Libraries & Media Centers
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Archival Holdings

Tennessee State University Archival Collection, 1912- . The University Archives include digital resources, bibliography of the Afro-American Culture and History Conference, official publications, student publications, brochures, minutes, photographs, and other materials relating to the University.

The Thomas Edward Poag Collection, 1939-1973.  Dr. Thomas E. Poag founded the Tennessee State University Players Guild in 1939. He served as Director of the Players Guild, Head of the Department of Speech & Drama, and Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences during his tenure of thirty-four years at the University. Materials in the collection included manuscripts of publications, plays, newspaper clippings, correspondence, photographs, scrapbooks and other miscellaneous types of materials.

Lois C. McDougald Church History Collection, 1832- . This growing collection includes the history, programs, Sunday Bulletins and newspaper clippings of various African-American churches. Most of these churches were established between 1832 and the present and the majority are located in Metropolitan Nashville.

Tennessee State University: An Olympic Tradition

Edward S. Temple Collection, 1950-1994. Edward S. Temple served as Head Women's Track Coach for forty-four years at Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tennessee and Associate Professor of Sociology. During his coaching tenure, forty members of his famed Tigerbelles teams have represented Tennessee State University in Olympic competition. Thirty-nine athletes have graduated from college with one or more degrees. Some of the Olympians profiled include the following persons:

Mr. Temple retired from teaching and coaching at Tennessee State University in May, 1994. This collection consists of trophies, scrapbooks, brochures, photographs and other memorabilia.

Men's Track - Ralph Boston, 1958-1961. (Rome, 1960 - gold medal; Tokyo, 1964 - silver medal; Mexico City, 1968 - bronze medal) This TSU Olympian eclipsed the long jump record of the legendary Jesse Owens, and is one of a select number of athletes to win all three medals awarded in an Olympic event.

Avon Williams Collection, 1945-1991. Avon Williams was a civil rights lawyer and prominent state senator for whom the downtown campus was named. This collection consists of memorabilia, newspaper clippings and material from the state senate.

Daniel E. Owens Collection, 1963-1971. The first collection consists of sixty-eight full music scores that were arranged and performed by the Tennessee State Marching Band. The second collection consists of 2,000 albums recorded by great jazz musicians and other artists.

Walter C. Robinson Collection, 1924-1982. The materials in this collection consists of speeches, correspondence, his participation with the Republican Party, 4th Ward Chattanooga, TN and issues of The Chattanooga Observer, edited by Mr. Robinson from 1927-1962.

Geier vs. Tennessee State Higher Education Desegregation Case Papers, 1968-1985. The materials in this collection include court documents, letters, decrees, and position papers by opposing groups about the effort to dismantle segregation in Tennessee's higher education system. This case is significant in terms of its legal, historical and educational implications because a federal court ruled against a State and forced the merger of two institutions (Predominantly white University of Tennessee at Nashville and historically black Tennessee State University) into one institution but under the name and the administration of Tennessee State University.

The Tennessee State University Alumni Collection, 1912- . This collection consists of brochures, newspaper clippings, programs and publications relating to alumni of the university. Some of the notable alumni included are: