Repository: ULS Archives & Special Collections
Title: Virginia Proctor Powell Florence and Charles Florence Family Papers
Creator: Florence, Virginia Proctor Powell
Creator: Dyer, Ervin
Creator: Florence, Charles W.
Collection Number: UA.91.1
Extent: 3.75 Linear Feet
Date: 1915-2009
Abstract: The collection contains correspondence, artifacts, and photographs pertaining to Virginia Proctor Powell Florence (1897–1991) and her husband Charles Wilbur Florence (1890–1974). The Florence's were accomplished University of Pittsburgh alumni and Pittsburgh area natives, who overcame the obstacles to advancement, notably racial discrimination and prejudice, on their way to successful lives and careers. The material dates primarily from the 1910's and 1920's. The records were donated to the University of Pittsburgh by Ervin Dyer, senior staff writer for Pitt Magazine.
Language: English .
Author: James Northway.
Publisher: ULS Archives & Special Collections
Address: University of Pittsburgh Library System
Archives & Special Collections
Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Business Number: 412-648-3232 (Thomas) | 412-648-8190 (Hillman)
Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist
URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections

Acquisition Information

Gift of Ervin Dyer on July 30, 2009.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by James Northway in 2012.

Previous Citation

Virginia Proctor Powell Florence and Charles Florence Papers, 1915-2009, UA.91.1, University Archives, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh

Preferred Citation

Virginia Proctor Powell Florence and Charles Florence Papers, 1915-2009, UA.91.1, University Archives, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Arrangement

The collection has been arranged into five series.

Series I. Virginia Proctor Powell Florence, 1915-1917

Series II. Charles Florence, 1908-1967

Series III. Photographs, 1910-ca. 1965

Series IV. Ervin Dyer Research Materials, ca. 2005-2009

Series V. Oversized Material, ca. 1909-2008

Access Restrictions

No restrictions.

Biography/History

Virginia Proctor Powell Florence (1903-1991) is noted for being the first African American woman to graduate from a professional library program. She graduated from the Carnegie Library School, which would become the University of Pittsburgh's School of Library and Information Sciences, in 1923. Over her career Florence worked as a public and school librarian in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Richmond, VA.

Charles W. Florence (1890-1974) spent a career devoted to the education profession as teacher, professor, dean, and college president. After growing up and attending high school in Brownsville, Pennsylvania, Florence attended Southwestern State Normal School (present day California University of Pennsylvania) and Storer College before arriving at the University of Pittsburgh. As an undergraduate, Florence captained the University of Pittsburgh's debate team (ca. 1915-17), belonged to the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, founded and presided over the Pitt Lyceum, and served as secretary for the International Polity Club. In 1919 he was awarded his Bachelors from the University of Pittsburgh after serving in World War I. Later, Mr. Florence would earn his Masters from the University of Pittsburgh and start, though never finish, post-graduate studies at Harvard University . His teaching and administrative positions took him to Virginia Normal and Industrial Institute (present day Virginia State University), Lincoln University – Missouri, and Virginia Union University, all historically Black colleges.

Custodial History

Ervin Dyer is an award winning journalist for the Pitt Magazine whose articles have also been published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. The papers came into his possession from a variety of sources, including the California Historical Society, Virginia Union University, and Ms. Barbary Grey, a former student of Charles Florence who bought the former Florence family home in Richmond, Va. in 1982; the home likely contained many of the items in the collection.

Scope and Content Notes

The Florence Family papers document the educational and professional activities of Virginia Florence and Charles Florence, both graduates of the University of Pittsburgh. The papers consist of a scrapbook, a dance card, handbooks, a diary, newspaper clippings, postcards, greeting cards, photographs, a magazine article, census records, and obituaries. Also included in the papers are research materials used by Ervin Dyer to complete articles on Charles Florence's participation on the debate team at Pitt.

Subjects

Corporate Names

University of Pittsburgh -- Alumni and alumnae

Personal Names

Florence, Virginia Proctor Powell
Dyer, Ervin
Florence, Charles W.

Genres

Correspondence
Postcards
Photographs
Clippings (Information artifacts)
Scrapbooks

Other Subjects

Ethnic groups
Women
Education
African American universities and colleges
Universities and colleges -- United States
Education, Higher -- United States
African American women librarians
African American educators

Container List

Series I. Virginia Proctor Powell Florence

Language

English.

Scope and Content Notes

This series contains Virginia Proctor Powell Florence's papers and consists of three folders. The Fifth Avenue High School scrapbook contains several photographs, handwritten notes from classmates, a dried rose, invitation to an honor's society gathering, and newspaper clippings. The folder entitled "handbook" includes a small pocket style book of essays by Maurice Maesterlinck. Folder three contains material related to VPPF's time as a student at Oberlin College in Ohio and includes a framed print of the Oberlin College Student Creed and a dance card.

