This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held in the Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in our reading room, and not digitally available through the World Wide Web. See the Duplication Policy section for more information.
This collection was processed with support from the Randleigh Foundation Trust.
Size | 19.0 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 9500 items) |
Abstract | Lenoir Chambers was a native of North Carolina. Chambers worked as a newspaper editor in Norfolk, Va., 1929- 1961, and was the author of Stonewall Jackson (1959) and Salt Water and Printer's Ink (1967). The collection chiefly consists of correspondence, speeches, writings, and research materials of Lenoir Chambers. Papers up to 1929 deal mainly with his World War I experiences as a member of the 52nd Infantry, Sixth Division, American Expeditionary Forces. There is little information about the interim period between the war and his move to Norfolk. From 1929 until 1948, newspaper affairs and editorial policies are dominent themes, especially after Chambers became editor of the Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch in 1944. He began writing a biography of Stonewall Jackson in 1947, and papers from 1948-1952 consist of correspondence relating to his research. In 1950 he became editor of the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot. Stonewall Jackson was published in 1959. Chambers won a Pulitzer Prize for editorial writing in 1960. These events and newspaper and local political affairs appear in the correspondence. Chambers retired in 1961 and afterward continued to write and lecture and to serve on many civic and historical boards. The collection consists largely of letters to Chambers and copies of his replies, copies of his speeches and a few editorials, some maps and pictures, clippings of articles, and various drafts of his two books. |
Creator | Chambers, Lenoir, 1891-1970. |
Curatorial Unit | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection. |
Language | English |
Processed by: Suzanne Ruffing, June 1996
Encoded by: Joseph Nicholson, February 2006
Revised by: Dawne Howard Lucas, July 2021, December 2021
This collection was processed with support from the Randleigh Foundation Trust.
Back to TopThe following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.
Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.
Joseph Lenoir Chambers, son of Joseph Lenoir and Grace Singleton Dewey Chambers, was born in Charlotte, N.C., on 26 December 1891. He attended Woodberry Forest, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the Columbia University School of Journalism. After serving in the 52nd Infantry, Sixth Division, American Expeditionary Forces during World War I, he became director of the University of North Carolina News Bureau (1919-1921), then reporter, city editor, and eventually associate editor of the Greensboro Daily News (1921-1929). Chambers moved to Norfolk, Va., to become associate editor of the Virginian-Pilot (1929-1944) and editor of the Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch in 1944.
In 1947, Francis Phillips of William, Morrow, and Co. interested Chambers in writing a biography of Stonewall Jackson. Chambers became editor of the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot in 1950. He published Stonewall Jackson in 1959 and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for editorial writing in 1960. That same year, he was given an honorary L.L.D. degree from the University of North Carolina. From 1959 to 1962, Chambers served as a member of the Nieman Foundation Selecting Committee; was a juror for the Pulitzer Prize awards; wrote an article for We Dissent (a book edited by Hoke Norris); compiled an article on Virginia for Grolier Encyclopedia; and appeared at numerous speaking engagements, including the University of North Carolina commencement of 1961. After retiring in 1961, Chambers continued to speak; wrote a history of Norfolk newspapers entitled Salt Water and Printer's Ink (1967); served on an advisory council for the development of the New Market Battlefield (1966-1969); became active in Virginia Historical Society affairs; and played an important role in the development of branch libraries as vice president of the Norfolk Public Library Board.
Back to TopThe collection chiefly consists of correspondence, speeches, writings, and research materials of Lenoir Chambers. Papers up to 1929 deal mainly with his World War I experiences as a member of the 52nd Infantry, Sixth Division, American Expeditionary Forces. There is little information about the interim period between the war and his move to Norfolk. From 1929 until 1948, newspaper affairs and editorial policies are dominent themes, especially after Chambers became editor of the Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch in 1944. He began writing a biography of Stonewall Jackson in 1947, and papers from 1948-1952 consist of correspondence relating to his research. In 1950 he became editor of the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot. Stonewall Jackson was published in 1959. Chambers won a Pulitzer Prize for editorial writing in 1960. These events and newspaper and local political affairs appear in the correspondence. Chambers retired in 1961 and afterward continued to write and lecture and to serve on many civic and historical boards. The collection consists largely of letters to Chambers and copies of his replies, copies of his speeches and a few editorials, some maps and pictures, clippings of articles, and various drafts of his two books.
Back to TopArrangement: chronological.
Papers up until 1929 deal mainly with Lenoir Chambers's World War I experiences; there is little documentation of the period between World War I and his move to Norfolk. From 1929 to 1948, newspaper affairs and editorial policies are dominant themes. After his move to Virginia, Chambers was active in the Norfolk Forum, the Norfolk Academy, and the nearby naval base.
