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Wilson and Louise Riles Collection
NAU.MS.324 NAU.PH.97.53
Creator:
Riles, Wilson C.
Collection Name
Wilson and Louise Riles Collection,
Inclusive Dates:
1948-1953
Physical Description
4 folders of textual material,
64 photographic images
Abstract
The Wilson C. and Louise Riles collection consists of a copy of
a scrapbook presented to the Riles' by the Dunbar School Parent Teacher's Association,
when they left their positions as principal and teacher, respectively, at Dunbar School
in Flagstaff, Arizona, to move to California in May of 1954. The scrapbook contains
school programs, newspaper articles, and information about service organizations related
to the Dunbar School.
Collection Number
NAU.MS.324 NAU.PH.97.53
Language
English.
Repository
Cline Library. Special Collections and Archives
Department.
Northern Arizona University
Box 6022
Flagstaff, AZ 86011-6022
Phone: 928 523 5551
Fax: 928 523 3770
Email: Special.Collections@nau.edu
Biographical Note
Wilson Camanza Riles was identified in a May 5, 1983 newspaper article as one of the
most distinguished Northern Arizona University graduates in the history of the
institution. That would be quite an accomplishment for any person under normal
circumstances, but considering the era in which his achievements were attained, for Dr.
Riles, an Afro-American, it was an extraordinary accomplishment.
Wilson Riles was born on June 27, 1917 in Alexandria, Louisiana in a rural sawmill camp,
and was an only child. His mother died when he was 9, and his father, who worked as a
foreman in the turpentine camp, died when Wilson was 12. His church raised money to send
him to New Orleans to attend McDonogh High School. While there, he lived with a friend
of his father's, attended school, and worked on a milk truck for $2.50 a day. During
Summers, he went back to Alexandria and worked in the turpentine camps to earn money to
buy his clothes for the next school year.
After graduating from high school, he moved to Flagstaff where he had relatives working
in the sawmills. His foster parents were Leon J. and Narvia Bryant. He enrolled in
Arizona State Teacher's College (re-named Northern Arizona University in 1966) in
September of 1936 and was its first Afro-American student. While a student, he worked at
various jobs to afford the tuition. In 1939 he also served as union secretary of Lumber
and Sawmill Workers Union No. 2772, and was active in the negotiations which culminated
in a 40% pay raise for the workers. Riles graduated from Arizona State Teacher's College
with a Bachelor of Arts degree in education in 1940, and began his career teaching
Afro-American children in a 1-room school in a logging camp near McNary, Arizona with a
salary of $900.00 a year.
In 1941, he met and married Louise Phillips, the daughter of a Phoenix dentist. He and
Louise had both obtained their teaching degrees from ASTC and they began teaching at
Dunbar School for Blacks in Flagstaff, which had been built in 1926 when Arizona
mandated segregation of Blacks and Whites. (It was named after the prominent Black
author, Paul Lawrence Dunbar.) While they were teaching at Dunbar, Wilson was continuing
his education at Arizona State Teacher's College working toward his Master's Degree in
School Administration. He entered the Air Force in 1944 and served 3 years. Upon
returning home to Flagstaff, he resumed the pursuit of his Master's Degree which he
completed in 1947, and then was hired as teacher/principal at Dunbar School. He was also
active in civic affairs including being spokesman for the Booker T. Washington
subdivision on Flagstaff's south side (occupied by about 100 Black families) to have the
city install urgently needed sewage collection lines.
On May 17, 1954, when legislators passed the Civil Rights Act, making segregation
illegal, the Dunbar School was closed and students were integrated into other Flagstaff
schools. Wilson then accepted a position as Executive Secretary of the Pacific Coast
region of the Fellowship of Reconciliation (a religious peace organization) and he and
Louise and their four children (Michael, Narvia, Wilson, and Phillip) moved to
California.
In 1958, Wilson Riles was named to an important post with the California Department of
Education, and in 1965 he was named Associate Superintendent of Public Instruction for
California (4.5 million students) to direct the organization and administration of a
$100 million Compensatory Education Program which became a model for similar programs
throughout the nation. He initiated Early Childhood Education and Special Education
Programs. Northern Arizona University honored Riles in 1968 with the distinguished
Alumni Achievement Award. In 1969, he served in an appointive office as deputy
superintendent for programs and legislation in the California Department of Public
Instruction. In 1970 he was elected to the post of State Superintendent of Public
Instruction, becoming the first Black man to win a major California political post. He
was reelected 2 more times and served in the post for a total of 12 years during which
time he was also a member of the California Board of Regents. Wilson was active at the
national level as Chairman of the United States Office of Education Task Force on Urban
Education and was appointed to this post three times by three different U.S. Presidents.
