Archives Department to Share Love Letters of Alabama Couple Separated by Second World War

Nicholas Bonilla

Opal Keith

As a result of the success the Archives had with last year’s social media outreach and sharing Loula Upton’s diary, we decided to do another similar project. We will be beginning the newest Social Media Exhibit on our Facebook Page. This time, a love story:

Nicholas Bonilla, a native of New York, met and married Opal Keith, a resident of Irondale, Alabama, while stationed in Alabama in the early months of World War II. Nicholas Bonilla served in Europe as part of the 101st Airborn Division. The collection we will be showcasing are the letters between Nicholas Bonilla and Opal Keith Bonilla written while Nicholas was undergoing military training and while he was serving in Europe. The letters span several years and chronicle the couple’s relationship while dating and married, everyday life during wartime, Nicholas’ training and military experiences.

Stay tuned for letters and love.

Catherine Oseas
Archives Department
Central Library