| Scope and content |
Collection consists of a photograph album with leather decorative cover belonging to James R. Coles, an African American who served in the U.S. Navy Reserve during World War II. Accompanying paperwork and insignia badges (1943-1944) indicates he was a motor machinist's mate and was appointed apprentice petty officer first class. The album contains mostly unidentified photographs of African American sailors in training, aboard a train, and with possible girlfriends and family. Two shots also depict the sailors with their white commanding officer. Also included are autograph pages that his fellow sailors signed and listed their home addresses. |
| Access restriction | No access restrictions. |
| Cite as |
James R. Coles Collection (#1263), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA |
| Terms of use | Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law. |
| Acquisitions source |
Joyner- Purchased from Between The Covers Rare Books, Gloucester City, N.J.. |
| Biographical note | James Robert Coles, Jr., served in the U.S. Navy Reserve during World War II as Apprentice Petty Officer 1st Class. He attended the Hampton Institute in 1943 where he was certified as a Class "A" Motor Machinist's Mate. |
