Guide to the Afro-American Life Insurance Company Collection

Collection Number: M08-2
Title: Afro-American Life Insurance Company Collection
Dates: 1951-1965
Size: 2 linear ft.
Repository: Manuscripts and Personal Papers, Thomas G. Carpenter Library, University of North Florida

ABSTRACT

The collection consists of printed materials which provide an overview of the Company's business history and activities in the early to mid-twentieth century.

LANGUAGE

English.

ACQUISITION

The materials were donated to the Library by Kha M. Thomas, 2008.

ACCESS TO THE COLLECTION

The collection is open for research. For additional information and to make an appointment to view the collection, contact E. Brady at 904-620-1533; email: ebrady@unf.edu

PREFERRED CITATION

Afro-American Life Insurance Company Collection, Thomas G. Carpenter Library, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida.

BIOGRAPHICAL / HISTORICAL NOTE

The Afro-American Life Insurance Company was an historic Jacksonville, Florida, business founded in 1901 by Abraham Lincoln Lewis, Rev. E. J. Gregg, Rev. J. Milton Waldron, and others. Initially called the Afro-American Industrial and Benefit Association, the new business was granted a charter by the State of Florida on March 1, 1901. During the early twentieth century, it served as the leading financial center of the African American community in Jacksonville, which was reflected in the Company's name change in 1918 to the Afro-American Industrial Insurance Company. Later re-named the Afro-American Life Insurance Company, it became part of the rich cultural fabric of African American life in Jacksonville and routinely sponsored charitable and educational activities. With strong competition from other insurance companies in the mid-1900's, it began a gradual decline and closed in 1990.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The collection consists of printed materials which provide an overview of the Company's business history and activities in the early to mid-twentieth century. Holdings include two issues of the in-house publication, "Pilot" (1962, 1964), and the Fiftieth Anniversary booklet, "Golden Anniversary, 1901-1951, Afro-American Life Insurance Co." A supplement to the newspaper, "The Pittsburgh Courier" (May 12, 1956), features the Company's new building in 1956. Numerous images of company employees and administrators are shown in this 24 page supplement, as well as advertisements from other companies congratulating the Afro-American on the occasion of the opening of the new building.

ARRANGEMENT

Chronological within folder.

RELATED MATERIALS

The Eartha M. M. White Collection at the Carpenter Library includes a number of publications relating to the Company: programs of events and activities, newsclippings, photographs, cards, receipt books, booklets, postcard. Electronic versions of some publications are available on the World Wide Web as part of the Florida Heritage Collection:

Directory: 1901-1941, fortieth anniversary, Afro-American Life Insurance Co., Jacksonville, Florida. Jacksonville, Fla.: Afro-American Life Insurance Co., [1941?]

Calendar: Afro-American Industrial Insurance Co., Jacksonville, Florida, 1916.

INDEX TERMS

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Library's online catalog:

African American business enterprises -- Florida -- Jacksonville -- History.
African American businesspeople -- Florida -- Jacksonville.
Afro-American Life Insurance Company.
Insurance companies -- Florida -- Jacksonville -- History.

CONTAINER LIST

Box		Folder		Description
1		1		Booklet: Golden Anniversary, 1901-1951, Afro-American Life Insurance Co., Jacksonville, Florida, [1951?] [available online] 56 p. : ill., ports. ; 22 x 28 cm. Booklet published by the Company to commemorate their 50th anniversary.
1		2		Newspaper: The Pittsburgh Courier, America's Best Weekly. The Pittsburgh Courier Supplement, May 12, 1956. [available online] 24 p. : chiefly ill. ; 41 x 29 cm.
1		3		Newsletter: The Afro-American Life Insurance Co. "Pilot", December 3, 1962 [available online]; February 17 - 24, 1964 [available online]. Company newsletter. Contains financial statistics, such as District collections; lists "Week's Industrial Star Salesman" and Production Leaders.
1		4		Publication: The Pilot Magazine. [available online] Vol. XIV, no. 4 (August 1965) Official publication of the National Insurance Association, 2400 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60616.