Finley, Joseph E.

Legacy Description

1 photo, caption; Joseph E. Finley, noted educator in Virginia, serving at the time as assistant principal at Martinsville High School. Finley had been chosen by Governor Linwood Holton to head a committee to implement his new Equal Employment Opportunity Plan for Virginia.From a Virginia Senate Resolution, 2004-2005:WHEREAS, Joseph E. Finley of Martinsville, a prominent educator, communityservant, and incumbent chairman of the Martinsville School Board, died on July7, 2004; andWHEREAS, a native of Mississippi, Joseph Finley grew up in New York City,graduated from West Virginia State College, and was a teacher in High Point,North Carolina, and Roanoke before coming to Martinsville in 1964; andWHEREAS, Joseph Finley served as principal at Albert Harris High School and asassistant principal at Martinsville High School before becoming director andadministrative assistant for special education; andWHEREAS, Joseph Finley, who retired from the Martinsville public schools in1988, was appointed by the Martinsville City Council to the Martinsville SchoolBoard in 2000; andWHEREAS, shortly after arriving in Martinsville in the 1960s, Joseph Finleyplayed a key role in the smooth integration of Martinsville's schools and wasan eloquent spokesman for the city's African-American community; andWHEREAS, Joseph Finley also served the City of Martinsville in numerous otherroles, including volunteer work with the Christmas Parade Association andservice on the boards of the Virginia Teachers Association, the Big Brothers ofMartinsville/Henry County, and the United Way of Martinsville and Henry County;andWHEREAS, Joseph Finley also served as district chairman of the Boy Scouts ofAmerica Blue Ridge District and as president of the Martinsville/Henry CountyCrimestoppers; andWHEREAS, a skilled educator for 37 years and a dedicated public servant for 40years, Joseph Finley leaves a lasting and enviable legacy of service to theMartinsville community; administrators high school

Additional Description

Arrangement

Arrangement of the General File series is alphabetical by subject, with document types and material from across the AFRO's regional offices interfiled. Subjects are primarily original description assigned by the creators of the collection over the history of its creation and use.

Terminology used in original folder titles evolved across many offices and generations of staff, resulting in similar collection content filed under varying terms. Researchers may benefit from searching a variety of related subjects and names.

Processing Information

This series has been processed using accelerated processing procedures. Accelerated procedures use a minimal approach to physical processing and metadata.

Physical folders have been sorted alphabetically by folder title, metal printing plates (called cuts) have been removed, damaged folders have been replaced, and the content of thick folders has been divided into multiple folders for physical stabilization.

Folder titles in the finding aid conform to written titles on the physical folders, but content was not verified. When folders are replaced or cuts removed, folder content may also be verified against the title. Married women’s names are added to the record if their names are missing from folder titles but are found in folder content. Content warnings have been added to folders whose content may be harmful to encounter. Condition notes have been added when condition issues were found that would affect access.

Accelerated processing does not typically include adding dates and document types to folder records. Metadata created before the processing project that began in 2023 is labeled “Legacy Description” in this finding aid.

For some large subjects in the series, more detailed processing was done to facilitate research. For such subjects, dates, document types, and other details may have been added to description.

Researchers may discover errors and gaps in the description, or folders that need content warnings or notes about documents found in fragile condition. Archives staff welcome information to help us improve collection description.