Papers show that Chambers did not lose interest in North Carolina affairs after he moved to Norfolk and continued to correspond with people at the University of North Carolina, including Frank Porter Graham, Phillips Russell, and Louis Round Wilson, and with North Carolina editors, including Ben Dixon MacNeill, J. E. Dowd, Ernest B. Hunter, and Jonathan Daniels.
Papers and reports relating to lynching appear in 1930 and continue until around 1953. Correspondence and other materials relating to the New York Times's Watch-Tower series makes up the bulk of the papers from 1931 to 1935. From 1948 to 1952, there is much correspondence with librarians and historians about research for Chambers's book on Stonewall Jackson. During this period, there is occasional mention of the 1948 and 1952 presidential campaigns.
During the 1950s, the major topic of discussion is the desegregation controversy, specifically in Virginia and North Carolina. Also included are materials relating to Chambers's newspaper work, and to the University of North Carolina, Woodberry Forest School, Senator Joseph McCarthy (1954), the Norfolk Public Library, the Gray Commission (1955), the Stonewall Jackson Memorial, Sweet Briar (1956-1960), Norfolk Academy, the 1956 presidential campaign, the National Conference of Editorial Writers, and the American Society of Newspaper Editors.
The bulk of correspondence from 1959 to 1962 relates to the publication of Stonewall Jackson. There is also some material concerning the 1960 presidential campaign. Correspondence about Salt Water and Printer's Ink begins in 1963 and continues through 1967.
Folder 1 |
1917 |
Folder 2-7
Folder 2Folder 3Folder 4Folder 5Folder 6Folder 7 |
1918 |
Folder 8-11
Folder 8Folder 9Folder 10Folder 11 |
1919 |
Folder 12 |
1924-1925, 1928 |
Folder 13 |
1929-1930 |
Folder 14 |
1931-1933 |
Folder 15-16
Folder 15Folder 16 |
1934 |
Folder 17 |
1935 |
Folder 18-19
Folder 18Folder 19 |
1936 |
Folder 20-21
Folder 20Folder 21 |
1937 |
Folder 22 |
1938-April 1939 |
Folder 23 |
May-December 1939 |
Folder 24 |
1940 |
Folder 25a-25b |
1941 |
Folder 26 |
1942-1943 |
Folder 27-32
Folder 27Folder 28Folder 29Folder 30Folder 31Folder 32 |
1944 |
Folder 33-37
Folder 33Folder 34Folder 35Folder 36Folder 37 |
1945 |
Folder 38-43
Folder 38Folder 39Folder 40Folder 41Folder 42Folder 43 |
1946 |
Folder 44-50
Folder 44Folder 45Folder 46Folder 47Folder 48Folder 49Folder 50 |
1947 |
Folder 51-65
Folder 51Folder 52Folder 53Folder 54Folder 55Folder 56Folder 57Folder 58Folder 59Folder 60Folder 61Folder 62Folder 63Folder 64Folder 65 |
1948 |
Folder 66-76
Folder 66Folder 67Folder 68Folder 69Folder 70Folder 71Folder 72Folder 73Folder 74Folder 75Folder 76 |
1949 |
Folder 77-92
Folder 77Folder 78Folder 79Folder 80Folder 81Folder 82Folder 83Folder 84Folder 85Folder 86Folder 87Folder 88Folder 89Folder 90Folder 91Folder 92 |
1950 |
Folder 93-107
Folder 93Folder 94Folder 95Folder 96Folder 97Folder 98Folder 99Folder 100Folder 101Folder 102Folder 103Folder 104Folder 105Folder 106Folder 107 |
1951 |
Folder 108-119
Folder 108Folder 109Folder 110Folder 111Folder 112Folder 113Folder 114Folder 115Folder 116Folder 117Folder 118Folder 119 |
1952 |
Folder 120-132
Folder 120Folder 121Folder 122Folder 123Folder 124Folder 125Folder 126Folder 127Folder 128Folder 129Folder 130Folder 131Folder 132 |
1953 |
Folder 133-146
Folder 133Folder 134Folder 135Folder 136Folder 137Folder 138Folder 139Folder 140Folder 141Folder 142Folder 143Folder 144Folder 145Folder 146 |
1954 |
Folder 147-162
Folder 147Folder 148Folder 149Folder 150Folder 151Folder 152Folder 153Folder 154Folder 155Folder 156Folder 157Folder 158Folder 159Folder 160Folder 161Folder 162 |
1955 |
Folder 163-180
Folder 163Folder 164Folder 165Folder 166Folder 167Folder 168Folder 169Folder 170Folder 171Folder 172Folder 173Folder 174Folder 175Folder 176Folder 177Folder 178Folder 179Folder 180 |
1956 |
Separated Folder SEP-3827/1 |
