The Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Archival Collection
- Subject of
- Moore, Harry Tyson, American, 1905 - 1951
- Moore, Harriette Vyda Simms, American, 1902 - 1952
- Owned by
- Moore, Juanita Evangeline, 1930 - 2015
- Subject of
- Baker, Ella, American, 1903 - 1986
- Bethune, Mary McLeod, American, 1875 - 1955
- Bethune-Cookman University, American, founded 1904
- Florida A&M University, American, founded 1887
- Houston, Charles Hamilton, American, 1895 - 1951
- Marshall, Thurgood, American, 1908 - 1993
- Moore, Juanita Evangeline, 1930 - 2015
- National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, American, founded 1909
- Pittsburgh Courier, American, 1907 - 1965
- Progressive Voters League of Florida, American, founded 1944
- White, Walter F., American, 1893 - 1955
- Date
- 1945-1949
- Dimensions
- 1 cubic ft
- Caption
- See more about this collection in the Smithsonian Online Virtual Archive (SOVA) here: https://sova.si.edu/record/NMAAHC.A2018.12 or contact NMAAHC Archives at nmaahc-archivalcollection@si.edu.
- Description
- Scope and Contents: The Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Archival Collection chronicles Harry Moore's career in civil rights and education that ultimately led to his and his wife's murder. The materials in this collection were originally located in Harry T. Moore's briefcase and are dated from 1942 to 1949.
- The collection contains correspondence, memoranda, business records, ephemera, and newspaper clippings. The bulk of the material reflects Moore's work as a community leader working with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Progressive Voters League (PVL). The materials include original typed correspondence to and from Harry T. Moore as well as mimeographed letters that were saved for recordkeeping purposes. The briefcase and Moore's wallet (part of the NMAAHC Collection) were found by Harriette Moore's brother, George Simms, after the firebombing of the Moore's home on Christmas night in 1951. Both were given to the local authorities for the investigation. The briefcase was lost during the initial 1951-1952 investigations. It was found in 2006 by FBI Investigators in a barn close to the Moore's former home. The investigation was closed the same year and the briefcase and its contents were returned to the family. J. Evangeline Moore served as the steward of the collection, lending out materials to various organizations, journalists, writers, and filmmakers over the years to educate the masses about her father's work and her parents' legacy. This work continued until her death in 2015. This collection and related Moore family heirlooms were donated to the National Museum of African American History and Culture in 2013 and 2018, respectively.
- Place depicted
- Cocoa, Brevard County, Florida, United States, North and Central America
- Mims, Brevard County, Florida, United States, North and Central America
- Titusville, Brevard County, Florida, United States, North and Central America
- Groveland, Lake County, Florida, United States, North and Central America
- Sanford, Seminole County, Florida, United States, North and Central America
- Collection title
- The Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Archival Collection
- Classification
- Archival Collections
- Type
- documents
- administrative records
- legal documents
- correspondence
- clippings
- Topic
- Activism
- American South
- Associations and institutions
- Civil rights
- Education
- Families
- Hate crimes
- Justice
- Law
- Lynching
- Politics
- Race discrimination
- Race relations
- Resistance
- Segregation
- Suffrage
- U.S. History, 1945-1953
- Violence
- Credit Line
- Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Drapher "Skip" Pagan, Jr. in memory of Juanita Evangeline Moore
- Object number
- A2018.12
- Restrictions & Rights
- Restrictions likely apply. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.