Victor R. Daly papers

Collection — Box: 1

Identifier: 37-5-3157

Scope and content

Photograph album containing about 30 photos of campus life at Cornell University, including people, a track meet, Ithaca scenery, buildings, and individual photographs of African-American men and women. The next section contains about 175 photos of training at Fort Des Moines, the African-American Army officers' training camp; many of the photos are captioned. Interspersed are pictures of homes and sweethearts back home. Some hand made photo collages are included. There are also about 53 photos of every day life,including golfing, beach scenes, automobiles, travel photos, and pictures of children. These are all well-to-do African Americans in middle class and upper middle class neighborhoods. The photographs are followed by a page with a drawing of a buffalo, probably a reference to the Buffalo Soldiers "compliments of 1st. Lt. V. R. Daly Adjt. 1st Br., 367th Inf;" a cablegram from Daly to his wife letting her know when his ship would return to Norfolk; his American Expeditionary Forces Identity Card; a typed letter of commendation for several men's service during the fight around Vienne le Chateau; a typed memo commending the regiment "under difficult conditions," obituary of Major Charles Appleton; the Farewell Banquet Menu dated September 14, 1917 from Fort Des Moines; and the Roster Menu for the 10th Cavalry in Mexico, Christmas 1916, listing the members of Troop K (?).

Scope and content

Unidentified photographs, possibly of his father-in-law, Charles Chauveau (Cornell University Class of 1890); photo of Lieutenant J. Williams Clifford (also known as Joshua W. Clifford). It is signed, Cordially Yours, J. Williams Clifford. Clifford also trained at Fort Des Moines. In this photo he is identified as Special Representative, Colored Soldiers and Sailors Insurance, War Risk Bureau, Washington, DC. Also, a photo of Daly with his wife and mother-in-law, a newspaper clipping about their winning a lawsuit to receive service in a restaurant, and an ALS from Florence L. Lattimore, a social worker, expressing her admiration for their willingness to take their battle to the courts, and mentioning that "white women and Negro women must keep step on this tragic and absurd question of social justice"

Dates

ca.1890-1940.

Creator

Daly, Victor. (Person)

Biographical / Historical

Victor Reginald Daly was born in New York City and educated in public schools there. He was a member of the Class of 1919 at Cornell University, attending Cornell from 1915 to 1917. In 1917, he joined the U.S. Army and trained at Fort Des Moines, along with 639 other African-American men. He was appointed a 1st Lieutenant in the 367th Infantry Regiment, and was decorated with the Croix de Guerre for his service in France. In 1919, he married Adelaide Helen Cook (Cornell University Class of 1918). They had two daughters, Millicent and Peggy. He worked for the Urban League in New York after his discharge from the Army and came to Washington, DC in the 1920s to serve as business manager of The Journal of Negro History. In 1932, he published a novel, Not Only War: A Story of Two Great Conflicts. In 1934, he became an interviewer for the U.S. Employment Service in D.C. When he retired in 1966, he was Deputy Director in charge of the Manpower Development Program, which had begun in 1962 under his leadership. Over the years he worked tirelessly to persuade downtown retail stores to hire African-Americans in sales and clerical positions. He was instrumental in the 1950s in helping the Capitol Transit Co. and the union to agree to hire African-American bus drivers and street car operators. In 1956, he received the Distinguished Service Award, the highest honor conferred by the U.S. Dept. of Labor for his efforts in eliminating discrimination in hiring practices.