Cambridge Jenkins collection

Collection

Identifier: AMN-1173

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Cambridge Jenkins collection consists of six holinger boxes. The collection consists of mostly photocopied materials, with additional orignal materials. This resource displays the many career efforts of Cambridge Jenkins, Jr. as well as adds historical context to the law enforcement of Charleston, S.C. Researchers can use this resource to effectively review documentation that chronicles several criminal and civil rights cases between 1963 and 1980. The collection contains several photos of Jenkins and other black police officers which have also been integrated in the photo files of the Avery Research Center archives. This collection also consists of correspondence, police reports, certificates, memorabilia, and newspaper articles.

Dates

Creation: 1946-1994

Creator

Jenkins, Cambridge, Jr. (Person)

Access Restrictions

Some restrictions apply. Box 6 houses all restricted materials.

Copyright Notice

The nature of the Avery Research Center's archival holdings means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The Avery Research Center claims only physical ownership of most archival materials. The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.

Biographical / Historical

Cambridge Jenkins, Jr., son of the late Cambridge Jenkins, Sr. and Vivian Fordham was born on January 20, 1926 in Charleston, South Carolina. He was a graduate of Burke High School and later served in the U.S. Navy during World War II from 1944 to 1946, receiving an honorable discharge. He worked at the Citadel as an apprentice tailor, and then joined the Charleston City Police Department in 1950 as one of the first African Americans on the force. He was promoted as the first African-American to wear the uniform and served in that capacity until 1961. As a detective, Jenkins was involved in several significant cases handled by the department. He joined the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) in 1961 where he served for 18 months. He later returned to the Charleston Police Department until October 1963, where he was appointed as the first minority U.S. Deputy Marshall for the Southeastern District of South Carolina. From October 1963 until his retirement in 1983, Jenkins was involved in some of the most crucial civil rights and criminal cases in the lowcountry.

Extent

2.09 linear feet (4 document boxes, 2 slim document boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Cambridge Jenkins, Jr., joined the Charleston Police Department in 1950, becoming one of the first African American policemen in the Department. With a promotion in 1955 he became the first African- American detective on that force. He joined the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) in 1961. Detective Jenkins later returned to the Charleston Police Department until 1963. He was appointed as the first minority United State Deputy Marshall for the Southeastern District of South Carolina. He retired in 1983. Contains photocopies of a scrapbook covering the career of Detective Jenkins. Also includes correspondence, police reports, certificates, memorabilia, and newspaper articles.

Collection Arrangement

This collection is divided between five series:

1. Law Enforcement 1.1. Policies and Procedures 1.2. Cases 1.3. Financials 1.4. Personnel 2. Legal Proceedings

3. Correspondence

4. Personal Records 4.1. Credentials and Accolades 4.2. Medical Records 4.3. Agenda Books 5. Media 5.1. Clippings 5.2. Publications