Collections

Facsimile reproduction of letters written by Alexander Farnsley of Fernelea to Mary Elizabeth Thurman of Louisville, whom he always addressed as "Dear Bettie." The letters were written between 1856-1860 and reproduced on the occasion of the weddings of two of their great granddaughters, Sally Burrell Farnsley, married at Louisville, July 28, 1962, and Anne Peaslee Farnsley, married at Hamburg, Germany, August 5, 1962.

This World War II collection covers the overseas experience of a sailor in the U.S. Navy aboard the escort aircraft carrier U.S.S. Natoma Bay (CVE 62), Composite Squadron 63 (VC-63). The collection includes sets of uniforms, a bomber jacket, personal papers, medals, awards, and a plaque. His personal papers include personnel documents, two journals, captured Japanese papers, the Bluejacket Manual, Natoma Bay records, and various publications from and about the Natoma Bay Association. The papers primarily document his time spent in the Pacific Campaign, although his records also date his trainings in Rhode Island and Jacksonville, Florida. This sailor also has a memoir titled Between Here and There that details his life and military experiences. He died in 2010.

The Alex Haley papers consists of manuscripts including those from his time with the Saturday Evening Post, Boy's Life Magazine and Kiwanis Magazine; correspondence, photographs, newspaper clippings, business files, awards, and other materials documenting Alex Haley's literary career. The papers also include fan mail during the popularity of the book and the subsequent television series "Roots", and photographs in Gambia.

The Alfreda Delois Upshaw Collection consists of two paintings of Motown groups: "Smokey Robinson and the Miracles" and "The Marvelettes" by "Chazz" 1998.

The collection of Alfred E. Kozlowski contains a photocopy of a brief unit history of the United States Army 473rd Infantry Regiment entitled "Italy 1945" and newspaper clippings from the Chicago Tribune on April 14, 1997, regarding the 10th Mountain Division.

These papers relate to Sergeant Alfred Zenger who served in the U.S. Army in the 297th Infantry in Alaska, the Pacific, and in India. The collection contains one book on the history of the 297th Infantry, one manuscript, and a collection of newsletters.

The Ali AlʼAmin Mazrui Collection consists of 6 inscribed books and 1 box of articles by Ali AlʼAmin Mazrui (1933-2014), a professor of African politics and Islamic studies.