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George Allen Collection, Circa 1949-2014

 

Summary

Extent:
14 Hollinger Boxes
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

George Allen Collection (AARLCC-2013.4), AARLCC Special Collections, Broward County Library.

Background

Scope and content:

The George Allen collection contains materials documenting the professional and personal life of Florida attorney and civil rights activist W. George Allen, whose work led to the desegregation of the Broward County Schools in 1970. The materials in the collectino date from 1943 to 2013, with the bulk of the materials dating from 1970 to 2013.

Correspondence includes letters written to George Allen by personal and professional colleagues such as Muhammad Ali, Honorary Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus Dinner, and William G. Crawford.

Professional papers consist of materials related to attorney George Allen and his career in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The series includes copies of the City of Fort Lauderdale vs. Eula Johnson court case (1961-1962); an oral history interview transcript of George Allen by Joel Buchanan at the University of Florida; an interview of George Allen moderated by Dr. Tameka Hobbs at the African American Research Library and Cultural Center for the Culture Keepers series program; a speech entitled "Realizing the dream: equity for all" for the Broward County Bar Association; and research files and notes, particularly on transportation, ecology and pollution in Broward County from 1970 to 1971.

Personal papers include items collected by George Allen. Materials include a Junior-Senior Promenade event pamphlet at Crooms High School, a miniature shovel souvenir from the African American Research Library and Cultural Center groundbreaking ceremony attended in 1999, a paper entitled "The long hard fight for equal rights" by Fort Lauderdale architect William G. Crawford, and University of Florida commencement programs from 2001 and 2003. The series is organized alphabetically by title.

The Photographs series contains images of George Allen and others. Photographs include George Allen with Eula Johnson, L.V. Davis, Bishop L. Williams, and Mother Francis at the Freeman Funeral Home in Pompano Beach, Florida (1963), George Allen with others at an event in 2009, George Allen with others at the White House (1975), George Allen recieving the Distinguised Alumnus Award from President Charles E. Young at a University of Florida commencement ceremony (2000), and unidentified baby photographs. The series is organized alphabetically by title.

The 1971 newspaper clipping from the Fort Lauderdale News entitled "School transportation staff does bus routing revision" explains the creation of new bus schedules for Broward County schools.

The Awards series contains proclamations, certificates, plaques and glass plaques awarded to George Allen for his professional and community service. George Allen recieved awards from organizations such as Broward County Bar Association, National Bar Association, Federal Bar Association, Florida A&M University, United Way of Broward County, and University of Florida. He was honored with the Distinguished Alumnus Award from University of Florida in 2000. Proclamations and certificates include George Allen's appointment to the Board of Trustees at Florida A&M University (2005), George Allen Appreciation Day (2013), Brown v. Board of Education in Broward County (2004), the keynote speaker for the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in the City of Parkland (2004), and a named honored found for 2004 in a resolution from the City Commission of City of Fort Lauderdale.

Biographical / historical:

Lawyer and civil rights activist Willie George Allen was born on March 3, 1936 in Sanford, Florida to parents Lessie Williams and Fletcher Allen. Allen was raised by his mother and stepfather, Bruce Brown. He graduated from Crooms High School in 1954. In 1958, Allen earned his Bachelor of Science degree in political science and minored in economics. After graduation, he served in the U.S. Army as a special agent in the Counter Intelligence Corps for two years. In 1960, he entered the University of Florida College of Law. During law school, Allen organized lunch counter sit-ins in Gainesville, Florida. In 1962, he earned his J.D. degree from the University of Florida Law School. He was the first African American to earn a law degree from a Florida institution. Allen was admitted to the Florida Bar Association in 1963 and the Bar of the United States Supreme Court in 1970.

After receiving his law degree, Allen moved with his family to Fort Lauderdale, Florida where he worked at the law firm of Orr & Kaplan for six months. He started his own law practice, thereafter, working there for forty-two years. He retired from practicing law in 2014.

In 1970, George Allen filed the lawsuit that led to the desegregation of Broward County's public schools and transportation accommodations. Previously, he had unsuccessfully tried to enroll his two sons, Frederick and Timothy, at Northside Elementary School. The case was initiated on their behalf on January 9, 1970 against the Board of Public Instruction and the School Superintendent of Broward County.

Allen was a member of organizations such as the Urban League of Broward County, the Florida Bar Association, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He served as Broward County Bar Association's president from 1988 to 1989. In 2003, he was inducted into the National Bar Association's Hall of Fame. Additionally, Allen was appointed to Florida A&M University's Board of Trustees in 2005. He recieved the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Florida in 2000.

During college at Florida A&M University, George Allen met Enid Meadows (1935-2018). They married on December 18, 1958 in Tallahassee, Florida, and had four children. Allen passed away on October 7, 2019.

Acquisition information:
Enid Meadows Allen and W. George Allen donated the materials to AARLCC Special Collections on August 27, 2013 (Accession AARLCC-2013.4).
Processing information:

This collection received file level processing. This finding aid may be updated to reflect new descriptions as well as acquisitions to the collection.

Arrangement:

The George Allen Collection is arranged into seven series: Series I. Correspondence, Series II. Professional Papers, Series III. Personal Papers, Series IV. Photographs, Series V. Printed Materials, Series VI. Awards, and Series VII. Posters.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

The George Allen Collection is open for research.

Preferred citation:

George Allen Collection (AARLCC-2013.4), AARLCC Special Collections, Broward County Library.

Location of this collection:
African American Research Library and Cultural Center, Broward County Library
2650 Sistrunk Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale
FL
33311
USA