawing that depicts the physical and social barriers between groups of people. In the foreground, three women and a boy suspiciously look at a group of townspeople who return their stare from the other side of a barbed wire fence.
Florida A&M University President Dr. Benjamin L. Perry made bold statements during the Governor’s conference on education opportunities for the disadvantaged. He claimed that the only way to bring more fruitful educational opportunities is to address the problem at its root: white attitudes toward minority education.
Bernard Thornton was born in 1908 in Natchez, Mississippi. He lived 53 of his 68 years in Jackson, Mississippi. The purpose of the interview was to learn information concerning the function of the Lynch Street C.M.E. Church in the community. Mr. Thornton talks about being a member of the church since 1925 and a trustee since 1945.
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.
Seven pages of typed biographical information on Monroe N. Work, with many edits written in pencil. Undated, but latest date listed is 1932. "For Miss [Jessie] Parkhurst" is written on one page.
Mr. Myers was the owner of Myers Coffee Company on Farish Street. He talks about his business as well as other businesses in the district and breaks down the different sections of the neighborhood.
Carolyn Cannon Lindsey attended Smith Robertson School as an elementary student beginning in 1952. At the school she completed 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 8th grades. She discusses the segregation of schools during that time. She also recalls some of her teachers and fondest memories of her time as a student there.
In 1995, G. Powell, III, wrote a letter to U.S. House Rep. Carrie P. Meek filled with disparaging and discriminatory comments. It is hard to determine who exactly Powell was. Still, the document alone shows how much racism the first African American woman elected to represent Florida in the U.S. Congress since the Reconstruction era received.
Carrie Washington was born in 1895 and moved to the Farish Street District in 1933 and has lived there since. Ms. Washington talks about her time in the district and her experiences working in the homes of white people. She also talks about businesses and buildings in the district and the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927.
The vintage "Black Jockey Boys" bank is a collectible item depicting a stereotype of African American jockeys, often characterized by exaggerated features and playful expressions. While intended as a whimsical decoration, it reflects the racial caricatures prevalent in the early 20th century.
Mr. Peterson was born in 1891 and was a lifelong resident of Clinton. He talks about his parents being born into slavery; the Clinton Riot; his Christian faith; and his education, specifically giving an overview of the curriculum of his school at the turn of the century.
A letter form the Charles G. Gomillion to Mrs. L.E. Carter thanking her for allowing the children’s choir to sing this pact Tuskegee Civic Association meeting.
The Tampa Morning Tribune reported on the Florida Division of the Southern Regional Council's strong stance against the Ku Klux Klan, labeling it Nazi-like. Dr. Gray and fellow leaders introduced a comprehensive plan to tackle discrimination in state laws, calling for equal school funding and social progress in Florida.
Dolly Smith moved to Jackson with her family in 1919 or 1920 when she was a little girl. She says the “Good Old Days” were the times when things weren't as expensive. She reminisces on her childhood and what life was like during the Great Depression and talks about Black owned businesses, race relations, and music in Jackson.
Dr. Aaron Shirley began his work with Head Start while working with the Freedom Schools during Freedom Summer in 1964; many of those schools became part of Child Development Group (CDGM). Dr. Shirley talks about his role as a medical services provider for Head Start programs all over Mississippi as part of a team of Black doctors.
Dr. David White was the first Black optometrist in the state of Mississippi when he moved onto Farish Street in 1951. He talks about Farish Street before and after integration: Black businesses became less prosperous after integration as some Black customers went to white owned businesses. He also talks about his involvement with the NAACP.
Dr. Lee Williams was a homeowner in the Farish Street District from 1924-1954 and worked as Vice President of Administration at Jackson State University. He talks about his time as a student at Smith Robertson School and Lanier high School. He discusses the effects of segregation on the district and also the current efforts to revitalize the area.