Fifth Avenue High School Scrapbook, 1915

Containers: box 1, folder 1

Handbook, Women and Four other Essays by Maurice Maeterlinck, undated

Containers: box 1, folder 2

Oberlin College, Student Creed & Dance Card, 1917

Containers: box 1, folder 3

Series II. Charles Florence

Scope and Content Notes

The Charles Florence series consists of eight folders of material related to CF's personal and professional life. The materials consists of the newspaper clippings from the Brownsville telegraph including a column titled "That Was Brownsville"; a photocopy of Charles Florence's grade transcript from Southwestern State Normal School (now California University of Pennsylvania); his calling card and day journal from 1917 during his residence in Pittsburgh, a transcription of the journal by Ervin Dyer is also included, correspondence postcards which date from 1919 to 1951 (arranged by the date stamp on the cards to replicate the order in which Mr. Florence received the postcards); a Lincoln University (Jefferson City, Missouri), Student Handbook from the 1933-1934 academic year; two souvenir postcards books and two individual post cards bought by Charles Florence to commemorate events in his life. The "Paris" postcard book which was likely bought in France during Florence's tour of duty in Europe may have been given to him by Lieutenant Donald Jefferson, a classmate and fellow veteran from Pittsburgh. Also included are commencement programs, yearbooks, a notice announcing a visiting lecturer from Japan all from Florence's time spent at Storer College. The University of Pittsburgh folder contains photocopies of transcripts from both Florence's undergraduate and graduate studies, commencement programs from his undergraduate years, and an invitation to a meeting held by the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity of which Charles Florence was a member. In the final folder is letter from the Virginia Normal and Industrial Institute which included a job offer for what would become Charles Florence first professional teaching position.

Brownsville Telegraph Newspaper Clippings, 1967

Containers: box 1, folder 4

Calling Card and Pocket Journal, 1917

Containers: box 1, folder 5

Correspondence, Postcards & Greeting Cards, 1919-1951

Containers: box 1, folder 6

California University of Pennsylvania, undated

Containers: box 1, folder 6a

Lincoln University - Missouri, 1933

Containers: box 1, folder 7

Souvenir Postcards, 1919

Containers: box 1, folder 8

Storer College, 1908-1910

Containers: box 1, folder 9

University of Pittsburgh, 1915-1919

Containers: box 1, folder 10

Virginia Normal and Industrial Institute, 1919

Containers: box 1, folder 11

Series III. Photographs, 1910-1965

Scope and Content Notes

This series of photographs represent a span a period of over fifty years not including a political pamphlet which dates from the late 1990's. The photographs include images of Charles Florence and Virginia Proctor Powell Florence together and separate. Also included is a folder which contains exterior photographs of the Florence family homes in Brownsville, PA and Richmond, VA. Old Memorial Hall, on the Lincoln University Campus. Also included are several photographs of African-American men and women whose identities we're unable to be verified at the time of processing.

Charles Florence, undated

Containers: box 1, folder 12

Charles and Virginia Florence, undated

Containers: box 1, folder 13

Charles Florence and Eric Crabtree, c 1965

Containers: box 1, folder 14

Florence Family Houses, c 1940s

Containers: box 1, folder 15

Old Memorial Hall, Lincoln University, undated

Containers: box 1, folder 16

Unidentified Women, 1910-1916

Containers: box 1, folder 17

Unidentified Man(possibly Donald Jefferson), undated

Containers: box 1, folder 18

Virginia Proctor Powell Florence, undated

Containers: box 1, folder 19

Series IV. Ervin Dyer Research Materials

Scope and Content Notes

This series contains four folders of research materials that Ervin Dyer used to complete his article entitled, "The Great Debater" in the Summer 2008 issue of Pitt Magazine on Charles Florence. The series includes, a copy of Pitt Magazine, photocopied census records related to the Florence family, correspondence with the California Area Historical Society, and photocopied death notices, obituaries, and death certificates of members of the Florence family.

Pitt Magazine Article, 2008

Containers: box 1, folder 20

Photocopied Census Records for 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, ca. 2005-2009

Containers: box 1, folder 21

Correspondence, 2008-2009

Containers: box 1, folder 22

Photocopied Death Notices and Obituaries, ca. 2005 - 2008

Containers: box 1, folder 23

Series V. Oversized Materials

Scope and Content Notes

This series contains oversized materials include full newspapers from Storer College, the University of Pittsburgh and a photographic reproduction, possibly of Storer College faculty and students.

Storer College, Storer Record, 1909-1915

Containers: box 1, drawer 12-6; box 1, drawer 12-6, folder 1

University of Pittsburgh, Pitt Weekly, 1915-1917

Containers: box 1, drawer 12-6; box 1, drawer 12-6, folder 2

Photographic Reproduction of a group of men with American Flags-original from ca. 1910-1915, ca. 2005-2008

Containers: box 1, drawer 12-6; box 1, drawer 12-6, folder 3

Guide to the Virginia Proctor Powell Florence and Charles Florence Family Papers, 1915-2009 UA.91.1

Arrangement

Acquisition Information

Processing Information

Previous Citation

Preferred Citation

Arrangement

Access Restrictions

Biography/History

Custodial History

Scope and Content Notes

Subjects

Corporate Names

Personal Names

Genres

Other Subjects

Container List

Language

Scope and Content Notes

Scope and Content Notes

Scope and Content Notes

Scope and Content Notes

Scope and Content Notes