Samuel F. Coppage, Sr. Papers, 1908-2011 | Sargeant Memorial Collection

By Sarah Osorio

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Collection Overview

Title: Samuel F. Coppage, Sr. Papers, 1908-2011

Predominant Dates:1950s-1970s

ID: 001/01/MSS 2016-072

Primary Creator: Coppage, Samuel F., Sr. (1886-1977)

Extent: 21.0 Boxes

Arrangement: Arranged roughly by subject: family papers, dental profession, fraternities, schools, political individuals, organizations, and subject files. Some materials are arranged by record type: correspondence, booklets and brochures, small family photographs, CDs, artifacts, and oversized newspapers.

Date Acquired: 09/20/2016

Subjects: African Americans, Boy Scouts of America, Civil rights, Dentists, Fraternal organizations, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Nonprofit organizations, Norfolk (Va.), Norfolk (Va.)--Politics and government--20th century, Norfolk Community Hospital, Organizations, Politics and Government, Sports, Virginia--Politics and government, Voting

Forms of Material: Articles, Biographies (documents), Booklets, Brochures, Budgets, Bulletins, Certificates, Church bulletins, Clippings (information artifacts), Compact discs, Correspondence, Cultural artifacts, Minutes (administrative records), Negatives (photographs), Newsletters, Notes, Patches (costume accessories), Photographs, Pins (jewelry), Postcards, Printed ephemera, Programs, Publications (document genre), Reports, Rosters, Speeches (documents)

Languages: English, Japanese

Scope and Contents of the Materials

Personal, professional, political, and family papers of Samuel F. Coppage, Sr. of Norfolk, Virginia. The collection includes Coppage's involvement in various local organizations, particularly the Community Democratic Club, NAACP, and Norfolk Community Hospital. The collection also documents his activities with professional dental organizations such as the Old Dominion Dental Society; fraternal groups including the Elks and Frontiers Club; youth groups such as Boy Scouts of America, YMCA, and Community Boys Club; church involvement at Grace Episcopal Church; and support for organizations such as the Norfolk Council of Social Agencies and Child and Family Service, Inc. The Samuel F. Coppage, Sr. Papers include correspondence with politicians and political campaign brochures and leaflets. The collection documents activities of civic groups such as the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and Tidewater Voter Registration Project. Most of the materials in the collection date from the 1950s-1970s.

Some materials in the collection were created or collected by Coppage's wife, Constance Jordan Coppage, and his son, Samuel F. Coppage, Jr. There are also family photographs, correspondence, and clippings.

Biographical Note

Samuel Francis Coppage, Sr. was born on January 25, 1886 in Durants Neck, Perquimans County, North Carolina. He was a dentist, civil rights leader, and activist. Coppage earned his dentistry degree from Howard University in 1912. He helped organize the Old Dominion Dental Society, and he was on the Board of Directors for Norfolk Community Hospital. Coppage married Eunice Marion Ganey on September 11, 1911 in Pasquotank, North Carolina; she died due to complications from a premature birth in 1916. He married Constance Elizabeth Jordan on December 28, 1943 in Norfolk, Virginia. They had one child, Samuel F. Coppage, Jr. Coppage was a member of Grace Episcopal Church. He founded the Community Democratic Club and was an active member of the NAACP. Coppage was a charter member of CIAA and an active leader for the Boy Scouts. He was also active through Alpha Phi Alpha, the Improved Benevolent Order of Elks, and Frontiers Club of America. Coppage died on February 26, 1977 in Norfolk, Virginia and was buried at Calvary Cemetery in Norfolk, Virginia.

Subject/Index Terms

African Americans
Boy Scouts of America
Civil rights
Dentists
Fraternal organizations
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
Nonprofit organizations
Norfolk (Va.)
Norfolk (Va.)--Politics and government--20th century
Norfolk Community Hospital
Organizations
Politics and Government
Sports
Virginia--Politics and government
Voting

Administrative Information

Repository: Sargeant Memorial Collection

Access Restrictions: This collection may have restrictions.

Use Restrictions: The status of copyright for these materials is governed by Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U. S. C.). Copyright restrictions may apply.

Acquisition Source: Estate of Samuel F. Coppage by donation

Preferred Citation: Samuel F. Coppage, Sr. Papers, MSS 2016-072, Sargeant Memorial Collection, Norfolk Public Library, Norfolk, Virginia.

Processing Information: Processed October 6, 2022.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Box:

[Box 1: Correspondence, 1909-1995],
[Box 2: Family Papers / Individuals / Clippings, circa 1919-2010],
[Box 3: Dental Profession, 1918-1976],
[Box 4: Churches / Church Leaders, circa 1920-1983],
[Box 5: Fraternities and Sororities, 1922-1976],
[Box 6: Schools, 1912-1977],
[Box 7: Political Individuals, Ashe—Plunkett, 1920-1977],
[Box 8: Political Individuals, Reid—Young / Politics, 1922-1977],
[Box 9: Organizations, AFL-CIO—Community Boys Club, 1930-1976],
[Box 10: Organizations, Community Democratic Club, 1933-1975],
[Box 11: Organizations, CIAA—NAACP, 1924-1977],
[Box 12: Organizations, NAACP, circa 1945-1977],
[Box 13: Organizations, National Business League—Norfolk Community Hospital, 1918-1973],
[Box 14: Organizations, Norfolk Community Hospital, 1930-1976],
[Box 15: Organizations, Norfolk Council of Colored Social Agencies—Tidewater Voter Registration Project, circa 1925-1973],
[Box 16: Organizations, United Black Federation of Norfolk—ZANU Support Committee, 1918-1975],
[Box 17: Subject Files, 1913-1962],
[Box 18: Subject Files, circa 1920s-1994],
[Box 19: Booklets and Brochures, 1910s-1970s],
[Box 20: Postcards, Photographs, CDs, and Artifacts, circa 1900-2011],
[Box 21: Newspapers and Artifact, circa 1950s-1960s],
[All]

Box 13: Organizations, National Business League—Norfolk Community Hospital, 1918-1973

Folder 1: National Business League, 1972-1973
Folder 2: National Citizens Political Action Committee, 1944-1945
Folder 3: National Council of Negro Women, 1946-1963
Folder 4: National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, circa 1968
Folder 5: Newsletter, National Foundation News, 1947 February: Volume 6, Number 2.
Folder 6: National League on Urban Conditions Among Negroes, 1918
Folder 7: National Urban Coalition, undated
Folder 8: National Urban League, circa 1963
Folder 9: National Welfare Rights Organization (NWRO), 1970-1971
Folder 10: Norfolk Area Council on Human Relations, 1966-1971
Folder 11: Norfolk Citizens Advisory Committee on Schools, 1949-1955
Folder 12: Norfolk Colored Community Center, 1923-1925
Folder 13: Norfolk Committee on Negro Affairs, 1946
Folder 14: Norfolk Community Council, 1944-1949
Folder 15: Norfolk Community Fund, 1924-1930
Folder 16: Correspondence, Norfolk Community Hospital, 1928-1949
Folder 17: Correspondence, Norfolk Community Hospital, 1950-1975
Folder 18: Board of Trustees, Norfolk Community Hospital, 1951-1969
Folder 19: Board of Trustees, Norfolk Community Hospital, 1972
Folder 20: Board of Trustees, Norfolk Community Hospital, 1973