Welcome to the
Michael Gladden Jr.
Digital Archive
One Man's Material Legacy
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 collection was saved 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
Apopka's Black History
Read about Apopka's rich heritage of Black history, marked by a collective narrative of resilience, entrepreneurship, and change-making. From the early settlement of Mead's Bottom to the modern day, learn about the community Michael Gladden Jr. preserved the legacy or left an indelible mark upon.
The Gladden Collection
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Michael Gladden Jr. to share?
Contact us with cherished memories, anecdotes, and any other information
regarding Michael Gladden Jr. or Marie Stapler Gladden below.