A Large African American Archive of Documents, Photographs, and Ephemera from Alabama, incl. Tuskegee Institute pennants and Degree

African American Troops, Tuskegee

Archive

Large African American archive of documents, photographs, and ephemera identified to the Williams Family of Birmingham, Alabama, including Tuskegee Institute pennants and 50 other documents spanning 1930s-1950s, with a few later documents. Majority of documents in the collection relate to Carmin Williams’ service in the Air Force ROTC. Archive also includes a felt "Tuskegee" pennant, a Tuskegee Institute diploma awarded to Carmin with a Bachelor of Science; Carmin D. Williams' appointment to the United States Air Force, May 1954 and his honorable discharge from the USAF, 29 May 1967; and a fundraising letter sent on behalf of the United Negro College Fund from 1980. Additional ephemera from the Williams family include an undated real photo postcard of an unidentified Black child in a white dress. There is a photograph possibly showing George and Willough Williams shortly after their marriage, inscribed on verso "Can't you see what love & romance / has done for me / I'm not what I used to be / this is my last affair / Tragedy seems to be the end of me / All my happiness has turned / to misery / This is my last affair. / Willough." Marriage records indicate that George H. Williams married Willough Mae Horton on 1 November 1916. US Census records indicate that George worked as an "oiler" on the steam railroad in the 1940s and 1950s. Their son Carmin (1932-2022) was born more than 15 years after their marriage. He was a 1954 graduate of the Tuskegee Institute and was appointed 2nd lieutenant, Reserve Officer of the Air Force, that same year. The bravery and combat success of the Tuskegee Airmen proved that black soldiers were equal to their white counterparts in combat. Some documents have and the pennant has rough edges or paper loss, wrinkles, or toning, but overall in good condition.

Item #18579

Price: $5,500.00