Florida Vertical Files » P.K. Yonge Library of Florida History » UF Libraries

By Myla Wasser

Vertical Files are collections of mostly ephemeral material (newspaper clippings, pamphlets, brochures, maps, etc.) created by librarians and archivists. They are named after the vertical filing cabinets in which they are held. Said files are organized by subject, often with each individual folder containing one specific item. Archivists and librarians store items in a vertical file for easy reference access.

The P.K. Yonge Library of Florida History has three named vertical files which cover a variety of topics.

Sherry Sherrod DuPree Vertical File on Black History in Florida

Born in 1946, Sherry Sherrod DuPree is a writer, researcher, retired librarian, and professor. She spent 10 years working as the project director of the Institute of Black Culture at the University of Florida and 30 years as a librarian and professor at Santa Fe College. She also curated, designed, and opened numerous exhibits including the African American Gospel Music Traveling Exhibit and The Beginning that Never Ends, an exhibit on Rosewood.

The DuPree vertical file is organized first by county. Nearly half of the collection relates to specific locations in Florida, with a third relating specifically to Alachua County. There are subject headings for the Arts, Music, Historic Sites/Museums, the Smithsonian, Church, Politics, Juneteenth, and Events more broadly. These sections are followed by publications, organized alphabetically. The final section consists of general maps and brochures.

Rosewood Poster — DuPree is known for her work educating people about Rosewood. Rosewood was a Black town in northern Florida in the early 20th century. A white mob burned the town down in 1923. At least eight people were killed during the massacre. This poster was made for the Rosewood Centennial in 2023.

Art by Jesse J. Aaron — Jesse J. Aaron was a black sculptor who lived in Gainesville, Florida. From 1968 until his death in 1979, Aaron produced hundreds of carvings. This image is from a set of graphite and brush renderings of his works made by Stuart R. Purser, UF professor of art.

Ernest Jernigan Vertical File on People and Sports in Florida

Another of the P.K. Yonge Library’s vertical files is the Ernest Jernigan Vertical File on People and Sports in Florida. Ernest Jernigan was the founding chair of the Social Science Department and the founder of the Criminal Justice Institute at College of Central Florida, Ocala. Alongside his 37 year-long academic career, Jernigan was a journalist. In the 1950s, he wrote for the North Georgia Tribune and the Tampa Daily Times, while serving as a publicist for boxers Lou Viscusi and Joe Brown.

The Jernigan Vertical File is organized into four subject headings. In order, these are biographies of notable Floridians, counties, sports, and topics “on Florida.” Biographies include newspaper clippings about various individuals, ranging from world-famous actors to important local figures. The county section focuses especially on Hillsborough and Marion counties, places where Jernigan lived. Sports include football and basketball but focus especially on baseball and boxing. There are also various folders on Floridian authors, films, the state constitution, and other subjects.

Goldstein Card — On April 7th, 1991, Boxer Lonnie Goldstein was killed in his pro debut in Ocala, Florida. Jernigan was at the event and collected various newspaper clippings about it. On his scorecard from the event, Jernigan wrote notes by Goldstein’s name saying an ambulance had just arrived.

Ocala ad — In 2003, the city of Ocala debated changing the laws around its boxing venues. This ad, published in the *Ocala Star Banner* on March 4th, 2003, argued for the laws to stay as they were. Jernigan wrote in favor of setting up a boxing commission in a May 19th, 2003 *Star Banner* letter to the editor.

Kevin McCarthy Vertical File on Florida Sports and Authors

The P.K. Yonge Library’s final named vertical file is the Kevin McCarthy Vertical File. Kevin McCarthy is Professor Emeritus of the University of Florida, teaching for nearly 40 years. McCarthy has published 35 books, with 30 of them being about Florida. The McCarthy Vertical File is divided into two main sections: sports and authors. The section on individual authors is made up of interviews McCarthy did with Stetson Kennedy, Harry Crews, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, and other writers featured in his book Twentieth Century Authors in Florida (1996). The sports section contains background research McCarthy did for some of his books, such as The Gators and the Seminoles: Honor, Guts, and Glory (1993) and Baseball in Florida (1996).

Gators Baseball Guide — This photo is the cover of the guide for the University of Florida’s 1995 baseball team. The guide includes schedules, national rankings, and miscellaneous facts about the University of Florida’s baseball program.

In addition to these finding aids, the Yonge Library also maintains a biography file on noted Floridians and a collection on Florida tourist brochures, promotional materials, and ephemera.