Conditions Governing Use:

Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Conditions Governing Access:

Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.

Preferred Citation:

Elizabeth McKoy Diaries, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Processing Information:

Accessioned and minimally processed by Benjamin Bromley in February 2011. Acc. 2011.497 accessioned and minimally processed by Benjamin Bromley in June 2011. Further processing by Jon Katora in November 2011. Further processing by Rachel Thomas, February 2012.

Biographical Information:

Elizabeth McKoy was born December 14, 1887 to parents William and Katherine McKoy. She studied at Converse College from 1906-1909 afterwhich she became a private tutor and author of historical works. She never married and passed away October 17, 1984.

Further information about this individual or organization may be available in the Special Collections Research Center Wiki:

Scope and Contents

Diaries, circa 1900-1908, of Elizabeth F. McKoy (1887-1984) of Wilmington, North Carolina. Includes entries from her time in high school as well as her time at Converse College in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Includes information about her meetings with friends, classes she is taking at Converse College, school events, her life as a teacher after college, and other activities.  Elizabeth McKoy became a tutor and author and remained unmarried.  Her diary suggests relationships with other women.  She refers to a female friend as her "sweetheart."   It also contains love notes to Jean and Juanita, two girls at her college.  May 5, 1906 she kissed Jean goodnight and also speaks about kissing other women.  She wrote that "Jean [a woman] was the only man I could ever fall in love with."  and "I really believe I am foolish about the girl." on page 100 of the second diary.

Related Material

Information about related materials is available at http://guides.swem.wm.edu/scrc-women

Separated Material

Artifacts have been removed from the diaries and transferred to the Manuscripts Artifact Collection (Mss. 1.03). Artifacts include: pressed flower (2011.497.01) and string bow (2011.497.02) from Diary, June 1908-July 1909; and pressed plant material (2012.051.01) and chamois for charcoal drawing (2012.051.02) from Diary, June 1904-January 1905.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Diaries
• Education, Higher
• Education--North Carolina
• Education--South Carolina
• Homosexuality
• Women--Sexual behavior
• Young women--Diaries