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 8: Political Individuals, Reid—Young / Politics, 1922-1977

Folder 1: William Ferguson Reid, 1967-1969
Folder 2: Sample Ballot, John F. Rixey, circa 1968
Folder 3: Jackie Robinson, Republican National Committee, 1960 October 1
Folder 4: Norfolk First: Robinson, Sacks, Caprio, and Moss, 1967
Folder 5: Stanley E. Sacks, 1966-1972
Folder 6: Bill Scott, 1972
Folder 7: J. D. Speller, 1966
Folder 8: William B. Spong, Jr., 1966-1972
Folder 9: F. T. "Bingo" Stant, 1960-1968
Folder 10: Stevenson and Sparkman, 1952
Folder 11: Story, Putney, and Carter, Virginia Conservative Party, 1965
Folder 12: W. R. L. Taylor, 1938
Folder 13: William J. Thompkins, 1934-1941
Folder 14: Paul C. Trotman, Jr., 1965
Folder 15: Sample Ballot, Democratic Party, Truman and Barkley, 1948
Folder 16: Stanley C. Walker, 1963-1975
Folder 17: Henry A. Wallace, Glen H. Taylor, and Virginia Foster Durr, 1948
Folder 18: Virginia Wallace For President Committee, 1948
Folder 19: Roland J. Walton, 1969
Folder 20: Flier, Wanted for Impeachment, Earl Warren, circa 1960s
Folder 21: J. Warren White, Jr., 1966-1967
Folder 22: G. William Whitehurst, 1972
Folder 23: Berry D. Willis, Jr., 1965-1966
Folder 24: William A. Wright, 1946
Folder 25: P. B. Young, 1930-1977
Folder 26: Correspondence, to Mayor and City Council on Proposed Colored School, 1922-1923
Folder 27: Brochure, To the Colored Voter, National Colored Citizens Roosevelt Advisory Committee, 1932
Folder 28: Advertisement, Vote for Roosevelt and Recovery, National Colored Citizens Roosevelt for President Committee, circa 1932
Folder 29: Congressional Record, circa 1932-1948
Folder 30: Brochure, Address to our Fellow-Citizens by the Republican National Planning Board, 1936
Folder 31: Booklet, They Hate Roosevelt! by Marquis W. Childs, 1936
Folder 32: Booklet, The 1948 Platform of the Democratic Party, 1948
Folder 33: Correspondence, Norfolk Improvement Committee of the Progressive Party, 1949
Folder 34: Committee For Constitutional Government To Public-spirited Citizens Willing to Help Stop Socialism in U. S. A., circa 1950
Folder 35: Flier, Get-Out-The-Vote-Campaign, circa 1950s-1960s
Folder 36: Approved Acts by the General Assembly of Virginia, 1955-1956
Folder 37: House Bill No. 686, Proceedings brought against school boards, 1956 February 20
Folder 38: Remarks of Senator John F. Kennedy... Before the Second Annual Conference of the American Society of African Culture, 1959 June 28
Folder 39: Makers of American History: United States Congressmen and Senators, circa 1960
Folder 40: United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, No. 8054, Virginia Pupil Placement Board, 1960
Folder 41: Booklet, The Negro School Movement in Virginia: From "Equalization" to "Integration", 1960
Folder 42: Amended Supplemental Complaint, Eva Allen v. County School Board of Prince Edward County, 1961
Folder 43: Supreme Court of the United States decisions, 1963
Folder 44: Blank Forms, Voter Registration and Repeal Poll Tax, circa 1964
Folder 45: Poster, The Civil Rights Act of 1964, 1964
Folder 46: House Joint Resolution No. 21, Equal Opportunities, 1966 January 20
Folder 47: Proposed Constitutional Amendments, Commonwealth of Virginia, 1969
Folder 48: Booklet, Vote For a Better Norfolk Registration Guide, 1969
Folder 49: Docket for the Council, Regular Weekly Session, City of Norfolk, 1972 March 7
Folder 50: Norfolk House of Delegate Members, 1975
Folder 51: Summary, Principal Actions Taken During the 1975 General Assembly, Commonwealth of Virginia Senate, 1975: Stanley C. Walker.
Folder 52: Summary, Principal Actions Taken During the 1976 General Assembly, Commonwealth of Virginia Senate, 1976: Stanley C. Walker.
Folder 53: Clippings, Politics, 1930s-1970s
Folder 54: Clippings, Voting and Poll Taxes, 1940s-1970s
Folder 55: Poster, Don't Talk Politics In Here! Unless... You Are A Registered Voter, Journal and Guide, undated
Folder 56: List, Questions, Political Campaigns and Voting, undated
Folder 57: Open Letter to the Governor of Virginia From Omar Mung Kenyatta, undated