Scope and Contents
Researchers studying the Cecil Alexander Papers will gain insight into Jewish life in Atlanta, military service during World War II, and the life of a renowned archivist and Civil Rights leader. All material is arranged in alphabetical order by subject and chronologically within each folder.
Dates
- 1902 - 2001
Creator
- Alexander, Cecil A., Jr., 1918-2013 (Person)
Restrictions on Access
There are no restrictions on accessing material in this collection.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright restrictions may apply. Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.
Biographical / Historical
Cecil Abraham Alexander, Jr. (1918-2013) was born in Atlanta, Georgia, to Julia A. Moses and Cecil A. Alexander. The Alexander family Atlanta roots go back to 1848 when Cecil’s grandfather, Aaron Alexander, came to Atlanta from Charleston, South Carolina, one of the first Jewish families to arrive in Atlanta. His grandfather bought a lot for their family home on Peachtree Street, now Phipps Plaza in Buckhead. Cecil’s family belonged to the Temple, a Reform congregation.
Cecil attended Highland School, Bass High School, and Marist School. He earned a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Yale University and earned a master’s degree in architecture at Harvard University. In World War II, he served in the Pacific Theater with Marine Corps as a dive bomber. After the war, he returned to Atlanta and started the architectural firm Finch, Alexander, Barnes, Rothschild and Paschal (FABRAP). Under his leadership, the firm designed Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, Coca-Cola headquarters, AT&T Midtown Center, and Georgia Power Company Corporate Headquarters.
Cecil was an active participant in the political and social fabric of Atlanta. Throughout his civil engagement he served as chair of the Citizen’s Advisory Committee for Urban Renewal, the Black-Jewish Coalition, and the Community Council of the City of Atlanta. He was also a King Center board member.
He was married to Hermoine Weil Alexander (1922-1983) until 1983 when she was killed in a car accident. After her death, he remarried Helen Eisemann (1922-2014). He and Hermoine had four children: Judith Alexander Augustine, Douglas Alexander, and Therese Alexander Milkey. Cecil Alexander died in 2013 at age 95.
Extent
1 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
A native of Atlanta, Cecil Alexander Jr. was a World War II veteran, a renowned architect, and an outspoken activist during the Civil Rights Movement. Cecil influenced the physical appearance, as well as the political, social, and racial structure of Atlanta. The papers consist of correspondence, certificates, speeches, and newspaper articles.
Arrangement
All material is arranged alphabetically by subject and chronologically within each folder.
Separated Materials
Photographs removed to the visual arts collection.
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Demece "Mickey" Harvey. It was entered into ArchivesSpace by Conor Ray in 2020. The Cecil Alexander Papers have been digitized and are available online thanks to the generous support of the Alexander family.
- Architects Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Civil Rights Movement Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Electronic records Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Georgia Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Georgia Institute of Technology Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Harvard University Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Jewish architects Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Jews -- Georgia Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Jews -- Georgia -- Atlanta Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Jews -- United States Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War, 1939-1945 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Yale University Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- Cecil Alexander Family Papers, Mss 250
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Demece Harvey
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum Repository
1440 Spring St. NW
Atlanta Georgia 30309 United States
678-222-3700
