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Cecil B. and Laura G. Currey Archive of Military History

 Collection
Identifier: MS 001
The Currey Archive includes the personal papers and library of Dr. Cecil B. Currey. Most of the items pertain to military history with an emphasis on the American Revolution, Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnamese Conflict. Although most of the Currey Archive is in print, other types of media include microfilm, photographs, tapes, slides, artifacts, etc. Correspondence, memoranda, briefing papers, telegrams, officers’ reports, transcripts of interviews, declassified Army documents and many other documents add dimension to this unique collection. A particular highlight of the archive are two letters written by Benjamin Franklin.

Portions of this collection are available for access via our digital collections at the FHSU Scholars Repository. Links for individual items are included in the description for that item in the finding guide. A link to the entire group of digital materials available from this collection is below.

Digital Collections - FHSU Scholars Repository – Digitized Copies of Materials



Dates

  • Existence: 1430-2012

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open to researchers, except for files marked as restricted as requested by Dr. Cecil B. Currey. The Special Collections librarians reserve the right to deny access to these particular files.

Portions of this collection are available for viewing in digital format via the FHSU Scholars Repository at https://scholars.fhsu.edu/library/. Or via this link https://scholars.fhsu.edu/currey/

Conditions Governing Use

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specific conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement.



Extent

108.74 Linear Feet (233 boxes)

Overview

The collection contains items on the American Revolution, the Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam Conflict. Correspondence, memorabilia, telegrams, photographs, declassified Army documents, reports, newspapers, journals, manuscripts, teaching materials, and transcripts of interviews are among many things that are a part of this distinctive collection.

Biographical / Historical

Laura Gene (Hewett) Currey was born in Pratt, Kansas and raised on a farm in Comanche County, Kansas. After graduating from Coldwater High School and spending a year at Friends Bible College in Haviland, Kansas (where she met and married Cecil Currey), Mrs. Currey earned a bachelor of arts degree in elementary education at Fort Hays Kansas State College. Mrs. Currey taught in Nebraska, Kansas and Florida. She earned a master of arts degree in special education from the University of South Florida and later obtained a master’s degree in school psychology.

Dr. Cecil B. Currey was born and raised in Central City, Nebraska. He enrolled at Friends Bible College in 1951 and then transferred to Fort Hays Kansas State College in 1952. Following his sophomore year, Dr. Currey entered the U.S. Army. He returned to FHKSC in 1955 and earned a bachelor’s degree in history and a master of science degree in history and philosophy and supplemented his income while a student by service as a student minister at the First Congregational Church in Downs, Kansas.

Following graduation from Fort Hays Kansas State College, Dr. Currey served as principal, history and literature teacher at Ceresco (Nebraska) High School and minister of the First Congregational Church in Ashland, Nebraska. He left those positions to earn a doctorate degree in history from the University of Kansas.

Dr. Currey was ordained as a minister in 1965 and received a direct commission as first lieutenant chaplain in the Army National Guard. Following two years of teaching at Nebraska Wesleyan University, he accepted a teaching position at the University of South Florida in 1967. He transferred to the Army Reserve and after a long and prestigious career, he retired from the military as a full colonel in 1992. He retired from the University of South Florida as Professor Emeritus in 2002.

During the early part of his career, Dr. Currey specialized in early American history. He then concentrated his research and teachings on military history. He published 14 books, 6 solicited book chapters, 25 encyclopedia/dictionary entries, 33 articles and 31 book reviews. Three of his last four books became book club selections.

Cecil and Laura Currey have three children: Samuel, Anne and Laura. They also have five grandchildren.

Dr. Cecil B. Currey passed away March 12, 2013 in Lutz, Florida.

Accruals

March 31, 1999
Title
Guide to the Cecil B. and Laura G. Currey Archive of Military History
Status
completed
Author
Patty Nicholas; typed by Jordanna Bitner
Date
04/26/2017
Description rules
dacs
Language of description
English

Repository Details

Part of the Fort Hays State University Special Collections Repository

Contact:
502 South Campus Drive
Hays KS 67601 United States