Moore, Archie

Archie Moore, Jr., was born in Little Rock, Ark. He is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Moore has been employed with the U.S. Postal Service since 1989. He is also an antique dealer and collector who specializes in Black Americana. He is active in the historical community and is a member of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, Arkansas Chapter, and the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, National Chapter, Washington, D.C. Moore serves on the board of the Arkansas Humanities Council (2007-present) and is a member and historian at Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church, Little Rock, Ark.

This collection consists of African-American funeral, church, and school programs as well as other materials on black American history. Archie Moore, Jr., a native of Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas, is a dealer in antiques and an avid collector with a personal interest in Black Americana. He has one of the largest collections of African-American memorabilia in the state of Arkansas. Moore attended the public schools of Little Rock and is a 1992 graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He has been employed with the United State Postal Service since 1989. Moore has exhibited his collection at various genealogical, religious, and historical conferences and institutions. This collection is strong on materials from Warren, Bradley County and Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas. However, there are materials from other Arkansas cities and towns. Some of the programs are for people who had relocated to other states, but were removed back to Arkansas upon their deaths. A few of the programs have related, but often undated, newspaper obituaries placed inside individual funeral programs. At least four of the earliest funerals dating between 1937-1939 were arranged and conducted by the United Friends of America, an early fraternal insurance and hospitalization organization which also had its own funeral business. After the 1930s, the funeral programs are representative of many various funeral home businesses, churches and pastors, and provide details such as birth, death and marriage dates, occupations, schools attended, names of parents and other invaluable information. The programs range from the most simple to the most elaborate, providing wonderful biographical information.