African American Legacy: The Carol Mundy Collection

This collection consists of over 1,500 items related to the African American experience in all formats: monographs, manuscripts, sheet music, pamphlets, journals, newspapers, broadsides, posters, photographs, and rare ephemera. These materials are divided into six topical series:

Series I: Apopka Documents, 1892-1950, consists mostly of the personal papers of local businessmen, George Oden (1862-1939) and Michael Gladden, executor of Oden's estate. Also significant are a number of documents from Ella Wall, an Apopka resident who was the inspiration for a character in Zora Neale Hurston's Mules and Men. Mrs. Wall ran an Orange Grove, and was a close friend and confidant of Michael Gladden, Jr. until her death. Materials in this series largely consist of purchase receipts, tax forms, and other legal documents.

Series II: Civil Rights-era, 1950-1997, consists of ephemera including magazines, sheet music, pamphlets, posters, and post cards. Not all the items in this series pertain directly to the Civil Rights Movement per se; rather they are grouped together because they fall within a specific date range.

Series III: Dolls, circa 1930-1949, includes hand-made Caribbean island dolls, puppets and marionettes originating from the Caribbean.

Series IV: Early America & Civil War-era, 1794-1892, contains the oldest materials in the collection that bookend the Civil War. Materials include magazines, newspapers, pamphlets, photographs and illustrations. Of particular interest is an original Buffalo Soldier muster roll signed by Colonel Abner Doubleday, discharge papers from 1874, and an authentic slave bill of sale.

Series V: An oversized 19th century bible, 1857-1890, in a protective cloth clamshell and 11 black and white photographs that were originally stored inside the bible. The photographs vary both in subject and format, but do include several tintypes as well as portraits taken by notable African American photographer, James Presley (J.P.) Ball.

Series VI: Photographs, 1860s - 1960s, includes a large collection of photographs that range from the 1860s - the 1960s. The "assorted" photographs in this collection are arranged chronologically, but there are several thematic sub-series as well. Those subseries include Bishop College, Civil Rights Movement, Civil Rights-era, South Dakota, and William T. Vernon photographs.

Series VII: Visual Material, 1800s - 1969, consists of advertisements, postcards, product packaging, illustrations from magazines and newspapers, and other assorted "visual" ephemera. Much of the material in this series is considered racist or "derogatory."

Series VIII: Miscellaneous, 1880s - 1989, contains a small collection of materials that didn't fit into one of the other series. These materials include booklets, documents, pamphlets, and objects such as pins and medallions.

Series IX: Additional Materials, 1791 - 1990, consists of audio and visual items. In this series there are letters with envelopes and telegraphs. Letters delivered were most commonly with the family members of Blanche Kalfus and James Brasswell. There are official government documents and business documents consisting of receipts, deeds, contracts, notary public certificates, and justice of the peace certificates. This series also includes postcards, greeting, birthday and holiday cards, and invitations. There is memorabilia such as military buttons, pins, and patches, and a Civil War Veterans Metal. The photographs in this series consist of African American men, women, and children along with stereographs consisting of places and group photos. There are many different newsclippings, articles, programs, and advertisements.