Personal papers, 1881-1932

This collection consists of the papers of William Baxter Matthews from 1881 to 1932. It includes correspondence, scrapbooks, photographs, and printed materials, most of which pertain to Atlanta University. The bulk of the materials relates to Matthews’s tenure on the Atlanta University Board of Trustees. Correspondence from Edward Twichell Ware (Atlanta University’s third president) and fellow trustees documents the administration of the school, including fundraising efforts, land development, and personnel issues. Also included are letters from Matthews’s daughter Louise as a co-ed writing home to her parents. These letters are an account of the events and people on the Atlanta University campus. Of special interest is William Albert Robinson’s (class of 1913) scrapbook of his days as an Atlanta University student filled with snapshots and memorabilia of the school.