Emerson Emory Papers:

A Guide

Biographical Note

Emerson Emory, M.D., was born in Dallas, Texas, on January 29, 1925, the only child of Corry Bates Emory, a janitor, and Louise Emory, a housekeeper. In 1940, Emory graduated from Booker T. Washington High School and enrolled in Prairie View College near Houston to follow his dreams of becoming a physician. On his eighteenth birthday, in 1943, he enlisted into the United States Army. He completed Infantry Basic Training at Camp Wheeler, Georgia, and was then transferred to the Basic Engineer Program at Howard University through the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP). After serving with the 3607th and 3533rd Quartermaster Truck Companies in the European and Asiatic-Pacific theatres of operation, Emory was discharged in February 1946.

After the war, Emory returned to college at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania and completed his bachelor’s degree in biology in 1948. He continued his education at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, where he received his medical degree in 1952. During this time, he was commissioned as an Ensign, HP (half-pay) in the United States Naval Reserves. Shortly after finishing his medical degree, Emory returned home where he became the first African-American intern at St. Paul Hospital in Dallas. He then served as a resident at the City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California, and Wadsworth General Hospital in Los Angeles. Dr. Emory once again returned to Dallas in 1956 and was appointed Staff Physician at the Veterans Administration Medical Center. He began his private practice in internal medicine in 1960.

Dr. Emory continued to serve the Dallas community as well as his country. He volunteered as a physician on numerous occasions, including a 1966 mission in Vietnam. Active politically, he fought for civil rights and helped other doctors find healthcare for underprivileged families. He was a member of many organizations, including the United Service Organization, White House Conference on Children, Black Citizens for Justice, Law and Order, and the Sons of Confederate Veterans. Dr. Emory also enjoyed writing about important issues and experiences in his life, and at one time published a local newspaper, Freedom’s Journal, named for the first black newspaper in the country. He married Peggy Herald; the couple had three children—Karon, Sharon, and Emerson, Jr. (Rusty). Dr. Emory died on January 28, 2003.

Sources

• Emerson Emory Papers, AR466, Box 1, Folder 1, Special Collections, The University of Texas at Arlington Library.
• Emerson Emory Papers, AR466, Box 1, Folder 19, Special Collections, The University of Texas at Arlington Library.
• Simnacher, Joe and Kim Horner, "Doctor, rights crusader was proud of Confederate Roots," Dallas Morning News, January 29, 2003.

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Scope and Contents

The collection, in four manuscript boxes and two oversize boxes, is comprised of material created and/or collected by Emerson Emory over the course of his personal life, his career as a physician, and his time in the military. The material documents Emory’s life, mostly through his own personal accounts.

The collection is organized into three series. Series I contains Emory’s personal papers, the bulk of the collection. This series includes biographical information about Emory, newspaper clippings, photographs, and Emory’s personal writings. The editorials, personal writings, and newspaper clippings about Emory reveal the most about his accomplishments and views on life. Emory’s research on Doris "Dorie" Miller, the first African-American hero of World War II, also stands out as notable material in this series. Series II is comprised of medical papers or material relating to Emory’s life as a doctor, 1945-1994. Series III, military papers, contains items from Emory’s service during World War II, Vietnam, as well as his time in the Navy Reserves. Although the subject content of these three series sometimes overlaps, the arrangement of the collection serves as an effective format for research.

The material contained in the Emerson Emory Papers is of value to researchers interested in a variety of topics. As a prominent African-American active in medical, community and political affairs in the Dallas area, Dr. Emory’s papers provide tremendous insight into the African-American experience of living in Dallas, serving in military, World War II, Vietnam, and in the Navy Reserves, experiences as a doctor, and advocacy for civil rights and justice for minorities.

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Restrictions

Access

Open for research.

Literary Rights Statement

Permission to publish, reproduce, distribute, or use by any and all other current or future developed methods or procedures must be obtained in writing from Special Collections, The University of Texas at Arlington Library. All rights are reserved and retained regardless of current or future development or laws that may apply to fair use standards.

The donor reserves the rights to receive any monetary benefits arising from any commercial venture that may be produced using items in the collection. Examples of this include a book, documentary film, or motion picture about the life of Dr. Emerson Emory. The donor also reserves the rights to directly negotiate any such commercial venture with any third party.

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Separated Material

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Administrative Information

Provenance

Gift of the Estate of Emerson Emory by Emerson Emory, Jr., 2003-2011.

Citation

Emerson Emory Papers, AR466, Box Number, Folder Number, Special Collections, The University of Texas at Arlington Library.

Acquisition

Gift, 2003-2011.

Accessioned as number 2003-19 and 2011-50.

Processing Information

The Emerson Emory Papers were initially processed by Tara Kirk in May 2005. Brenda S. McClurkin revised and updated the finding aid in September 2011 to reflect additional materials donated by the family.

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 Note to the Researcher 

Dr. Emory's World War II scrapbook stored in Box 3, Folder 14, is very fragile. Please use photocopies of scrapbook in Box 3, Folder 13.

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Container List

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