LibGuides: Education in Southeast North Carolina: Manuscript Collections

Manuscript Collections

MS 046 Dr. Hubert A Eaton, Sr. Papers
This extensive collection includes the original materials and photocopies of the legal actions instituted by Dr. Eaton and his fellow plaintiffs to compel the integration of the fundamental institutions of New Hanover County--the public schools and the hospital--in the 1960s and 1970s. Moreover, the collection also reflects the broad spectrum of Dr. Eaton's interests and activities which included medical and public health issues, education, civil rights and athletics.
MS 135 Documents Relating to Public Education in New Hanover County
This collection consists of original documents, letters, financial records and printed material dealing with the establishment of free public schools in Wilmington, North Carolina after the Civil War. The correspondence details the financial support for school construction, teacher recruitment, and administration provided by the Massachusetts Soldiers Memorial Society, Mary Hemenway, Amy Bradley and the American Unitarian Association for what came to be known as Wilmington School District #2. The focus of the materials in the collection is in Wilmington, North Carolina during the 1860s to the 1900s. While the focus of the collection provides financial and legal details regarding school construction for white children, there is some information on on Williston and Peabody Colored Schools for African American children. Material types include correspondence, receipts, deeds, photographs, reports and contracts.
MS 167 Dr. Heyward C. Bellamy Collection
The Dr. Heyward C. Bellamy Collection contains court documents and supporting exhibit materials outlining the school integration law suit, Carolyn Eaton, et al v New Hanover County Board of Education. In addition to the original Eaton case, this collection contains documents related to the restraining order the New Hanover County School Board filed against individuals who would later be implicated in the 1971 riots as part of the Wilmington Ten. This case is titled, Carolyn Eaton, et al v New Hanover County Board of Education v Ben Chavis, et al.
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The majority of materials in the collection originated from or were sent to Attorney William Hill, who defended the New Hanover County Board of Education during the integration law suit. These documents were part of Hill's personal files and the newspapers were addressed to him as a personal subscription. The newspapers and clippings detail the Eaton trial, school integration progress, racial unrest in Wilmington during 1971, and the Wilmington Ten court case. In addition, there are materials relating to three other court case in which Hill was involved, including:

Delilah Banks v. William Register and the Bladen County Board of Social Services. Blanks accused the Board of racial descrimination in the process of voting in a new Chairman of the Board. William Hill represented the Bladen County Board of Social Services.

Harris Moore v Wilbur Lee Best and John Randy Winecoff, Wilmington Police Officers. Moore accused Best and Winecoff of using excessive force during his arrest due to racial discrimination. Hill represented the police officers during this trial.

John Rozier Bullard v Kenneth L. Smith and Dale Ward. Smith and Ward were Officers with the Columbus County Rural Police Department. Bullard sued the two men for damages after they allegedly inflicted serious injury in the process of arresting Bullard. William Hill represented the two police officers in this case.

An addition was later added to the collection, which includes newspaper articles and correspondence about George Wallace Cameron, Bellamy's grandfather-in-law. Cameron was known as a "Red Shirt" during the 1898 Massacre and Polling Place Riots in Wilmington. He was a prominent printer and publisher in Wilmington and was a leader of union activity for many years.
MS 224 Onslow County Land Records
This collection primarily contains Onslow County land deeds dating from 1785 to 1918. Also included are documents pertaining to the will and estate of Elisha Walton and information regarding school attendence in the 5th district of Onslow County in 1853.
MS 271 Dr. William H. Wagoner Collection
Dr. William H. Wagoner served as the Superintendent of the New Hanover county school system from 1961-1968, as the fourth President of Wilmington College from 1968-1969 and as the first Chancellor of the University of North Carolina Wilmington from 1969-1990. This collection contains correspondence, publications, newspaper clippings, agendas, photographs, maps and ephemera related to the careers of Dr. Wagoner in Wilmington as well as his personal life.
MS 335 John Thomas Daniel, Sr. and Leona Brown Daniel Rosenwald School Collection
This collection contains correspondence, newspaper clippings, programs, photographs, and memorabilia form the careers of John Thomas Daniel, Sr. and Leona Brown Daniel. John T. Daniel was Principal of Pender County Training School in Rocky Point, NC for 30 years. Leona B Daniel taught at Pender County Training School before serving as a supervisor of Pender County and Wake County Schools.

