Donald E. Collins Collection

1973, 1983-1989; 1973-1984
Manuscript Collection #855
Creator(s)
Collins, Donald E.
Physical description
0.36 Cubic Feet, 47 items, 1 archival container, consisting of 35mm color slides, photocopies of correspondence, reports, and newspaper clippings, 35mm color slides, photocopies of letters, historical reports, and newspaper clippings.
Preferred Citation
Donald E. Collins Collection (#855), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
Repository
ECU Manuscript Collection
Access
No restrictions

Collection (1973–1989) of color slides documenting J. Y. Joyner Library at East Carolina University, in October 1973, prior to the construction of two extra floors and the addition of a new west wing to the building, for Library Science 1000 class; also photocopies of correspondence, historical research reports, and newspaper clippings about the Greenville Town Common Confederate flags controversy, in 1983–1989; also photocopies of newspaper clippings about the Confederate flag, 1983–1989.


Biographical/historical information

Donald E. Collins was born 6 December 1934 in Miami, Florida. He served in the U.S. Army's 13th Armored Infantry Battalion, 3rd Armored Division in Germany, 1955–1958. Collins received his B.A. in Library Science from Florida State University in 1963 and an M.A. in Library Science in 1964. He received a second M.A. in history and his PhD at the University of Georgia (1985). Dr. Collins's doctoral thesis was published as Native American Aliens: Disloyalty and the Renunciation of Citizenship of Japanese Citizens during World War II in 1985. His other publications include Libraries and Research: A Practical Approach in 1987 and The Death and Resurrection of Jefferson Davis in 2005. Dr. Collins has published a number of articles with the Confederate Historical Association of Belgium. He currently is retired from East Carolina University and lives in Greenville with his wife.


Scope and arrangement

The Donald E. Collins Collection is arranged in original order in two groupings.

The J. Y. Joyner Library Color slides (1973) consists of 35mm slides of the old J. Y. Joyner Library building section prior to its demolition to make way for a new library wing and floors (October 1973). This includes both interior and exterior views. Folder a consists of exterior views of the building, folder b consists of interior views, and folder c consists of Interior views with people present.

The Greenville Town Common Flags controversy (1983–1989) relates to the flying of Confederate flags on the town common. Folder d consists of correspondence between Greenville city and North Carolina state officials, East Carolina University, and Pitt County Historical Society figures. Folder e consists of historical research reports by the collection creator Donald E. Collins and a request for a City Council resolution by the Pitt County Historical Society. Folder f includes photocopies of newspaper clippings about the Greenville Town Common flags. Folder g contains newspaper clippings about Confederate flags.


Administrative information
Custodial History

April 16, 2002, 26 items; Views (October 1973) of Joyner Library, East Carolina University taken for Library Science 1000 class. 26 color slides (0.009 cubic feet). Donor: Donald E. Collins.

September 6, 2003 (addition #1), 2 items; Views (1973) of Joyner Library at East Carolina University, including the Xerox copy machine (#19) and Instructor (#11) at the Circulation Desk for the "Z" collection (in the area torn down for the new addition). Color slides. Donor: Donald E. Collins

August 27, 2004, (addition #2), 24 items, 0.015 cubic feet; Collection (1983-1989) of correspondence, letters, petitions, and clippings concerning the successful effort to replace the Confederate Battle Flag flying at the Greenville, N.C., Town Commons with a less divisive Confederate flag. Recd. 7/6/2004. Donor: Donald E. Collins.

Source of acquisition

Gift of Donald E. Collins

Processing information

Processing, container list, finding aid by HIST 5910 student Dale Wetterhahn, April 28, 2016; revised by Jonathan Dembo, May 10, 2016

Encoded by Apex Data Services, May 2002

Copyright notice

Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.


Key terms
Personal Names
Collins, Donald E.
Corporate Names
East Carolina University--Faculty
Topical
Flags--Confederate States of America
Flags--North Carolina--Greenville
Flags--United States
History teachers--North Carolina--Greenville
Parks--North Carolina--Greenville

