William L. Hughes was a longtime member of Wake Forest University’s grounds staff. A native of Boonville, NC, he arrived to Wake Forest in 1957 after Army service and was a groundskeeper at the former presidential residence (Starling Hall), then occupied by Harold W. Tribble and his family. After James Ralph Scales became president in 1967, Hughes became a close friend to Scales and his wife Elizabeth. Hughes was later an integral part of the care and management of their affairs in the late 1980s. This collection includes early 20th century African American images of Hughes’ family.

High resolution digital images are available at ZSR Library. The original photographs are housed with the Hughes family.