MS 046 Dr. Hubert A Eaton, Sr. Papers
This extensive collection includes the original materials and photocopies of the legal actions instituted by Dr. Eaton and his fellow plaintiffs to compel the integration of the fundamental institutions of New Hanover County--the public schools and the hospital--in the 1960s and 1970s. Moreover, the collection also reflects the broad spectrum of Dr. Eaton's interests and activities which included medical and public health issues, education, civil rights and athletics.
MS 090 T.T. Hamilton Papers
This collection contains primarily personal papers related to the professional career of Thomas T. Hamilton. Included in the collection is Hamilton's curriculum vitae, newspaper articles, photographs, a letter, and a typed document titled, "Our Challenging Vision," justifying the need to establish Wilmington College. Inclusive dates range from 1948-1989. The photographs in the collection are of John C. Hamilton standing next to a portrait of his father in the Trustee room of Alderman Hall, 1989.
MS 108 Wilmington Movement 1971
This collection contains sixteen original articles from the Wilmington Morning Star and its joint Sunday edition with the Wilmington News, the Star-News (all now merged into the Wilmington Star-News), and two from Raleigh's The News and Observer, chronicling the events leading to and during the racial unrest centering around the integration of the local high schools in Wilmington, NC.
MS 235 Dr. Walter C. Biggs Papers
These papers include histories of UNCW, the UNCW Biology Department, Wilmington College and biographical material, alumni newsletters, and newspaper and magazine articles pertaining to Dr. Walter C. Biggs. Also included are early school records dating from 1948-1953, and a copy of the constitution of the Order of Isaac Bear.
MS 271 Dr. William H. Wagoner Collection
Dr. William H. Wagoner served as the Superintendent of the New Hanover county school system from 1961-1968, as the fourth President of Wilmington College from 1968-1969 and as the first Chancellor of the University of North Carolina Wilmington from 1969-1990. This collection contains correspondence, publications, newspaper clippings, agendas, photographs, maps and ephemera related to the careers of Dr. Wagoner in Wilmington as well as his personal life.
MS 353 Ronald G. Phelps Papers
This collection contains Ronald G. Phelps's personal documents, yearbooks, CDs, VHS tapes, photos, copies of published items, magazines, and newspaper clippings, largely related to Wilmington and the surrounding area's history from 1929 to 2018. Ron Phelps was active in the Wilmington community and considered a local amateur historian. A large portion of the collection focuses on New Hanover High School during Phelps's attendance and the various reunion events following his graduation in 1952.
MS 380 New Hanover High School Class of 1951 Collection
This collections contains photo albums and scrapbooks compiled by Perry Whitman related to reunion events for the New Hanover High School Class of 1951. Materials begin in 1976 with the Class' 25th reunion and end in 2011 with their 60th reunion. The scrapbooks contain cards, correspondence, ephemera, newspaper clippings, obituaries, photographs, reunion planning documents, and an original 1951 commencement program.
MS 390 Bertha Boykin Todd Papers
This collection contains the papers of Bertha Boykin Todd, a long-time New Hanover County educator and community leader. Content focuses on her work with the 1898 Centennial Foundation, biographical information and research for her memoir, "My Restless Journey," speeches and notes for events at which she spoke, recordings of her media appearances, and articles and correspondence related to her community engagement and work with the New Hanover County School system, highlighting her time as the librarian at Williston High School and as an administrator at Hoggard High School. Additional material speaks specifically to local school desegregation, the succeeding school riots, the Wilmington 10 incident, and Bertha's involvement in dampening racial tensions at the time. Also of note are items related to her many awards and accolades at the local and state level, as well as broad newspaper coverage of her work in the community and schools.

