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Arthur Keith Black (1904-1999) was born and lived his entire life in Columbia County, Florida. He married Lassie Goodbread in 1925 and they both attended the University of Florida. Black graduated with a law degree in 1929 and began practicing law in Lake City, specializing in criminal law. He served briefly as the City Attorney before his successful run for Florida's State Attorney in 1937 for the Third Judicial Circuit (Columbia, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Madison, Suwannee, and Taylor counties), in which position he served for 16 years. During that time, Black volunteered for the United States Army at the outbreak of World War II and served as Judge Advocate of the Fourth Service Command, retiring as a lieutenant colonel.
Black was the prosecuting attorney in 1952 when Ruby McCollum, a Black woman, was tried and convicted of murdering Dr. C. Leroy Adams, a white man, in Live Oak, Suwannee County, Florida. The case received national attention when Zora Neal Hurston reported on the trial for the Pittsburgh Courier. McCollum testified that Adams had a forced relationship with her and fathered a child, but the court prohibited her from providing additional information and the judge imposed a gag order to prevent her from speaking to the press. The all-white jury found her guilty and the judge sentenced her to death. Although McCollum later appealed her case and had the conviction overturned, Black served as prosecuting attorney for only the first trial.
Summary:
The collection contains records documenting the life and career of Arthur Keith Back of Columbia County, Florida. The records include reminiscences, news clippings and other writings, recorded interviews, and genealogical histories of the Moore, Goodbread, and Black families of Columbia County. The collection also includes an audio recording of "Ruby McCollum," a dramatization of the 1952 case produced by Ron Milner.
The reminiscences and family histories consist of anecdotes told by A.K. Black and stories compiled by his daughter, Edna Hindson. Black's accounts include stories from his time in the Army and as a lawyer, memories with family and friends, and his experiences living in a small town in the first half of the 20th century. Hindson's compilation of family stories recount memories of the Goodbread-Black farm, and the collection includes some of her own writings regarding her father.
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Folder listing available. 0
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Published materials included in accession given to State Library.
Electronic Records Access:
Subject Access Fields:
Black, Arthur Keith 1904-1999 McCollum, Ruby 1909-1992
African American women. African Americans History 1877-1964. Florida Attorneys. Family Florida Farm life. Lawyers Florida Rural life.
Audio cassettes. aat DVDs. aat Electronic records (digital records). aat Manuscripts. aat Reminiscences. aat
Columbia County (Fla.) Florida Genealogy
for detailed listing.