Welcome to the
Michael Gladden Jr.
Digital Archive
Honoring a tradition of safekeeping.
The Michael Gladden Jr. Digital Archive is a fully functioning digital archive entirely designed, curated, and managed by Elio Singer, an Undergraduate Researcher with the Apopka Historical Board. This archive is intended to make known the tradition of safekeeping in the Black American community, following in the footsteps of the Gladden Archive's namesake, Michael Gladden Jr.
The largest collection preserved on the Gladden Archive is the Gladden Collection- an array of artifactssaved from the dreary fate of a dumpster in 2003 by the legendary Black community historian, Ms. Francina Boykin. This digital archive celebrates the man behind the collection: Michael Gladden Jr. For over 50 years, Mr. Gladden served the Apopka community as the owner of M. Gladden Staple and Fancy Groceries, a role he assumed after the tragic murder of his father.
Michael Gladden Jr. was no mere grocer, but the community safekeeper for the Black community in Apopka. At a time when financial institutions, such as the State Bank of Apopka, racially discriminated against patrons, Michael Gladden Jr.'s storefront acted as a bank that Black customers could put their trust in. Read more about the man behind the receipts below.
Explore the
Marie Stapler Gladden
Collection
Explore the collection of Apopka's legendary powerhouse and renowned educator, Marie Stapler Gladden, who raised generations of Apopkans through her transformative career as a master teacher and the beloved principal of the historic
Phyllis Wheatley High School.
Explore the
William Gladden Jr.
Collection
Learn more about William "Bill" Gladden Jr., also known by his pen name "Perrine Slim," whose collection celebrates his legacy as a Korean War veteran of the U.S. Navy, a walking encyclopedia of Apopka heritage, the honorary "Mayor of South Apopka," and the Gladden family historian. Mr. Tarence Brown of Apopka donated all items in this collection.
The Gladden Collection
Do you have a story about
Michael Gladden Jr. to share?
Contact us with cherished memories, anecdotes, and any other information
regarding Michael Gladden Jr. or Marie Stapler Gladden below.