The Civil Rights History Project: Survey of Collections and Repositories

World War II collection [of Winchester-Frederick County, Va]

Repository: Handley Regional Library (VA). Stewart Bell Jr. Archives Room

Collection Description (CRHP): This collection includes two oral histories of African Americans, Henry Moss Brooks and William Beamer. Brooks, who became a leading figure in the civil rights movement in Winchester, Virginia, discusses his World War II experiences. Beamer does the same as well as deals with racial discrimination that he faced in the United States after his military service ended. Tape recordings and transcripts are included for these interviews.

Collection Description (Extant): This collection contains military records, Virginia War Fund records, articles, scrapbooks, and other material concerning World War II. The primary focus is on soldiers of the Winchester-Frederick County, VA community.

Digital Status: No

Existing IDs: 1050 WFCHS/THL

Extent: 13 boxes

Finding Aid URL: http://www.handleyregional.org/Handley/Archives/WW%20II%201050.htm

Language: English

Related Archival Items: Copies of the two interviews of African Americans are also available in the Veterans History Project collection at the Library of Congress. The Henry Moss Brooks Collection, Collection no: 599 THL, also exists at the Handley Library. The finding aid is available at: http://www.hrl.lib.state.va.us/Handley/Archive/Brooks,%20Henry%20Moss%20Collection%20599.htm.

Interviewees: Henry Moss Brooks, William Beamer

Rights (CRHP): Contact the repository which holds the collection for information on rights

Subjects:

African American veterans
African Americans--Civil rights--Virginia
Discrimination in the military
Veterans
Winchester (Va.)
World War, 1939-1945

Genres:

Interviews
Manuscripts
Photographs
Sound recordings
Transcripts