In the letter, Christel congratulates her father on the success of Alan Shepard's flight as the first American in space and comments on aspects of her life as a college student.
The flood was caused by a broken pipe. Community Housing was located at the corner of Lancewood Drive and University Drive. The Twin Oaks Apartments can be seen in the background.
McGlathery, shown second from left at the rear, was the first African American student to gain admission to UAH. In the caption, the AP notes that "he enrolled at the previously white institution today without incident."