James R. Coles Collection

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.