Troy University Collection
RG-001 (Processing)
Record Group 1 documents the history of Troy University from its establishment as a State Normal School in 1887 to its present status as a university serving undergraduate and graduate students worldwide. This extensive collection is chronologically organized by decade and then by functional grouping.
Community/Regional Collection
RG-002 (Processing)
Record Group 2 documents the history of individuals and public/private organizations that have resided, or have been established, within the immediate geographical area surrounding Troy, Alabama. This collection is organized into 3 main groups: General Records, Church Records, and Public/Private Organizations.
University Leadership
RG-020: Dr. Edward Madison Shackelford
This collection documents the administrative and philanthropic activities of former Troy State Teachers College President (1899-1936), Dr. Edward M. Shackelford. This collection includes the original handwritten manuscript notes for Shackelford's book, The First Fifty Years of the State Teachers College at Troy, Alabama, by Paragan Press, 1937. Privacy issues or institutional concerns may limit access to some materials. RG-020 is unprocessed.
RG-021: Dr. Charles Bunyan Smith Collection
This collection documents the administrative and philanthropic activities of former Troy State College President (1937-1961), Dr. Charles Bunyan Smith. Privacy issues or institutional concerns may limit access to some materials. RG-021 is unprocessed.
RG-003: Dr. Ralph W. Adams Collection
This extensive collection documents the administrative and philanthropic activities of former Troy University President (1964-1989), Dr. Ralph W. Adams. Materials are organized as received from administrative staff to preserve original context. Privacy issues or institutional concerns may limit access to some materials. RG-003 is unprocessed.
Faculty & Staff Collections
RG-016: Woody Ishmael Collection
Woody Ishmael was a a renowned artist and illustrator and instructed many classes at Troy University in his role as resident artist in the 1970s and 1980s. This collection includes examples of his work and other documents related to his tenure at Troy University. RG-016 is unprocessed.
RG-010: Dr. Robert Ervin and Violet Ervin Collection
Dr. Robert Ervin and his wife, Violet Ervin, were both long-term professors at Troy State University between the 1930s and the 1960s. This collection includes documents from Dr. Ervin's career as a psychology professor and Mrs. Ervin's career as a music student, performing artist, and piano instructor. A significant amount of musical books and scores are held within this collection. RG-010 is unprocessed.
Regional Interest Collections
RG-006: John Cross Collection
Mr. John Cross (1945- 2021) was a Troy University graduate, an accomplished businessman, successful author, and a world traveler. This collection includes a diverse grouping of materials (documents and artifacts) that Mr. Cross obtained during his travels throughout the world between the 1960s and early 2000s. RG-006 is unprocessed.
RG-013: Congressman George M. Grant Collection
George M. Grant (1897-1982) was a resident of Alabama's Barbour and Pike County Region. Grant served the community as a lawyer in Troy, Alabama and as a United States Congressman for Alabama's 2nd and At Large District (1938-1965). This collection includes documents and official correspondence created during his term as congressman in the early 1960s. Privacy issues or institutional concerns may limit access to some materials. RG-013 is unprocessed.
RG-008: Donnell Mercantile Collection
The H.T. Donnell Family operated a mercantile store in Daleville, Alabama, for several decades during the early 20th century. This collection includes numerous ledgers, order books, and receipts, recording the family's business transactions in Alabama while operating the store from the early 1900s until the 1940s. These documents include lists of community members and their store accounts, receipts for wholesale cotton purchases, letters of business correspondence, and numerous billing notices from wholesale suppliers. Many items in this collection are in poor condition and they are extremely fragile. In such case, the use of a digital surrogate will be employed for researcher access. RG-008 is unprocessed.
RG-019: Mark I. Pinsky: Drifting Into Darkness
Journalist and author Mark Pinsky's book, Drifting Into Darkness, was the result of a highly-detailed investigation into a high-profile double-murder case which occurred in an upscale Montgomery, Alabama community on Thanksgiving weekend in 2004. This collection documents his extensive research efforts and the inner workings of the criminal justice system in Montgomery, Alabama. Mr. Pinsky was a guest speaker at Troy University Library in October, 2022. Some portions of this collection have restricted accessibility per request of the donor. RG-019 is unprocessed.
Vertical Files
In addition to collections designated with an institutional record group, TUASC also maintains a vertical file of tangible paper records documenting significant contributions or accomplishments by faculty, staff, alumni, or distinguished guests. For further information, please contact the University Archivist.
TVF-STA-WAL-1: Ruth Walker (Vertical File Holding)
Mrs. Ruth Walker was an artist employed by Troy University during the 1980s. She designed many of the early promotional images used by the University, and she also painted a number of portraits of individuals with importance to the University. This vertical file holding is primarily composed of an audio interview of Mrs. Walker recorded in January 2023. This material is unprocessed.
Digital Holdings
TUASC maintains an online archive of digital holdings that may be accessed via the Troy University Digital Archives. This website is a recent (October 2023) acquisition of TUASC, and as such, holdings will be limited as files are prepared and ingested. Currently, researchers will discover access to many of the Palladium yearbooks and early issues of the school's catalogs and bulletins. For access to specific digital holdings, or for more information on TUASC digital files, please contact the University Archivist.