Alcee Hastings Collection, 1977-2011
Collection context
Summary
- Extent:
- 23 Hollinger Boxes
- Language:
- English
- Preferred citation:
Alcee Hastings Collection, African American Research Library and Cultural Center, Broward County Library.
Background
- Scope and content:
The Alcee Hastings Collection contains materials that document the career of Broward County lawyer, judge, and U.S. House of Representatives Congressman Alcee L. Hastings, such as photographs, printed materials, books, artwork, plaques, certificates, and award objects. The majority of the materials in the collection came from Congressman Hasting's congressional office.
- Biographical / historical:
Alcee L. (Lamar) Hastings was born on September 5, 1936 in Altamonte Springs, Florida to Mildred and Julius "J. C." Hastings. He received a B.A. degree in Zoology and Botany from Fisk University in 1958. From 1958 to 1960, Hastings attended Howard University School of Law and earned his Juris Doctorate degree in 1963 from Florida A&M University School of Law.
After practicing law, Hastings became a judge in the circuit court of Broward County, Florida in 1977. He was nominated by President Jimmy Carter to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida and held this position from 1979 to 1989.
In 1992, Alcee L. Hastings was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Florida's 23rd district (1993-2013) and 20th district (2013-2021). These congressional districts cover Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. Congressman Hastings, Carrie Meek and Corrine Brown were the first black representatives from Florida elected to Congress in 1992.
Congressman Hastings participated in several community and political organizations and events such as the Urban League of Broward County inaugural "Achievement Matters…Salute to Scholars", the National Advancement for the Association of Colored People (NAACP), Broward County Young Democrats, Little Haiti Housing Association, Inc., and Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity alumni chapter gatherings. He was a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity and the Congressional Black Caucus.
Alcee L. Hastings was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2019. He died on April 6, 2021.
- Acquisition information:
- Art W. Kennedy donated the materials on behalf of Alcee L. Hastings to the AARLCC Special Collections on April 10, 2003 (Accession AARLCC-2003.10). An accrual was donated on April 29 and May 6, 2021 (Accession AARLCC-2021.8). Alcee L. Hastings II donated an accrual on March 8, 2025 (Accession AARLCC-2025.5).
- Processing information:
This collection received file level processing by Emily Calderon in May 2021. Additional materials were processed at the file level and the finding aid updated by Adam Anderson in March 2026. This finding aid may be updated to reflect new descriptions as well as acquisitions to the collection.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Access and use
- Restrictions:
The Alcee Hastings Collection is open for research.
- Preferred citation:
Alcee Hastings Collection, African American Research Library and Cultural Center, Broward County Library.
- Location of this collection:
-
African American Research Library and Cultural Center, Broward County Library2650 Sistrunk BoulevardFort LauderdaleFL33311USA
