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George Langford collection, 1941-2003, Date acquired: 12/17/1997, Date accessioned: 2020-04-09, bulk 1941-1954

 

Summary

Creator:
Langford, Marian Lawton, April 3, 1929-November 14, 2012
Langford, George, October 13, 1923-January 3, 2019
Extent:
8.5 Linear Feet
? items paintings
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[Title of Item], [Date of Item], [Box and Folder number], George Langford collection, Special Collections & Archives, Florida State University Libraries, Tallahassee, Florida. http://purl.fcla.edu/fsu/WWII_09_0169.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains seven boxes pertaining to George, Daniel, and William Langford's experiences during World War II and life post-war. The papers include personal documents, military documents, photographs, paintings, newspaper articles, pamphlets, magazines, foreign money, and most prolifically, letters. Also included in George Langford's collection is a full box of artifacts pertaining to his war-time experience.

Biographical / historical:

Sergeant George Robertson Langford was born in Thomasville, Georgia, in 1923. After graduating from Thomasville High, Langford was drafted into the Army, at age 20, alongside his brother, William, who was killed in action. George Langford served under General George S. Patton from 1942 to 1945. George Langford's other siblings, Annie, Will, and Daniel, were in the Navy. After spending most of the war on the European Front, George Langford was honorably dischaged and returned home. He then attended the University of Virgina, where he received his bachelors and his law degree in 1950. Upon graduation, George Langford founded the Municipal Code Corporation in Tallahassee in 1951. After marrying his wife, Marian Corbin Lawton, in 1954, the two worked together to expand the company. Langford was named the Florida Entrepreneur of the Year in 1989 and inducted into the Institute of American Entrepreneurs for his work. Langford was incredibly active in the Tallahassee community, co-founding Springtime Tallahassee, helping start Leadership Tallahassee, and revitalized the Tall Timber research institute in Tallahassee. Among his community involved was his work in fundraising for various local beneficiaries. He brought his expertise in fundraising to Florida State, serving as a founding member of the Seminole Boosters Board of Directors during the 1970s and in six terms as the FSU Foundation chair. Among his greater contributions to the school was his work in the 1970s as executive of Seminole Boosters, helping save the football program from debt and playing an influential role in hiring coach Bobby Bowden. In recognition of his work, Langford received many awards from the university, as well as the naming of the Langford Green in 2000, a grassy area outside of Doak Campbell Stadium, in his honor. Additionally, he created the George R. Langford Eminent Scholars Chair in Classics through his donation to the department. As of 2017, he remained an active member of the Florida State University Community, despite his age. His children are also very involved in Florida State and the Institute on World War II and the Human Experience. George Langford passed at age 95 on January 3, 2019. His obituary can be found in the Tallahasee Democrat (https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2019/01/04/george-langford-municode-founder-father-seminole-boosters-dies-95/2481826002/).

Custodial history:

This collection was donated by George Langford. The collection was acquired by the Institute on World War II and the Human Experience on December 17, 1997.

Transferred from the Institute on World War II and the Human Experience to FSU Libraries Special Collections & Archives in July 2022.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open to all researchers.

This collection is in an offsite storage location. Please contact lib-specialcollections@fsu.edu with requests for access or for more information.

Terms of access:

All requests for permission to quote, publish, broadcast or otherwise reproduce from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Associate Dean for Special Collections & Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Florida State University Libraries as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

Preferred citation:

[Title of Item], [Date of Item], [Box and Folder number], George Langford collection, Special Collections & Archives, Florida State University Libraries, Tallahassee, Florida. http://purl.fcla.edu/fsu/WWII_09_0169.

Location of this collection:
116 Honors Way
Tallahassee
FL
32306-2047
USA