Gertrude Margaritte Ivory Bertram collection

Collection — Container: 07.0114 - Box 1

Identifier: 07.0114

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This World War II collection relates to Gertrude Margaritte Ivory Bertram, an African American nurse who served in the U.S. Army. The collection consists of letters, photographs (depicting herself and her fellow nurses in uniform, as well as African American G.I.s, and a few photographs from her time in West Africa), personal items, books, manuscripts, newspaper clippings, and interviews. The materials mainly document Bertram's time at Fort Bragg, NC, but there is some information concerning her life before enlistment, travels during enlistment, and life after enlistment. Most of her enlistment was spent in West Africa and at Fort Bragg, NC. This collection is important, as it covers the unique experiences of women and African Americans during World War II, and offers insight that differs from the majority white male G.I. perspective. It depicts African American nurses in both a professional setting and casual settings as Bertram enjoyed downtime with her friends.

Dates

1938-2007
Other: Majority of material found in 1942
Other: Date acquired: 10/07/2007
Other: Date accessioned: 2020-04-22

Creator

Bertram, Gertrude Margaritte Ivory (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open to all researchers.

Conditions Governing Use

All requests for permission to quote, publish, broadcast or otherwise reproduce from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Associate Dean for Special Collections & Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Florida State University Libraries as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

Biographical or Historical Information

Bertram was born in Clarksville, Georgia, on February 17, 1916. She attended nursing school at the Brewster Hospital and School of Nurse Training in Jacksonville, Florida, which was the first African American hospital in the United States. She then enlisted in the U.S. Army on May 1, 1941 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, as a ward nurse. While in the Army, Bertram served as a ward nurse in Fort Bragg and later in the West African theater and Louisiana. After the war, she continued to work as a nurse, wrote a book, and raised a family.

Extent

.25 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement Note

Creator

Custodial History

This collection was donated by Gertrude Margaritte Ivory Bertram. The collection was acquired by the Institute on World War II and the Human Experience on October 7, 2007.