Florence Edwards Borders, a path-breaking archivist, was born on February 24, 1924 in New Iberia, LA and moved to New Orleans with her family eighteen months later. She graduated from McDonogh #35 High School and went on to earn a BA in English from her father’s alma mater, Southern University in Baton Rouge. She then earned an additional bachelor’s degree and a master’s in Library Science from what is now known as Dominican University in River Forest, IL. In subsequent years, she completed her Post-Masters Study at Louisiana State University’s Graduate Library Sciences School and further studied at the Library and Archives Institute at the Ohio Historical Society in Columbus, OH; Atlanta University’s School of Library Science; Case-Western Reserve University’s School of Library Science; the Ford Foundation Institute at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY; The National Archives in Washington, D.C.; the Library of Congress In-Service Institute in Philadelphia; and the Society of Southwest Archivists Institute in Dallas.
Mrs. Borders began her career as a library assistant at the University of Chicago in the 1940s, where she was the first African-American librarian hired by the school. She then went on to be a librarian at Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona Beach, FL, where she met her late husband, James B. Borders, III, a musician and educator. She held similar positions at Tennessee State University and Grambling College (now Grambling State University) before training to become an archivist and returning home to New Orleans in 1970 for the remainder of her career. She specialized in preserving the historical artifacts of African Americans and, in particular, Afro-Louisianans.
Mrs. Borders was a charter member of the Society of American Archivists and served as senior archivist at the Amistad Research Center from 1970-1989 before coming out of retirement a mere five months later to work as an archivist for the Center for African and African-American Studies at Southern University at New Orleans for nearly 20 more years. She was a frequent lecturer, exhibit curator, published bibliographer, and research consultant for several documentary films and oral histories. She also founded the scholarly journal Chicory, which focused on matters related to African-American history and culture.
Mrs. Borders was a devoted parishioner at Holy Ghost Catholic Church (now St. Katharine Drexel Church), and Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. She was also a member of Court 52 of the Knights of Peter Claver, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, the Block Rosary Group, her monthly Bridge group, the Pokeno Pleasure Players, Kinship Senior Center, and served as the president of New Orleans’ chapter of the B Sharp Music Club.
She is predeceased by her parents, Sylvanus Edwards and Julia Gray Edwards; her husband, James B. Borders, III; her sisters Ruby Edwards and Gloria Edwards Jackson; her brothers Leroy and Oliver Edwards, and her granddaughter, Crystal Samuels. She is survived by her sons, James B. Borders, IV and Sylvanus Edwards Borders; her daughter, Thais Borders Adams Gay (Wayne); four grandchildren, James B. Borders, V (Rosalind), Jeremy Adams, Julie Adams, and Miaflor Borders; two great-grandchildren, Zelda and Gustavo Borders, and a host of nieces, nephews, and friends.
Among her many honors and awards were the Unsung Heroes Plaque, Crescent City Chapter of Links, 1987; the Mayor’s Certificate of Merit, The City of New Orleans, 1987; the Callaloo Award, University of Virginia, 1988; the Vital as a Heartbeat Award, Urban League, 1988; and the Certificate of Appreciation, Society of American Archivists, 2000.
Visitation and funeral services will be held on Monday, September 17, 2018 beginning at 10am at St. Katharine Drexel Church (2015 Louisiana Ave., NOLA 70115). A Rosary will begin at 11am along with remarks from family and friends. Interment will be at Lake Lawn Park Mausoleum after the services (5454 Pontchartrain Blvd., NOLA 70124).
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Kinship Senior Center at http://www.kinshipnola.org.
Honors and Awards:
Certificate of Merit, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., 1969
Who’s Who in Library and Information Services, 1982
Trophy, Louisiana World Exposition, Afro-American Pavilion, 1984
Certificate of Recognition, Black Chorale, 1986
Certificate of Appreciation, Equal Opportunity Advisory Council, 1986
Unsung Heroes Plaque, Crescent City Chapter of Links, 1987
Mayor’s Certificate of Merit, The City of New Orleans, 1987
Callaloo Award, University of Virginia, 1988
Vital as a Heartbeat Award, Urban League, 1988
Trophy, Calvary CME Church, 1988
Certificate of Appreciation, Society of American Archivists, 2000
Who’s Who Among African Americans, 2000
The family invites you to share your thoughts, fond memories, and condolences online at www.lakelawnmetairie.com
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