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 18: Subject Files, circa 1920s-1994

Folder 1: Ledger, 1962-1964
Folder 2: March on Washington For Jobs and Freedom, 1963 August 28
Folder 3: Bulletin, Blue Cross Blue Shield, 1964 February-March: Volume 8, Number 1.
Folder 4: Newsletter, East Ghent Newsletter, 1964 June 29: Volume 1, Number 4.
Folder 5: Magazine, Peace Corps Volunteer, 1965-1966
Folder 6: Speech, The Handpicked Jury System, 1965 May 4: To the Ladies Auxiliary of Norfolk Fire Department.
Folder 7: Magazine, The ULICO, 1965 Summer
Folder 8: Application For Membership to "Teen Corps", Brenda Exum, 1965 August 19
Folder 9: Newspaper, VTA Bulletin, 1965 November/December: Volume XLVII, Number 3.
Folder 10: List, Citizens living in Young Park who need transportation to City Hall for purpose of registering to vote, 1966 April 26
Folder 11: Thesis, Massive Resistance to the 1954 Supreme Court Decision in Virginia from 1954-1965, 1967 August: By Clarence Emmel Bunch.
Folder 12: Newspaper, The Virginia Observer, 1967 September 15
Folder 13: Newspaper, The Pelican Press, 1967 October 27: Volume 3, Number 42.
Folder 14: Berkley Swimming Pool Fund, circa 1968
Folder 15: Clippings, Poor Peoples March, 1968 May
Folder 16: Article, "Norfolk: Renewal's Prodigy, Child of Ambition," The Commonwealth: The Magazine of Virginia, 1968 September
Folder 17: The Tuskegee Alumni Support Picture In the 1959-1969 Decade, circa 1969
Folder 18: Profile of Poverty: Facts About East Ghent, circa 1970
Folder 19: Booklet, Federal Benefits... for Veterans and Dependents, 1971 March
Folder 20: Newsletter, Ford Foundation Letter, 1971 September 1: Volume 2, Number 6.
Folder 21: Publication, Employment News, Human Resources, 1971 December
Folder 22: Annual Report, Richmond Reports, 1971-1972
Folder 23: Newsletter, RCA, Baton, 1972: Volume 19, Number 1.
Folder 24: Publication, Minority Manpower, Virginia Employment Commission, 1972 Summer: Volume 2, Number 3.
Folder 25: Newsletter, News of Service to Families Under Stress, 1972, 1976
Folder 26: Program, Open House Dedication of Marcella Land Paige Day Care Center, 1973 January 30
Folder 27: VEP News, 1974 November
Folder 28: Booklet, A Decade of Decay During the Brick-and-Mortar Administration, A History of Church Street, circa 1975
Folder 29: Periodical, The Journal of Negro History, 1976 April
Folder 30: Periodical, The Journal of Negro History, 1976 October
Folder 31: Newspaper, Journal & Guide, 1978 November 3
Folder 32: Newsletter, The Trio Messenger, 1994 November
Folder 33: Newsletter, Federal Public Service Employees Council, undated
Folder 34: Dope Stop Teen Counselor Program, undated
Folder 35: Brochure, Separate Is Not Equal, The Conversion of a Segregationist, by Kenneth J. Foreman, undated
Folder 36: Virginia Labor's League for Political Education, undated
Folder 37: Inventory, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 1076, undated
Folder 38: Blank Case Report, President's Committee on Fair Employment Practices, undated
Folder 39: Blank Certificates, Norfolk Alliance of Political Action Committees, undated
Folder 40: Flier, Opportunities Industrialization Center, undated
Folder 41: Tentative List of Nominees for Board of Directors, Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company, undated
Folder 42: Poetry, undated
Folder 43: Notes, Miscellaneous, circa 1920s-1960s