Biographical/historical information

Dr. Samuel Tilden White, II was born September 11, 1926, in Greenville, North Carolina, to Charles Alexander White, Sr., and Nancy Lay White. He was named in honor of his paternal grandfather, Samuel Tilden White, founder of White's Variety Store, established in 1929. Following completion of high school, White enlisted in the United States Navy in September 1944 and trained in the Navy Hospital Corps. After completing his training, he was assigned to APL 44 and stationed at Okinawa until his discharge in 1946.

White earned his Doctor of Optometry degree from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry in 1951 and subsequently returned to Greenville, where he established a private optometry practice that he maintained until 1995. In addition to his professional career, he was active in civic and community organizations, serving as president of both the Greenville Jaycees and the Greenville Rotary Club. He also participated in the Greenville Volunteer Rescue Squad, the local Sierra Club chapter, and served on the Board of the Pitt County Health Department.

Throughout his life, White was an avid photographer, producing both personal and artistic photographic work. In 1948, White married Margaret Colleen of Clinton, North Carolina. The couple had one daughter. Dr. Samuel White passed away in Greenville, North Carolina on July 11, 2002.

Scope and arrangement

The Dr. Samuel T. White, II Photograph Collection consists primarily of photographic materials documenting the professional and artistic work of Greenville, North Carolina photographer Dr. Samuel T. White, II. The collection contains photographic negatives, prints, slides, and related reference materials dating primarily from the 1940s through the 1970s. Subjects represented in the collection include landscapes, rural scenes, coastal and fishing activity, construction and industrial scenes, portraits, and documentary images of local life in eastern North Carolina. Several photographs reflect White's participation in professional photography exhibitions and organizations, including the Professional Photographers of North Carolina. The collection also includes a small number of biographical and contextual materials such as an obituary, professional certificates, and educational photographs.

A significant portion of the collection consists of 35mm and 120mm photographic negatives and accompanying index volumes and card files created by White to organize his photographic projects. These index materials provide chronological and alphabetical access to approximately 157 photographic projects created between 1961 and 1974. Additional negatives and unidentified strips are also present.

The collection further contains black and white and color photographic prints in various sizes, including 8 x 10 prints, miscellaneous smaller prints, and large exhibition prints measuring up to 20 x 16 inches. Many of the larger prints represent finished artistic works produced by White and depict subjects such as fishermen, coastal landscapes, rural winter scenes, construction activity, and still life studies. A small number of slides document the Greenville Rescue Unit during the 1940s.

Materials in the collection are arranged into six boxes and organized by format and function, including negative files with associated indexes, photographic prints, slides, oversized exhibition prints, and related documentation. Index volumes and card files provide additional intellectual control for the negative files. The arrangement preserves the original organizational system used by White where it could be identified, particularly in the negative files and project indexes.

Administrative information

Custodial History

February 17, 2026 (processed), 3.5 cubic feet; Photographic prints, negatives, slides, indexes, and printed forms (1944-1974), taken by Greenville, North Carolina optometrist, including portraits of friends and family, professional and art photographs, and subjects primarily of Eastern North Carolina scenes. Additional 45 black and white photographic prints.. Gift of Catherine C. Walker-Bailey. Gift of Dr. Samuel T. White, II Estate

Source of acquisition

Gift of Dr. Samuel T. White, II Estate

Processing information

Processed by Patrick Cash, February 2026

Copyright notice

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Metadata Rights Declaration

This record is made available under an Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International Creative Commons license.

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