The Carleton Coon Collection was donated in September 2015 by Carl Jakopec. Personal documents and correspondence, articles and periodicals, and photographs comprise the bulk of this collection. The items represent a large swath of Coon’s brief life, with photographs from his childhood until the period shortly before he passed away. There is also some information about other players who performed with Coon.

As the Coon-Sanders Original Nighthawks Orchestra was one of the first jazz bands to receive nationwide fame through radio performances, this collection is useful for those interested in the history of jazz, Kansas City, and early use of radio in bringing artists to fame.

The collection also includes films of the Coon-Sanders Original Nighthawk Orchestra touring the US and family films of the Coon family.