Hadwick Thompson papers, 1901-2002

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Summary

Creators:
Thompson, Hadwick.
Abstract:
Hadwick A. Thompson (1919-2002) was born on November 17, 1919 the son of Hadwick and Edna Thompson of Willows, California and the grandson of California pioneer Alvin Aaron Coffey. The Hadwick Thompson papers consist of twenty photographs, correspondence, business cards, and a funeral program that document the life and activities of Hadwick Thompson as the first African American police officer to join the Oakland Police Department.
Extent:
.15 linear feet (1 box + 1 oversized box)
Language:
Languages represented in the collection: English
Preferred citation:

Hadwick Thompson papers, MS 45, African American Museum & Library at Oakland, Oakland Public Library. Oakland, California.

Background

Scope and content:

The Hadwick Thompson papers consist of twenty photographs, correspondence, business cards, and a funeral program that document the life and activities of Hadwick Thompson. Photographs in the collection include portraits of the Thompson family, a class photograph of the Chrome School in Glen County, California, Thompson’s activities as a member of the Oakland police department, and several social and civic events attended by Thompson. Correspondence includes a complaint letter written to Thompson while he served on the National Black Chamber of Commerce, and Thompson’s funeral program following his death in 2002.

Biographical / historical:

Hadwick A. Thompson (1919-2002) was born on November 17, 1919 the son of Hadwick and Edna Thompson of Willows, California and the grandson of California pioneer Alvin Aaron Coffey. Thompson was raised in Willows, California and graduated from Willows High School in 1938 before joining the U.S. Navy the following year. During World War II, he was stationed on the U.S.S. Ramsey in Hawaii and witnessed the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Thompson was eventually transferred to submarine service and stationed on the submarine U.S.S. Pollack for the remainder of the war earning four Bronze Stars.

Following the war, Thompson joined the California National Guard and the California State Police. In 1947, Thompson and Clarence Williams became the first African American police officers to join the Oakland Police Department. Thompson was as a police officer with the Oakland Police Department for over twenty five years, working as a specialist in the community affairs department and supervising youth programs until his retirement in 1973. After his retirement, he continued to work as a police officer with the Bay Area Rapid Transit police force and as a fraud investigator with the Bank of California before retiring in 1992.

Thompson was also active in a many civic and service organizations. He serviced as the president of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, Oakland Chinatown Lions Club, and was a national director for the U.S. Navy League and was an active member of the National Black Chamber of Commerce, Commonwealth Club, California Pioneer Society, and Men of Tomorrow, Inc.

Processing information:

Processed by Sean Heyliger, 06/29/2013.

Arrangement:

Series I. Photographs Series II. Correspondence Series III. Printed material

Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

No access restrictions. Collection is open to the public.

Materials are for use in-library only, non-circulating.

Terms of access:

Permission to publish from the Hadwick Thompson Papers must be obtained from the African American Museum & Library at Oakland.

Preferred citation:

Hadwick Thompson papers, MS 45, African American Museum & Library at Oakland, Oakland Public Library. Oakland, California.

Location of this collection:
659 14th Street
Oakland, CA 94612, US
Contact:
(510) 637-0198
aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org
Website