He received the highest award of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored
People when the Springarn Medal was presented to him in 1973. Northern Arizona
University again honored Riles in 1975 when he was presented with his alma mater's
Distinguished Alumni Honoree medallion, and again in 1976 when Riles had conferred upon
him an honorary doctor of laws degree. (Dr. Riles had also received 7 other honorary
doctorates from universities in California and elsewhere in the country.) In 1978 he
received the Robert M. Hutchins Award for Significant contributions to education. In
1979 he was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award from the American Association of
State Colleges and Universities. He returned to Northern Arizona University in 1983 to
deliver the commencement address at graduation, and in 1986 a campus building at
Northern Arizona University was named in his honor.
After leaving public office in 1982, he started a educational consulting and management
service in Sacramento. Mr. Riles died in 1999.
Scope and Content
The Wilson C. and Louise Riles collection consists of a copy of a scrapbook presented
to the Riles' by the Dunbar School Parent Teacher's Association, when they left their
positions as principal and teacher, respectively, at Dunbar School in Flagstaff,
Arizona, to move to California in May of 1954. The scrapbook contains school programs,
newspaper articles, and information about service organizations related to the Dunbar
School. The scrapbook also contained photographs, which were copied and are now found in the photographs section of this collection (NAU.PH.97.53). Other photographs include two portaits of Wilson Riles.
Arrangement
SCA staff organized materials into 2 format-based groups:
It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner
of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her
transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless the Arizona Board of Regents for Northern Arizona University, its
officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims made by any person
asserting that he or she is an owner of copyright.
SCA staff have digitized selected photographs from the Wilson and Louise Riles collection. Digitized materials are available via the hereColorado Plateau Digital Collections. Search "Wilson Riles" in the "Collection name" field or "NAU.PH.97.53" in the "Call number" field.
Click herehere to view all digitized photographs from the Wilson and Louise Riles collection.
Credit Line
Wilson and Louise Riles Collection, NAU.MS.324 and NAU.PH.97.53, Cline Library.
Special Collections and Archives Dept.
The bulk of the photographs in the Wilson and Louise Riles collection consist of copies of photographs made from a scrapbook which was
presented to the Riles' by the Dunbar School Parent Teacher's Association, when
they left their positions as principal and teacher, respectively, at Dunbar School
in Flagstaff, Arizona, to move to California in May of 1954. One photo is of Wilson
Riles in front of the Flagstaff Depot ca. 1950.
Digital Material Available
SCA staff have digitized selected photographs from the Wilson and Louise Riles collection. Digitized materials are available via the hereColorado Plateau Digital Collections. Search "Wilson Riles" in the "Collection name" field or "NAU.PH.97.53" in the "Call number" field.
Click herehere to view all digitized photographs from the Wilson and Louise Riles collection.
NAU.PH.97.53.1: Wilson, Riles, 1948. Williams family [Mrs. J. W.
Williams, president of the Dunbar School PTA, and sons, Ray, James, Jessie,
Charles, and Melvin.], Flagstaff (Ariz.). Black-and-White Photograph, 9x11.5.
NAU.PH.97.53.2: photographer unidentified, ca.1949. Mrs. Tilda [Mae]
Johnson [Kindergarten teacher, Dunbar School], Flagstaff (Ariz.).
Black-and-White Photograph, 10x7.
NAU.PH.97.53.4: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. Le Ann Dorsey.,
Flagstaff (Ariz.). Black-and-White Photograph, 11x8.5.
NAU.PH.97.53.5: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. [Christmas play
at Dunbar School ; student actors], Flagstaff (Ariz.). Black-and-White
Photograph, 9x11.
NAU.PH.97.53.6: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. Mrs. Ruth Cannon
[standing in front of a fence in front of a house], Flagstaff (Ariz.).
Black-and-White Photograph, 7.5x11.
NAU.PH.97.53.7: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. Sylvia Smith [at
Indian Gardens Skating Rink.], Flagstaff (Ariz.). Black-and-White Photograph,
10.5x7.5.
NAU.PH.97.53.9: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. [4 youth sitting
in front of wooden-frame building.], Flagstaff (Ariz.). Black-and-White
Photograph, 11x7.5.
NAU.PH.97.53.10: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. Emma Jane
McNeal, Flagstaff (Ariz.). Black-and-White Photograph, 11x9.
NAU.PH.97.53.12: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. Clark Watt
[sitting on snowbank in front of automobile and San Francisco Peaks in the
background.], Flagstaff (Ariz.). Black-and-White Photograph, 11x9.
NAU.PH.97.53.13: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. [Probably Dunbar
School student band (6 children) and 1 adult (possibly teacher)], Flagstaff
(Ariz.). Black-and-White Photograph, 9x11.
NAU.PH.97.53.16: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. Jesse Williams
[standing in front of a wooden-frame building.], Flagstaff (Ariz.).
Black-and-White Photograph, 7.5x10.5.
NAU.PH.97.53.17: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. Charles
Thompson, Flagstaff (Ariz.). Black-and-White Photograph, 11x8.
