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The Gorham collection consists of papers of Florida A&M University professor, Thelma T. Gorham, 1913-1992. The Collection spans over Gorham’s lifetime. It includes papers, correspondence, photographs, greeting and postcards, and memorabilia. The arrangement of the collection is in both series and box identification. The series are: correspondence, educational and professional career, memorabilia, three- dimensional objects, JET Magazine collection, Ebony Magazine Collection, miscellaneous publications, miscellaneous articles collected by Gorham, photographs, audio and video, greeting and post cards, and pamphlets and brochures collected by Gorham, outside of the series are single boxes with box identification.
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“Hidden Sagas: Stories of Florida’s African American Experience” Oral History Project had its roots as a response to the Florida Humanities Council’s 30th Anniversary celebration in 2003, and three year initiative entitled “Telling Florida’s Stories: Strengthening Florida Communities.” The specific goal of this project was to collect the reminisces of black Floridians who had lived through the Jim Crow Era and witnessed the changes wrought by the Civil Rights Revolution. The driving force behind “Hidden Sagas” was to revamp the history of America’s rural communities that is often overshadowed by the vast amounts of evidence of urban centers. The roots of the African American experience begin with the land, may it be a plantation of the antebellum period or tenant farmer. It was these places that Black culture, religion, and folk life took its form. It is only natural to return to those places to seek the history of African American people.
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Leon County is in the northernmost region of Florida known as the Big Bend. The collection contains copies of Rural Resources of Leon County, Florida,
1821–1950: Volume I Historic Contexts and Case Studies, by Historic Tallahassee Preservation Board. The case studies give a brief history of Leon County through case studies done on the families that were in Leon County between 1821–1950. The collection also contains the September 1989 Proposed Historic Preservation Ordinance and Incentive Program for Tallahassee and Leon County by the Historic Preservation Task Force. The book is Tallahassee/Leon County’s plan to ensure historic preservation of the city and county.
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John G. Riley was born on September 24, 1857 in Leon County to the union of Sarah and James Riley. Born an enslaved African, Riley grew up in “slave quarters” located behind the Knott House in downtown Tallahassee. It is believed that Riley was self-educated, but further research shows Professor Riley did study at colleges and universities. Professor Riley went on to teach in Wakulla, Gadsden, and Leon counties in Florida as well as serving as principal to Lincoln Academy in Tallahassee. In addition to being a distinguished educator, Professor Riley was also a successful businessman. After building his home on East Jefferson Street in Tallahassee, Professor Riley began to buy and sell property in the capital city. His business dealings would yield profits for years after his death. The collection contains a biographical history of John G. Riley. This includes a brief history of property records, family genealogies, and a 1915 copy of Who’s Who, which cites Professor Riley.
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The John G. Riley House was built in 1890 at 419 East Jefferson Street, Tallahassee, Florida. After Riley’s death, his family continued to live there until 1973. The city bought the property and planned to build an electrical substation on the site. The Historic Tallahassee Preservation Board researched the site and in 1978 the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The house now serves as a museum/center in his honor. The mission of the museum is to preserve the cultural and educational history for African Americans in the Tallahassee area and the state of Florida, from Reconstruction era through the Civil War rights movements. The collection contains information concerning the development of the John G. Riley House Museum & Center as well as the day-to-day legwork of the museum & center. The files range from program information to displays to grants.
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The collection follows the history of Leon County Schools through segregation and integration and the development of new schools. The collection focuses on rural one-room schools of Leon County. The collection contains information concerning Leon County rural one-room school houses from attendance records to commencement exercises. The collection also tracks the education system for blacks in Leon County through segregation and integration. Brief histories are given for some schools.