Container list
Box 1 Folder a Item 1 #9 Front of Building facing the campus (October 1973) 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 2 #10 Exterior door (October 1973) 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder a Item 3 #27 Reserve Room Door (October 1973) 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder b Item 1 #20 Author card catalog (October 1973) 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder b Item 2 #21 Subject card catalog (October 1973) 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder b Item 3 #30a Reference Room shelves (October 1973) 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder b Item 4 #30b Serials Catalogs (October 1973) 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder b Item 5 #31 Reference Room (October 1973) 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder b Item 6 #77 Curriculum lab (October 1973) 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder b Item 7 #82a Juvenile collection (October 1973) 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder b Item 8 #82b Juvenile room (October 1973) 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder b Item 9 #87a Stacks (October 1973) 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder b Item 10 #87b Stacks (October 1973) 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder b Item 11 #91a NC Government Records file cabinets (October 1973) 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder b Item 12 #91b NC Government Records shelves (October 1973) 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder b Item 13 #96 2nd Floor Electronics Shop (October 1973) 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder c Item 1 #11 Unidentified Instructor circulation desk (October 1973) 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder c Item 2 #14 Dr. Ralph E. Russell Joyner Library Director (October 1973) 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder c Item 3 #19 Xerox machine run by unidentified female (October 1973) 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder c Item 4 #28a Nelda Cadell (October 1973) 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder c Item 5 #28b Health Allied Library (October 1973) 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder c Item 6 #45 Reference Room (October 1973) 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder c Item 7 #71 Periodicals Room unidentified individuals (October 1973) 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder c Item 8 #72 Periodicals Room unidentified male (October 1973) 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder c Item 9 #73 Periodicals Room current issues unidentified individuals (October 1973) 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder c Item 10 #76 Curriculum lab unidentified young students (October 1973) 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder c Item 11 #81 2nd Floor Reference Desk unidentified male (October 1973) 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder c Item 12 #92 Microfilm reader unidentified female (October 1973) 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder d Item 1 Llewellyn, Loretta, City Manager's Ofice. Telephone message for Collins (8 October 1987) Printed form. 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder d Item 2 Cashion, Dr. Jerry C., Research Supervisor, N.C. Div. Archives and History. Letter to Maurice C. York, Dir. Eastern office NCDCR ; Subject: Info about N.C. State flags with quotes from N.C. General Assembly and the British flag. (26 October 1983) Photocopy TLS. 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder d Item 3 York, Maurice C., Dir. Eastern office NCDCR. Letter to Dr. Jerry C. Cashion Research Supervisor, N.C. Div. Archives and History; Subject: Request for info from Gail Meeks, Greenville City Manager (31 October 1983) Photocopy TLS. 1 item. 3 p
Box 1 Folder d Item 4 Van Leeuwen, Frank, Pres. Pitt County Hist. Soc. Letter to Gregory A. Knowles, Greenville City Manager; Subject: Recommendations for flags to be displayed. (28 February 1988) Photocopy TLS. 1 item. 4 p
Box 1 Folder d Item 5 Knowles, Gregory A., City Manager. Memo to Mayor and City Council; Subject: Flags at Town Common. (25 March 1988) Photocopy TLS and Envelope. 1 item. 2 p
Box 1 Folder d Item 6 Collins, Donald E., ECU Professor. Letter to Gregory A. Knowles, Greenville City Manager; Subject: Dr. Collins outlines his qualifications with regards Confederate flag (22 June 1988) Photocopy TLS. 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder d Item 7 Kimble, Ronald R., Assistant City Manager. Memo to: Gregory N. Knowles, City Manager; Subject: Flags at Town Common. (8 February 1989) Photocopy TLS and Envelope. 1 item. 2 p
Box 1 Folder d Item 8 Collins, Dr. Donald E., ECU Professor. Letter to Dr. Jerry C. Cashion Research Supervisor, N.C. Div. Archives and History; Subject: Follow up to telephone call about flags including Raleigh News and Observer article (3 March 1989) TLS and Clipping. 1 item. 3 p. Note: Clipping: "Confederate group to display, explain flags Saturday," The News and Observer, Raleigh, N.C. (2 March 1989), p. 14 C
Box 1 Folder d Item 9 Proposed Resolution: That the flags flown on the Town Common be official flag at existed during the period North Carolina was under its jurisdiction. (undated) Annotated typescript. 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder e Item 1 Pitt County Historical Society Request to Greenville City Council for placement of historically accurate flags. (ca. November 1983) Typescript. 1 item. 2 p
Box 1 Folder e Item 3 Town Common Commemorative Flags, The: History, by Donald E. Collins. (November 1983) Photocopy Typescript. 1 item. 4 p. Note: Duplicate of #855.1.e.2
Box 1 Folder f Item 1 Stars and Bars Brought Down East Carolinian. (6 July 1983) Photocopy clipping. 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder f Item 2 Order New Flags For Town Common Greenville Daily Reflector. (29 November 1983) Photocopy clipping. 1 item. 2 p
Box 1 Folder f Item 3 Flag Changes Reflect Haste Greenville Daily Reflector. (4 December 1983) Photocopy clipping. 1 item. 2 p
Box 1 Folder f Item 4 Now Has Full Complement Of Flags Greenville Daily Reflector. (2 February 1984) Photocopy clipping. 1 item. 2 p
Box 1 Folder f Item 5 New Rebel flag flutters in wind over Greenville. Raleigh News and Observer. (16 February 1984) Photocopy clipping. 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder f Item 6 Adding facts to the fire in the Confederate flag ruckus Raleigh News and Observer. (23 February 1984) Photocopy clipping. 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder g Item 1 Confederate Flag Remains A Symbol of Mixed Emotions. Greenville Daily Reflector (15 March 1987) Photocopy clipping. 1 item. 1 p
Box 1 Folder g Item 2 Confederate Group to display, explain flags. Saturday Raleigh News and Observer (2 March 1989) Photocopy clipping. 1 item. 1 p