Letter Documenting Use of Labor from Tarboro, N.C., WWII Prisoner of War Camp
Source: E. C. Winslow Records (Manuscript Collection #1174)
Staff Person: Martha Elmore
Description: About 3000 Italian prisoners of war were sent to Camp Butner, just outside of Durham, N.C., in September 1943 where they were engaged in work projects. Out of this group about 500 men each were sent to branch camps in Tarboro, Windsor, and Scotland Neck to pick peanuts for the local farmers. By the end of July 1944 these prisoners were relocated to camps outside of North Carolina due to difficulties in handling the men. The source for this information is NCpedia.
Edward Cyrus Winslow (born 1886) of Tarboro, Edgecombe Co. N.C., was involved in many business enterprises including the horse and mule business, farm operations, land transactions, and a saw mill operation. This letter dated October 13, 1943, documents that Mr. Winslow did hire Italian WWII prisoners of war to pick peanuts for him. In this signed letter, E. C. Winslow attests that 2647 stacks of peanuts were completed by prisoner of war labor during the period of September 29 through October 9, 1943, and that at $.10 a stack he owes the government $264.70 for the labor.
Posted by Martha Elmore under East Carolina Manuscript Collection, financial records, letters (correspondence) and Tags: agriculture, labor, World War II
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President Richard Nixon Letter
Source: Robert Morgan Papers #268.44.c
Staff Person: Jonathan Dembo
Description: The letter below, from President Richard M. Nixon to North Carolina Attorney General Robert Morgan, cites the nationwide wave of campus violence and disorders that followed the United States invasion of Cambodia in the Spring of 1970. Nixon also enclosed a copy of an article by Dr. Sidney Hook, who was a professor of philosophy at New York University was also the author of a recently published work entitled Academic Freedom and Academic Anarchy on the condition of higher education in America. Hook adapted his article from his recent statement to the President’s Commission on Campus Disorders. Hook’s article criticized higher education administrators and faculty who had quickly called in police authorities and laid out an approach to resolving the issue of campus disorders by placing the primary initial responsibility on college administrators and faculties and relegated the use of force as a last resort. Endorsing Hook’s approach, Nixon solicited Morgan’s thoughts on the subject. Nixon was only the most prominent of the many political leaders who also consulted Morgan at this time. Senator John L. McClellan, chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary’s Subcommittee on Criminal Laws and Procedures, who wanted to gain his support for his preferred legislation entitled A Bill to prohibit the disruption of federally assisted institutions of higher education (Senate Bill 2677), which was also intended to deal with campus disorders also wrote urging that he testify at the upcoming hearings, and enclosing a copy of S.B. 2677. Both Nixon and McClellan probably knew that Morgan was considering running for the U. S. Senate when his term as Attorney General ended and were anticipating working with him in the future. Among the other items located in the same file were various versions of a February 1969 memo from Morgan to Governor Robert W. Scott of North Carolina suggested procedures for responding to the takeover of buildings at North Carolina state universities and colleges. Morgan included in the file advice from Dr. William Friday, of the University of North Carolina; Dexter Watts, of the Institute of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and he even included an Open Letter to College Students from J. Edgar Hoover warning them against extremist, radical dissent. Despite Morgan’s support, McClellan’s bill did not become law. Four years later, Morgan did win a seat in the U. S. Senate and served until 1981.
Posted by Jonathan Dembo under East Carolina Manuscript Collection, Format, letters (correspondence) and Tags: Administrators, Colleges and Universities, Dexter Watts, Faculties, Hook Sidney, John L. McClellan, Nixon Richard M., President's Commission on Campus Disorders, Robert Burren Morgan, Robert W. Scott, Students, U. S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Violence at Colleges and Universities, William Clyde Friday
Comments: 1
Officers Standing at Attention
Source: Leslie Avery Shaw Papers, #992
Staff Person: Nanette Hardison
This image dated 1945 is among the personal papers of Leslie Avery Shaw who served as a Captain in the 11th AAA, 49th AAA Brigade, VII Corps in the U.S. First Army that was stationed in Europe during World War II. The image is of a group of officers standing at attention in front of a building. In the front row is General E. W. Timberlake. In the second row are Col. Mahoney and Lt. Col. Caulk and in the third row (left to right) are Majors Scordas, Downing, Abbott; Captains Shaw, Dyer, Rowe, Litzenburger; and Lts. Ackerly, Fredin, and Wilk.
Posted by Nanette Hardison under East Carolina Manuscript Collection, photographs and Tags: United States Army, World War II
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Pvt. Victor C. Faure, WWI
Source: Victor C. Faure Papers, East Carolina Manuscript Collection #1201
Staff Person: Lynette Lundin
Description:
The letter is written by Pvt. Victor C. Faure to his parents, Henry E. Faure and Inge Peterson Faure, who live in San Francisco, California, describing his experiences during World War I.