NAU.PH.97.53.19: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. [Wilson and
Louise] Riles' Children : Narvia, Wilson Jr., Phillip, and Michael., Flagstaff
(Ariz.). Black-and-White Photograph, 8x11.
NAU.PH.97.53.20: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. Darlin Peoples
[holding black and white puppy standing in front of plastered wall.], Flagstaff
(Ariz.). Black-and-White Photograph, 11x8.5.
NAU.PH.97.53.21: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. Berdell Graves
[in football uniform, #32.], Flagstaff (Ariz.). Black-and-White Photograph,
11x7.5.
NAU.PH.97.53.22: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. [Student
football player in uniform (#35) poised to throw a football, standing on
football field with goal posts, vehicles, buildings, and other people in
background.], Flagstaff (Ariz.). Black-and-White Photograph, 11x8.
NAU.PH.97.53.23: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. Georgia Johnson
[in band uniform.], Flagstaff (Ariz.). Black-and-White Photograph, 11x8.5.
NAU.PH.97.53.24: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. Corine Chatman
[standing in front of windowed brick building.], Flagstaff (Ariz.).
Black-and-White Photograph, 8x11.
NAU.PH.97.53.27: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. [2 girls posing
in front of draped background.], Flagstaff (Ariz.). Black-and-White Photograph,
10.5x9.
NAU.PH.97.53.28: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. Wiley B.
Williams [wearing white graduation cap and gown.], Flagstaff (Ariz.).
Black-and-White Photograph, 11x9.
NAU.PH.97.53.38: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. Mr. Steve
Cunningham, Dunbar School custodian [standing in front of house with fence
around it.], Flagstaff (Ariz.). Black-and-White Photograph, 8x11.
NAU.PH.97.53.39: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. Luther Mae
Clayton., Flagstaff (Ariz.). Black-and-White Photograph, 8x8.
NAU.PH.97.53.40: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. Leon Ganter
[standing in snow in front of a building.], Flagstaff (Ariz.). Black-and-White
Photograph, 8x8.
NAU.PH.97.53.41: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. Tommy McNeal.,
Flagstaff (Ariz.). Black-and-White Photograph, 11x7.
NAU.PH.97.53.44: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. Robert Lee Joe.,
Flagstaff (Ariz.). Black-and-White Photograph, 11x8.
NAU.PH.97.53.45: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. Tommy and Bobbie
Joe [standing on porch of a building.], Flagstaff (Ariz.). Black-and-White
Photograph, 11x7.5.
NAU.PH.97.53.48: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. [Two
unidentified girls standing in front of a wooden-frame building.], Flagstaff
(Ariz.). Black-and-White Photograph, 7.5x8.5.
NAU.PH.97.53.49: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. [Three
unidentified girls standing in front of a house.], Flagstaff (Ariz.).
Black-and-White Photograph, 7.5x7.5.
NAU.PH.97.53.50: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. Ethyl Jean
Peters and Jack Peters., Flagstaff (Ariz.). Black-and-White Photograph, 9x9.
NAU.PH.97.53.51: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. Rebecca and
Jeraldine Clayton., Flagstaff (Ariz.). Black-and-White Photograph, 8.5x8.5.
NAU.PH.97.53.55: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. Johnny Reeves.,
Flagstaff (Ariz.). Black-and-White Photograph, 11x8.
NAU.PH.97.53.56: photographer unidentified, ca. 1953. [Wilson and
Louise Riles in classroom with 6 other unidentified adults, possibly
teachers.], Flagstaff (Ariz.). Black-and-White Photograph, 7x11.
NAU.PH.97.53.57: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. [Wilson and
Louise Riles standing behind a desk which has a suitcase, flowers, and packages
on it.], Flagstaff (Ariz.). Black-and-White Photograph, 11x9.
NAU.PH.97.53.58: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. Lee Esther;
Jense; Irma; Gertie Lee; Hazel; Arie Lee; Herbert; Ruby Mae (Twats); Christine;
Vivian; Lester; [group of 15 children (some unidentified) with 1 adult,
possibly Louise Riles; South Beaver School in background.], Flagstaff (Ariz.).
Black-and-White Photograph, 7x11.
NAU.PH.97.53.60: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. Grade 1; South
Beaver School; A Friend; Flagstaff, AZ; Tilda M. Johnson., Flagstaff (Ariz.).
Black-and-White Photograph, 7x11.
NAU.PH.97.53.61: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. [Thirteen
unidentified boys, some dressed in basketball uniforms, posed in South Beaver
School gymnasium, with scoreboard/clock behind them showing the names, South
Beaver and Dunbar.], Flagstaff (Ariz.). Black-and-White Photograph, 8.5x10.5.
NAU.PH.97.53.62: photographer unidentified, ca. 1948. Joan Dorsey.,
Flagstaff (Ariz.). Black-and-White Photograph, 11x8.
