Biographical/historical information

Tyre Crumpler Taylor (1898-1969) was active in politics throughout most of his career. He served on the executive council of Governor O. Max Gardner (1931-1933) and was his private secretary. He helped to revitalize the Young Democrats Club in North Carolina and became President of the Young Democrats of America. He also served as executive vice president and later general counsel to the Southern States Industrial Council. Taylor also practiced law in Washington, D. C., and in Charlotte, N.C.

Scope and arrangement

Of particular significance in the collection are two reports apparently written by Taylor. The first report (1931) is a ten-year plan for the economic rehabilitation of North Carolina. It is mostly concerned with the opportunity to make North Carolina more of a vacation attraction in order to ease the tax burden. The second report (undated) entitled, "A Word to the Progressives," urged the formation of a progressive group to revitalize the state, which at the time, he considered to be standing still. Taylor stated what he thought was wrong with the state and what could be done to make things better.

The collection contains an announcement of a new law partnership (1941) and a letter from The Carolina Magazine at Chapel Hill where Taylor served as editor-in-chief (1920-1921). Also included is an article from The Charlotte Observer (1940) describing the work of Tyre Taylor as the executive vice president of the Southern States Industrial Council and one from The (Raleigh) News and Observer (1955) describing the feud that took place at UNC-Chapel Hill in 1921 over Taylor's refusal to join the Golden Fleece, an honor society. Other UNC-Chapel Hill related items are the program for the 1920 Junior Banquet at Swain Hall and Taylor's 1922 Graham Kenan Fellowship competition thesis titled "The Logic of Law."

Additional items include two speeches, one of which was given by Taylor as president of the Young Democratic Clubs of America in 1933, introductory remarks by Taylor to a Young People's Democratic Clubs of N.C. gathering (1930), newspaper clippings, photographs of Taylor and his Charlotte, N.C., law office (1928), an autographed printed copy of the poem "A Little Tree" written by James A. Hartness, a one-page handwritten reminisence titled "Harvard Recollections" (1924-1926), and Taylor's obituary.

Administrative information

Custodial History

June 9, 1970,, 4 items; Report entitled "A Ten-Year Plan for North Carolina," clippings, announcement.

July 28, 1970, (addition) 11 pages; Article entitled "A Word to the Progressives." Gift of Mrs. Rita T. Farmer, Raleigh, N.C.

June 30, 1972, (unprocessed addition 1), 19 items; Photographs, clippings, and articles. Donor: Mrs. Rita T. Farmer.

August 29, 1979, (unprocessed addition 2), 8 items; Correspondence (1934), a speech (1930), program, and clippings. Donor: Mrs. Rita T. Farmer.

May 19, 1980, (unprocessed addition 3), 6 items; Reports, clippings, photograph, and miscellaneous. Donor: Mrs. Rita Farmer.

Source of acquisition

Gift of Mrs. Rita T. Farmer

Processing information

Processed by D. Lennon; M. Elmore, November 2008

Encoded by Apex Data Services

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

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