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This collection (1821-2007) contains several groups of family history-related papers concerning eastern North Carolina and a large number of unrelated miscellaneous items such as photographs, church records, Bible records, and rare printed items on a variety of subjects. The majority of the family papers concern the Croom and Whitfield families of Lenoir County, N.C. Other family papers concern the Harvey family of Greene County, N.C., the Jordan and Waters families of Washington, N.C., the Meeks family of Pitt County, the Outlaw family of Lenoir County and the Thompson family of Georgia. A large part of this collection concerns the Ficklen family of Greenville, N.C., including scrapbooks, diaries, an autograph book and a post card collection. Some items concern the colorful poet, magazine editor, railroad speculator, paper mill owner, Civil War blockade-runner, and sea captain Appleton Oaksmith who lived in Carteret County, N.C., for fifteen years (1872-1887). Also included are ambrotype photographs of Confederate Civil War soldiers James Needham Alexander, who served in Company A, 11th North Carolina Troops (Infantry) and Stanhope Washington Alexander, who served in Company H, 35th North Carolina Regiment.

Mrs. Booth (1916-2004), the owner of the Booth Guest House in Manteo, N.C., discusses her childhood memories, family life and history on the Outer Banks of North Carolina and in Norfolk, Virginia. She also talks about her father, Alpheus W. Drinkwater, the telegrapher who relayed the news of the successful first airplane flights of the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk, N.C., in 1903.

This collection contains yearbooks (1953-1964) for the Greenville Music Club (Greenville, North Carolina) and a program for the 41st Annual Convention (May 8-11, 1957) of the North Carolina Federation of Music Clubs.

Papers (1976-2011) of Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Executive Director of the North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund and lobbyist for Conservation Council of North Carolina and the Sierra Club, North Carolina Chapter, including correspondence, newsletters, pamphlets, handbooks, magazines, legislative summaries, memos, reports, newspaper clippings on microfilm and miscellaneous documents relating to environmental issues.

Papers (1926-1953) of Brig. General Paul A. Putnam, U. S. Marine Corps, an aviator, who was captured at Wake Island and was a POW in Japan, 1941-1945, consisting of correspondence, diaries, a photograph, clippings, citations, orders, recipe book, copies of awards, citations, publications, newspaper articles.

Papers of Shirley Bowers Anders (1983-1984) documenting the life and literary career of the Winston-Salem, North Carolina-born American poet and writer in residence at the University of Wisconsin – Fox Valley, 1988-1989; also at Lawrence University, Appleton, Wisconsin, 1989-1994; consisting of typescripts and page proofs of her volume of poetry published by Palaemon Press and entitled Shirley Anders (Palaemon Poets Number One, 1983-1984) and transmittal notes relating to possible publication.

In this oral history interview, Julian Vainright, Sr. speaks about his life including his childhood, time as a student and then employee at East Carolina, and time in the military.

Collection contains a variety of items relating to Eastern North Carolina especially including a photograph of East Carolina Teacher's College scene (ca. 1940's); a theater Program (ca. 1933/34) for a play presented by The Episcopal Junior Guild, Austin Building, East Carolina Teacher's College; and a Measles in Quarantine Keep Your Babies Away From Measles Broadside (4/7/1934) posted on the home of Ella Viola McGowan when she had the measles. Also included are photographs (some unidentified) of World War II era of which several pertain to military bases such as the 657th Engineer Topographic Battalion (40th Infantry Division, U.S. Army), and one is of Cecil May in U.S. Marine corporal uniform; a photocopy of a letter (1913) containing reminiscences of Confederate veteran John W. Vernelson (of N.C. State Troops) war service and describing the Veterans Reunion at Gettysburg, PA; receipts (1909-1910) for sales by Crown Bottling Works in New Bern, NC; Pitt County, NC, land grants and deeds (1782-1837) related to the Boyd, Edwards, and Nobles families; Bible Records and birth and death records for the Eldridge, Wilder/Hatsell, Pittman, Moore, Sewell, and Davis families; and the book (2011) "One of the Lucky Ones," Edgar Cannon's Contributions in World War II. Other materials (1856-2001) consist of manuscripts, research clippings, notes, photocopies, photographic prints, programs, notebooks, and newspapers, relating to the history and genealogy of Eastern North Carolina, especially Robersonville and Williamston in Martin County, NC. Also included are a 1941 color silent 16mm film about Greenville and slides (ca. 1970) documenting tobacco and old houses in Pitt County, NC.

Map of Pitt County North Carolina

Papers (1806-1950) consisting of correspondence, letters, receipts, photographs, genealogical information, financial papers, etc.

The John W. Warner Papers (1947-1986) document the career of filmmaker and entrepreneur John W. Warner, with a primary focus on the creation, financing, distribution, and later rediscovery of the independent film Pitch A Boogie Woogie. Dating chiefly from 1946 to 1958, with additional materials from 1986, the collection includes correspondence, legal and financial records, promotional materials, memorabilia, scripts, photographs, and audiovisual media that illuminate the business and creative challenges of independent filmmaking in the mid twentieth century. Supplementary materials reflect Warner's broader professional activities in North Carolina, including television production and local theater operations. Together, the papers provide insight into regional film production, film exhibition and promotion, and the processes through which a largely forgotten work was reclaimed and recontextualized by scholars and the public decades later.

Collection contains material related to the research, teaching, and publications of East Carolina University Department of History faculty member Lawrence F. Brewster, as well as his materials related to his philanthropy to ECU.

In this oral history interview Laura Marie Leary Elliott discusses her experience being the first full-time African-American student to attend East Carolina University.

This collection contains 16mm game films, game day programs, team media guides, and other assorted publications related to the history of inter-collegiate football at East Carolina.