The papers of Forrest Slaughter consist of personal and professional records pertaining to his career as an African American jazz musician, music therapist, and school district administrator. Included are minutes of the Topeka Committee for Better Minority Education, which he established.

The papers of Joe Douglas, an African American Kansan, document his career with the Topeka, Kansas Fire Department and his active civic involvement. It ranges from correspondence to newspaper clippings to certificates that Mr. Douglas has received. Also included are Douglas's many photographs of the Fire Department and of other Topeka organizations and events, as well as photographs of other Douglas family members and the damage from the 1966 tornado in Topeka.