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Report by WALB Valdosta (walb.com) on the fight to preserve Southside Historic Buildings, with a focus on the historic Liberty Theater.

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Article from the Valdosta Daily Times showcasing the Copeland Museum.

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2 issues of the Spring 2021 issue of Blazer Business magazine. The cover of the magazine features Roy and Cheryl Copeland, and there is an article about the Copeland Museum beginning on pg. 26.

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Coloring book featuring famous African American people featured in the Copeland Museum exhibits. the coloring book was designed by Art and Design students in Professor Evelyn Davis-Walker's graphic design courses in collaboration with the Copeland African American Museum. (2 copies).

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Pamphlet from the National Museum of American Art. Features several paintings by African American artists along with bios of the atrists. 16 pages.

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2 postcards of Dr. John Gorrie, an American inventor.

4 exhibition cards from the Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, advertising an exhibition of 20th century African American Art. the Exhibition was held at Long Beach Museum of Art, Long Beach, CA.

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The newspaper, dated June 18, 2023, was published by Valdosta Daily Times to highlight Juneteenth. Topics of the newspaper would include the origins of Juneteenth, local celebrations, and a timeline of Juneteenth celebrations.

Scope and Contents These boxes contain papers and correspondence from VSU President J. Ralph Thaxton, the fourth President of the VSC following Dr. Reade in 1949. The dates range from 1918, before his time at VSC, until his retirement in 1966. The college underwent a lot of changes and growth during his years as President. Some topic highlights include desegregation, the establishment of intercollegiate sports and Greeks, adding a graduate program, the addition of men to the school (and therefore a name change...

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The scanned Jet magazine, dated May 13, 1985, details an image of Willie Houseal and Bunnis Williams being sworn into Valdosta City Council with their wives. The description describes the change in voting systems that helped 6 black councilmembers be voted into office.

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The letter, dated July 2, 1984, is addressed to the participants of the NAACP et al v. Tillman et al., Civil Action 83-108 VAL. from Todd Johnson. Johnson is updating the Civil Action participants of the opportunity of 6-8 voting districts with 50% of representation in each district from a 65% African American population.

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The letter, dated September 6, 1983, is addressed to Mr. F. J. Smrcina for Willie Houseal as the Executive Director of the Winnerville Coalition Consultants. The topics of the letter include, utilization of Lomax Facilities for Voter Education Seminars and voter apathy.

Scope and Contents From the Collection: The Houseal Collection documents the political, educational, and cultural history of Valdosta’s African American community through the personal papers, photographs, scrapbooks, legal records, writings, and digital media of Dr. Willie Houseal. A longtime educator, civil rights leader, and local politician, Dr. Houseal’s contributions offer unique insight into local struggles for voting rights, the development of public education, and the life of the Southside community. Developed in...

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The letter, dated June 14, 1983, is addressed to George Talley, Attorney for the City of Valdosta, from Todd Johnson. Todd Johnson describes negotiated a settlement for the transition from an At-Large voting system to a single member voting system without filing in the District Court.

Scope and Contents The letter, dated January 10, 1983, is addressed to Ms. Patricia Ito of the Voting Rights Division, Department of Justice, Washington, DC. Willie H. Houseal voices concerns regarding the limitations imposed on the black community in electing representatives to public posts due to the At-Large Voting System in Valdosta and Lowndes County. The letter calls for a transition to a Ward-based district system, and cites historical instances of unsuccessful black candidates. It also includes...

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The letter, dated July 29, 1983, is addressed to Todd Johnson from George Talley. Talley is responding to the idea of a transition to a ward system for election of Mayor and Council in the City of Valdosta, additional stated the City denies any discrimination within the current voting system. The letter request more information on the ward system for example how many additional wards would be added, and if the wards included the school board.

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The letter, dated June 14, 1983, is addressed to Major Nijem, Mayor of the City of Valdosta. Willie Houseal is writing in regards to voting rights issues in Valdosta and Black underrepresentation in voting and elections. The letter includes topics like: Valdosta's At-Large Voting, Valdosta City Council, Single Member District, and Black representation in City Council.

Scope and Contents The Macedonia Community Collection document the rich history and heritage of the Macedonia Community in Morven, Brooks County, Georgia. Developed in partnership with the Macedonia Community Foundation and Valdosta State University Archives and Special Collections, this collection brings together a variety of digitized materials—including photographs, family histories, memoirs, letters, folktales, books, and school reunion records—spanning from the 1880s to 2023. These resources capture the...

Scope and Contents Margaret (Sissy) Leonard and her family have a strong legacy in journalism and activism throughout the 20th century. The tradition started with her grandfather, George Long, who courageously criticized the Ku Klux Klan in his editorials for the Macon Telegraph in the early 1900s. Margaret's mother, Margaret Long, was a progressive journalist who worked at several newspapers in the southern United States. She managed to raise two children mostly on her own while also writing two published...

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The document is a detailed record of Mayor and City Council Elections from 1962-1982. The record includes candidates' names, political parties, winners, and information regarding each election, including topics like: voting percentage, and candidate platforms.

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The letter, dated August 18, 1983, is written by Todd Johnson the lead Council on the Valdosta Civil Action case, to Sam Matchett a summer intern. The document details voting strategy based on a conversation between Todd Johnson and a councilmen from Milledgeville.