From his letter above he describes Army life on Tuesday September 24, 1918, as continually on the move… near the front in France…never know where we will be next…we can hear the guns…don’t want to see corned beef again for about a year…
You will notice pages one and two have parts cut off, they probably were censored.
Other letters describe his participation with the First Army as part of the American Expeditionary Force
Posted by Lynette Lundin under East Carolina Manuscript Collection, letters (correspondence) and Tags: France, United States Army, World War I
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The Dave Brubeck Quartet
Source: University Archives Photograph Collection, 55-01-5833
Staff Person: Kacy Guill
Description:
In the Fall of 1957, the Student Government Association invited the Dave Brubeck Quartet to play at East Carolina College. By the time the performance occurred in February 1958, Dave Brubeck’s bass player had been replaced by Eugene Wright. Since he was African American, Eugene Wright was not permitted to play on stage at ECC, but required to perform from off stage.
In response, the Student Government Association petitioned ECC President John Messick for permission to invite any entertainment they chose without consideration of race. The Board of Trustees granted permission.
Posted by Kacy Guill under University Archives, photographs and Comments: 1
Nuclear Age
Source: The Daily Reflector Image Collection East Carolina MC #741.28.f.45
Staff Person: Dale Sauter
Description: Over seventy years ago, on December 2, 1942, the first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction was initiated. For more details, see the source link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Pile-1
This week’s staff pick is a reminder of the public’s awareness and fear after the start of the nuclear age.
Posted by Dale Sauter under East Carolina Manuscript Collection, photographs and Tags: communism, government, politics, Social Life
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A. M. Handley journal
Source: Handley, A. M., Journal, East Carolina Manuscript collection #1064.1.a
Staff Person: Ken Harbit
Description:
One of the great classics of American literature, and a treasure of world literature, Herman Melville’s novel Moby Dick was published for the first time on October 18, 1851. It tells the story of the sailor Ishmael and his adventures on the whaler Pequod, led by Captain Ahab who leads his crew on a hunt for the whale Moby-Dick.
You can read a first hand account about what shipboard life was like during Melville’s time, and probably the inspiration for much of his writing, in the A. M. Handley journal located in Joyner Library’s Digital Collections; call number 1064.1.a
Posted by harbitk under East Carolina Manuscript Collection, diaries and Comments: -
‘Tis the Season for Studying
Source: Daily Reflector Negative Collection (#741.5.d.34)
Staff Person: Jennifer Joyner
Description:
Posted by carlsonar under East Carolina Manuscript Collection, photographs and Tags: East Carolina College, East Carolina University, Joyner Library, Student Life
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Juanita Worsley Williams
Source: East Carolina University Centennial Oral History Collection, 45-05-01-14:
Staff Person: Lynette Lundin
Description:
Juanita Williams grew up in Rocky Mount, North Carolina she was one of 13 children. She graduated East Carolina Teachers College in 1932. She talks about her experiences during the depression and going to ECTC. This is one of 33 Centennial Oral Histories. You can find this in our digital collections at http://digital.lib.ecu.edu/1270
Posted by Lynette Lundin under University Archives, oral histories and Tags: East Carolina Teachers College, Great Depression
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Fannie Wallace Letter to Mannie & Sissie Tuten 29 July 1863
Source: Arthur Whitford Papers, East Carolina Manuscript Collection, #18.1.a
Staff Person: Jonathan Dembo
Description: Letter from Fannie Wallace to Mannie and Sissie Tuten, 29 July 1863
Fannie Wallace Civil War Letter 29 July 1863
This little letter is from a young woman in Greensboro, North Carolina to her grandparents, Mannie and Sissie Tuten. It offers a glimpse into social life in the South during the crisis of the Civil War. Written less than a month after the Battle of Gettysburg (1-3 July) and the Fall of Vicksburg (4 July 1863) that ended any hope of Confederate victory, Fannie makes no mention of these disasters. Instead, she focuses on her family and social activities, her friends and her parties. She writes that her cousins are visiting and wishes they could be with them too. She passes on Nancie’s request for some snuff. Fannie knows there is a war on and that there are shortages. Indeed, she proclaims her patriotism: she is writing with Confederate ink on a Confederate spelling book and danced with two Confederate officers at a Ball. Either she did not understand the seriousness of the military situation, or, perhaps, more likely, did not wish to think about them or burden her grandparents with her worries.
Posted by Jonathan Dembo under East Carolina Manuscript Collection, Format, Special Collections Reference, family papers, letters (correspondence) and Tags: Arthur Whitford, Cecie Tuten, Civil War, Confederate ink, Confederate spelling book, Confederate States of America, Confederate States of America Army, Confederate States of America Army Officers, Dances, Fannie Wallace, Gardner family, Greensboro, Mannie Tuten, North Carolina, Sissie Tuten, Tuten family, Wallace family
Comments: 1