Now on Exhibit at City Hall: The Many Hats Worn by W. W. Law
By Megan Kerkhoff
In the years after World War II, Westley Wallace “W. W.” Law was a busy man, with several commitments to organizations on top of his daily duties as a student at Georgia State College (now known as Savannah State University) and eventually as a letter carrier for the United States Post Office. From the years 1946-1951, Law served on the leadership organizations for the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), the American Legion, the Boy Scouts of America, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Law would continue his volunteer work with these organizations over the years, but never again all at once after 1951. During the post-War II period, Law was in his early 20s, often dedicating more time than his sleep allowed as evident in his correspondence to George Morrell, Jr. On December 26, 1951, he stated, “Many nights I do not get very much sleep.”[i]
W. W. Law’s Boy Scout of America hat, no date
W. W. Law Artifact Collection, Item 1121-133_0022
City of Savannah Municipal Archives
W. W. Law’s diligent commitment to Savannah’s Black community is shown not only in his personal papers but also through his clothes. Preserved in the W. W. Law Artifacts collection is a handful of hats, but four stand out as examples of Law’s dedication to the Savannah community.
Boy Scouts of America Troop 48, W. W. Law is on the front row with his mentors John S. Delaware and Rev. Dr. Ralph Mark Gilbert, circa 1939-1941
W. W. Law Photograph Collection, Item 1121-100_1970
City of Savannah Municipal Archives
According to his records, the first organization Law joined, besides his local church of First Bryan Baptist Church, was the Boy Scouts of America in the 1930s. As a member of Troop 48 under the supervision of Scoutmaster John S. Delaware, Law earned several merit badges and learned how to be an enthusiastic scout. Boy Scouts had such a profound impact on Law as a young man that he eventually took on leadership roles within the organization, even maintaining his membership while serving in the military. He served as Patrol Leader, Assistant Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, Neighborhood Commissioner, District Commissioner, and Ship Advisor to local Sea Scouts within the Coastal Empire Council of Boy Scouts.
W. W. Law’s USPO Uniform Hat, no date
W. W. Law Artifacts Collection, Item 1121-133_0023
City of Savannah Municipal Archives
Excerpt from the W. W. Law Personal Papers, no date
City of Savannah Municipal Archives
For over forty years, Law worked full-time for the United States Post Office (USPO) delivering mail as he walked routes throughout Savannah. In the W. W. Law Artifacts Collection there are many USPO hats, shirts, pants and coats once worn as part of his uniform as a letter carrier. Seen above is one such regulation hat, with an attached medal identification on the front numbered “17.” Starting in 1887, the United States Post Office required letter carriers to wear numbered badges on their hat, cap, or helmet.[ii] It can be inferred from a brochure issued by Somes Uniforms who sold Post Office uniforms that this hat cost around $4.50 in the late 1960s.[iii]
W. W. Law’s NAACP garrison cap, no date
W. W. Law Artifacts Collection, Item 1121-133_0021
City of Savannah Municipal Archives
W. W. Law is most identified with his work in the local Savannah Branch of the NAACP, where he wore the hat as Branch President for 26 years. What most people do not realize is all the other leadership roles he took on within the NAACP. He first joined the NAACP Savannah Youth Council in 1942 and served as Youth Council President from 1946-1950. During his tenure as Savannah Branch President, he also served as President of the Georgia State Conference, and was the first youth member elected to the National Board of Directors. He served for thirty years on the National Board of Directors for NAACP, longer than he served as Savannah Branch President.
W. W. Law’s American Legion garrison cap, with his attached military medals and Past Commander patch, no date
W. W. Law Artifacts Collection, Item 1121-133_0020
City of Savannah Municipal Archives
Another important organization in Law’s life was the American Legion. After his World War II service as a Staff Sergeant in charge of a communications unit of African American servicemen at MacDill Field, Florida, Law joined Savannah’s American Legion William P. Jordan Post 500, the first African American post established in Georgia in 1946. Law served as the second Post Commander from 1949-1950 and then again from 1951-1952. The medals and patches attached to the hat seen here detail not only his Legion service but his military service as well. According to correspondence, the Past Commander patch cost $2.50 in 1950 and is to be worn on the left side of the cap.[iv] The American Legion’s role in the community was to conduct services for fallen soldiers, award scholarships to local students, and provide a space for veterans to find support.
Members of the American Legion present awards, W. W. Law is seen in his hat third from the left, no date
W. W. Law Photograph Collection, Item 1121-100_1882
City of Savannah Municipal Archives
Law wore many hats over the course of his life, evident in his records and artifacts. These clothing items bring insight regarding Law’s service in the various organizations he served. The W. W. Law Artifacts collection is still being processed, and the finding aid and final inventory will be made available soon for researchers to explore the entirety of these historically significant objects.
View W. W. Law’s hats in person, now on display in the Archives & History Room at City Hall through April 2026.
Read more from W. W. Law’s post-war correspondence in his personal papers, select years digitized online through the finding aid.
Megan Kerkhoff is the City of Savannah Municipal Archives’ Records Management Program Coordinator. Starting in 2015, she began working as a project archivist on the W. W. Law Archival Project, working with a variety of materials amassed by Mr. Law during his life and career, including audiovisual recordings, photographs, books, personal papers, NAACP records, and more. Joining the Municipal Archives full-time in 2021, Megan serves as the lead archivist on the ongoing processing of this important Savannah collection.
[i] Record Series 1121-112, W. W. Law Personal Papers, Correspondence-General, 1951, City of Savannah Municipal Archives, Savannah, Georgia.
[ii] United States Postal Service website, About: Uniforms and equipment, “Letter Carriers’ Uniform: Overview,” page one, May 2002, last accessed online: https://about.usps.com/who/profile/history/uniforms-equipment.htm
[iii] Record Series 1121-112, W. W. Law Personal Papers, United States Post Office-Uniform Catalogues, circa 1960s, City of Savannah Municipal Archives, Savannah, Georgia.
[iv] Record Series 1121-112, W. W. Law Personal Papers, American Legion William P. Jordan Post #500, Correspondence, 1950, City of Savannah Municipal Archives, Savannah, Georgia.