MS 008 Mary Barnett Gilson Private Papers
Mary Barnett Gilson was an American Economist. The first three letters in this collection were written by Ronald C. Davidson, a British economist. Both Gilson and Davidson wrote books and articles for technical publications about unemployment relief. These letters reveal the economic theories under consideration at the time of severe unemployment problems in both countries. There is also an envelope with a threppance ha'pney [three and a half pennies] stamp which was hand-stamped in Suffolk, England. Davidson’s letters were sent from England, one in 1929 and two in 1933.
MS 033 John J. Burney, Jr. Legislative Papers
This collections contains the legislative papers of North Carolina State Senator John J. Burney, Jr. Senator Burney represented New Hanover County from 1966-1972. The legislative papers consist primarily of correspondence, bills, publications, printed materials and newspaper clippings, covering a broad spectrum of social, economic and political issues during his time in office. Topics include taxation, environmentalism, transportation and infrastructure, Wilmington College (now UNCW), and water resources.
MS 037 Dr. John T. Hoggard Papers
This collection contains correspondence, newspaper clippings and assorted personal papers of Dr. John T. Hoggard.
MS 090 T.T. Hamilton Papers
This collection contains primarily personal papers related to the professional career of Thomas T. Hamilton. Included in the collection is Hamilton's curriculum vitae, newspaper articles, photographs, a letter, and a typed document titled, "Our Challenging Vision," justifying the need to establish Wilmington College. Inclusive dates range from 1948-1989. The photographs in the collection are of John C. Hamilton standing next to a portrait of his father in the Trustee room of Alderman Hall, 1989.
MS 100 Dr. William Madison Randall Papers
This manuscript collection contains information related to Dr. William Madison Randall's family and career from 1899 to 1972. Included are documents, correspondence, publications, newspaper articles and clippings, photographs and ephemera related to Randall's childhood, military career, career at UNCW, interest in languages and other scholarly pursuits. The collection also includes a tool belt and his graduation robes.
MS 101 Fred B. Graham Papers
This collection contains years of written records, including minutes of Trustee meetings, personal and Executive Committee correspondence, news clippings, concerning Wilmington College, and the transition to University status. Mr. Graham held the important position of Chairman, Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of Wilmington College.
MS 142 James Walker Memorial Hospital School of Nursing Alumni Association Papers
These papers contain the association's records, photographs, brochures, and related memorabilia, as well as documents belonging to alumni from their time of attendance.
MS 153 B. D. Schwartz Scrapbooks
The collection consists of twenty scrapbook albums containing letters, documents, news articles, awards, photos, advertisements, and brochures spanning sixty-seven years. Schwartz held many local and state offices in North Carolina, including Wilmington City Councilman, the Mayor of Wilmington, State Representative, and State Senator. As mayor, Schwartz served during a time of civil unrest surrounding the Wilmington Ten and established a chapter of the Human Relations Commission in the city to ease tensions. In the General Assembly, Schwartz enacted several bills to prevent discrimination and help protect the environment.
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He was involved in all facets of life in New Hanover County, donating his time to numerous philanthropic, educational, and religious organizations. Schwartz served as a trustee for UNC Wilmington and created the Sylvia and B.D. Schwartz Graduate Fellowship. Schwartz Hall, a dormitory on UNCW's campus, is named in his honor.
MS 211 John Jay Burney, Jr. Personal Papers
This collection primarily contains papers, records, photos, speeches, and correspondence of John J. Burney, Jr. from his enlistment into the Army in 1943, directly from high school graduation, through the end of the 20th century.
MS 271 Dr. William H. Wagoner Collection
Dr. William H. Wagoner served as the Superintendent of the New Hanover county school system from 1961-1968, as the fourth President of Wilmington College from 1968-1969 and as the first Chancellor of the University of North Carolina Wilmington from 1969-1990. This collection contains correspondence, publications, newspaper clippings, agendas, photographs, maps and ephemera related to the careers of Dr. Wagoner in Wilmington as well as his personal life.
MS 353 Ronald G. Phelps Papers
This collection contains Ronald G. Phelps's personal documents, yearbooks, CDs, VHS tapes, photos, copies of published items, magazines, and newspaper clippings, largely related to Wilmington and the surrounding area's history from 1929 to 2018. Ron Phelps was active in the Wilmington community and considered a local amateur historian. A large portion of the collection focuses on New Hanover High School during Phelps's attendance and the various reunion events following his graduation in 1952.
MS 356 Dr. Will S. DeLoach Papers
This collection contains 5 framed certificates and degrees, loose certificates, photos, books, and artifacts belonging to Dr. Will S. DeLoach, a former chemistry professor at UNCW who helped found the Chemistry department, and whom DeLoach Hall is named after.
MS 364 Diane Satterfield Collection
This collection contains correspondence, newspaper clippings, photos, pamphlets, and printed documents related to nurse Diane Satterfield and her education at the James Walker Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in Wilmington, NC.
MS 381 Annie Mavis Brady Nursing Collection
This collection contains diplomas, a nursing cape, and a log of surgeries observed by Annie Mavis Brady during her time at James Walker Memorial Nursing School in the 1940s.

