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 2: Family Papers / Individuals / Clippings, circa 1919-2010

Folder 1: Eliza Coppage, circa 1919-1935
Folder 2: Program, Summer School Recital, The Williams School of Expression and Dramatic Art, 1920 August 3: Eliza A. Coppage.
Folder 3: Clippings, Samuel F. Coppage, Sr., 1926-1973
Folder 4: Samuel F. Coppage, Sr. Burial Information, 1977
Folder 5: Sketch, Possibly Samuel F. Coppage, Sr., undated
Folder 6: Biography, Samuel Francis Coppage, Sr., circa 1972
Folder 7: Biography Sketch, Samuel Francis Coppage, Sr., circa 1972
Folder 8: Biography, Samuel Francis Coppage, Dictionary of Virginia Biography, 2006
Folder 9: Samuel F. Coppage, Jr. Papers, circa 1950-1985
Folder 10: Photographs, circa 1920-1960
Folder 11: Photographs, circa 1920-1970
Folder 12: Clippings from Scrapbook, Coppage Family, circa 1950-1990
Folder 13: Portraits, Unidentified African American Women, undated
Folder 14: Program, A Retirement Celebration for Mrs. Cheryl Cox Bunch, 2010 June 11
Folder 15: Clarence Bunch, 1996
Folder 16: D. T. Carter, 1976
Folder 17: James A. Clark, 1970-1974
Folder 18: Victor D. Diggs, circa 1971
Folder 19: Lucille A. Douglas, 1975
Folder 20: Resume, Marie H. Freeman, circa 1970
Folder 21: Eula Burnette Edmonds Glover, 1989
Folder 22: Louis I. Jaffe, 1929
Folder 23: Program, Birthday Celebration for Caldonia Barge Johnson, 1994 March 5
Folder 24: Hattie Maria Blue Jordan, 1983-1987
Folder 25: Program and Invitation, Hattie B. Jordan's 100th Birthday, 1988 January 11
Folder 26: Correspondence, Seesan to Hattie, circa 1990 May
Folder 27: Hattie Maria Blue Jordan, Obituary and Funeral Information, 1991
Folder 28: Speech, Edwin A. Henry on J. Wilbur Jordan, undated
Folder 29: Mildred N. Jordan, 1963
Folder 30: William T. Mason, Jr., circa 1973
Folder 31: Resume, Luther Lee Santiful, 1973 June 11
Folder 32: Augusta A. White, 1991
Folder 33: Statement, Lonnie Williams, 1917 June 25
Folder 34: Subpoenas, 1934-1968
Folder 35: Clippings, Hospitals and Medicine, 1940s-1970s
Folder 36: Clippings, Civil Rights and Integration, 1940s-1970s
Folder 37: Clippings, Miscellaneous People, circa 1940s-1980s
Folder 38: Clippings, Miscellaneous, 1920-1987