Adolph P. "Ziggy" Hamblin (1896—1966) left an indelible mark on the lives of countless individuals. During his time as a student at Knox he earned 16 letters in football, basketball, baseball, and track, still the most letters earned by any Knox student. After graduating Knox, Hamblin moved on to West Virginia State College where he served as head of the Biology, Zoology, and Botany Department, coached football and baseball teams, and was heavily involved in multiple fraternities. His dedication to teaching and mentoring endured throughout his lifetime, leaving a lasting impact.
The collection consists of World War II era letters sent to Hamblin from 91 of his students who left college to serve in World War II. These letters offer an important glimpse into experiences and perspectives of Black soldiers about military life and service during the War. They serve as testimony to the enduring mentorship Hamblin provided to the young men he taught and coached at West Virginia State College. As one soldier puts it in a letter, "If I can ever equal the man you are or accomplish half as much I'd be the proudest guy on earth."
The collection was generously donated to Knox College by Lauren Tucker, Hamblin's granddaughter. We thank our volunteer transcribers for their work in making the collection searchable: Jean Patton, Peter Bailley, Jeff Douglas, Kyra Kellogg, and other anonymous individuals.
https://collections.carli.
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