MS 031 Alton A. Lennon Congressional Papers
This collection contains the papers of Congressman Alton Lennon during his tenure as U.S. Representative for North Carolina's 7th congressional district from 1957-1972. Included in the collection is correspondence, reports, and other documents related to legislation, district affairs, and politics during the time. Also included are three large scrapbooks documenting news coverage from Congressman Lennon's career and campaigns.
MS 034 McDonald-Howe Family Papers
The McDonald-Howe Family Papers contains materials pertaining to the Alfred Howe family and the children of his daughter, Rebecca Howe McDonald. Included are documents pertaining to the life of Alfred Howe, who was the son of Anthony Walker, a formerly enslaved person, and his wife, Tenah Howe, a member of the Tuscarora. Howe was born in Wilmington, North Carolina and became a successful builder, in addition to holding a number of elected positions.
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Additional materials in the collection pertain to the grandchildren of Alfred Howe and his wife, Mary Walker Moore, through his daughter, Rebecca Howe McDonald. In particular, these documents emphasize the distribution of assets from the estate of Alfred Howe to his descendants, as well as their involvement as educators in the Black community in Wilmington.

Finally, of note in this collection is a typescript written by Nada McDonald Cotton, granddaughter of Alfred Howe, regarding the experience of her family during the 1898 coup d'état and massacre in Wilmington. Cotton was a young child during the massacre, and her family was the only Black family living in a white neighborhood.
MS 183 Dorothy Buckeridge Nesbitt Papers
Materials in this collection focus on Dorothy Nesbitt's service as a student, teacher, and advocate for dance and the arts, both in the Wilmington, North Carolina area and internationally, from the 1960s to the 1990s. Papers and photographs showcasing her passion for ballet and modern dance include workshop information, brochures, performance highlights, correspondence, reports, newspaper clippings, articles, and scrapbook pages. Her educational material feature content on racial integration in the classroom, lectures, lesson plans, and essays.
MS 316 John Gunn Sports Collection
The John Gunn Sports Collection primarily consists of media guides and game day programs collected by John Gunn for professional and college sports teams and military sports teams. Gunn's research and correspondence, as well as his personal collection of sports programs, statistics, information on teams and individual players, and photographs are also included.
MS 335 John Thomas Daniel, Sr. and Leona Brown Daniel Rosenwald School Collection
This collection contains correspondence, newspaper clippings, programs, photographs, and memorabilia form the careers of John Thomas Daniel, Sr. and Leona Brown Daniel. John T. Daniel was Principal of Pender County Training School in Rocky Point, NC for 30 years. Leona B Daniel taught at Pender County Training School before serving as a supervisor of Pender County and Wake County Schools.
MS 338 Mike McIntyre Congressional Collection
Congressman Mike McIntyre served as the Representative for North Carolina's 7th Congressional district from 1997 to 2015. McIntyre's Congressional collection consists of papers and memorabilia accrued during his time in office. Materials in this collection cover a wide range of subject areas pertinent to North Carolina’s 7th district and McIntyre’s interactions as a Congressman including but not limited to agriculture, coastal issues, economic development, health care, military and veterans’ affairs, senior citizens affairs and U.S. Presidents.
MS 346 Zita Reitblatt Papers
This collection contains the personal files of Zita Reitblatt including postcards, newspaper clippings, handwritten notes, printed articles, along with Rosenwald schools research files. The dates of the papers range from 1964 to 2017. The postcards in the collection document the locations of local places and other countries. The research conducted on the Rosenwald schools highlight the lasting impact of the Rosenwald School Fund in North Carolina. The photographs in the collection are of the Rosenwald Scotts' Hill Browntown School.