Letter, 15 October 1956, Dwight D. Eisenhower to P.S. HuberRestriction to Access: The original item is not available for immediate or same day access. Please contact staff at wilsonlibrary@unc.edu to discuss options. |
Folder 181-198
Folder 181Folder 182Folder 183Folder 184Folder 185Folder 186Folder 187Folder 188Folder 189Folder 190Folder 191Folder 192Folder 193Folder 194Folder 195Folder 196Folder 197Folder 198 |
1957 |
Folder 199-216
Folder 199Folder 200Folder 201Folder 202Folder 203Folder 204Folder 205Folder 206Folder 207Folder 208Folder 209Folder 210Folder 211Folder 212Folder 213Folder 214Folder 215Folder 216 |
1958 |
Folder 217-245
Folder 217Folder 218Folder 219Folder 220Folder 221Folder 222Folder 223Folder 224Folder 225Folder 226Folder 227Folder 228Folder 229Folder 230Folder 231Folder 232Folder 233Folder 234Folder 235Folder 236Folder 237Folder 238Folder 239Folder 240Folder 241Folder 242Folder 243Folder 244Folder 245 |
1959 |
Folder 246-303
Folder 246Folder 247Folder 248Folder 249Folder 250Folder 251Folder 252Folder 253Folder 254Folder 255Folder 256Folder 257Folder 258Folder 259Folder 260Folder 261Folder 262Folder 263Folder 264Folder 265Folder 266Folder 267Folder 268Folder 269Folder 270Folder 271Folder 272Folder 273Folder 274Folder 275Folder 276Folder 277Folder 278Folder 279Folder 280Folder 281Folder 282Folder 283Folder 284Folder 285Folder 286Folder 287Folder 288Folder 289Folder 290Folder 291Folder 292Folder 293Folder 294Folder 295Folder 296Folder 297Folder 298Folder 299Folder 300Folder 301Folder 302Folder 303 |
1960 |
Folder 304-346
Folder 304Folder 305Folder 306Folder 307Folder 308Folder 309Folder 310Folder 311Folder 312Folder 313Folder 314Folder 315Folder 316Folder 317Folder 318Folder 319Folder 320Folder 321Folder 322Folder 323Folder 324Folder 325Folder 326Folder 327Folder 328Folder 329Folder 330Folder 331Folder 332Folder 333Folder 334Folder 335Folder 336Folder 337Folder 338Folder 339Folder 340Folder 341Folder 342Folder 343Folder 344Folder 345Folder 346 |
1961 |
Folder 347-383
Folder 347Folder 348Folder 349Folder 350Folder 351Folder 352Folder 353Folder 354Folder 355Folder 356Folder 357Folder 358Folder 359Folder 360Folder 361Folder 362Folder 363Folder 364Folder 365Folder 366Folder 367Folder 368Folder 369Folder 370Folder 371Folder 372Folder 373Folder 374Folder 375Folder 376Folder 377Folder 378Folder 379Folder 380Folder 381Folder 382Folder 383 |
1962 |
Folder 384-393
Folder 384Folder 385Folder 386Folder 387Folder 388Folder 389Folder 390Folder 391Folder 392Folder 393 |
1963 |
Folder 394-406
Folder 394Folder 395Folder 396Folder 397Folder 398Folder 399Folder 400Folder 401Folder 402Folder 403Folder 404Folder 405Folder 406 |
1964 |
Folder 407-418
Folder 407Folder 408Folder 409Folder 410Folder 411Folder 412Folder 413Folder 414Folder 415Folder 416Folder 417Folder 418 |
1965 |
Folder 419-429
Folder 419Folder 420Folder 421Folder 422Folder 423Folder 424Folder 425Folder 426Folder 427Folder 428Folder 429 |
1966 |
Folder 430-439
Folder 430Folder 431Folder 432Folder 433Folder 434Folder 435Folder 436Folder 437Folder 438Folder 439 |
1967 |
Folder 440-455
Folder 440Folder 441Folder 442Folder 443Folder 444Folder 445Folder 446Folder 447Folder 448Folder 449Folder 450Folder 451Folder 452Folder 453Folder 454Folder 455 |
1968 |
Folder 456-466
Folder 456Folder 457Folder 458Folder 459Folder 460Folder 461Folder 462Folder 463Folder 464Folder 465Folder 466 |
January-22 October 1969 |
Folder 467 |
24 October 1969-January 1970 |
Folder 468 |
Undated |
Miscellaneous material chiefly relating to Chambers's books and the research he did while writing them. Note that original folder titles have been, for the most part, retained.
Drafts, notes, final copies, and galleys relating to Chambers's two books, Saltwater and Printer's Ink (1967) and Stonewall Jackson (1959). Note that original folder titles have been, for the most part, retained.
Drafts, notes, and final copies of Chambers's book about the history of Norfolk newspapers.
Folder 497 |
Notes: Editorials, 1868-1896 |
Folder 498 |
Miscellaneous Notes |
Folder 499 |
Manuscript Chapters 1-10 |
Folder 500 |
Manuscript Chapters 11-13 |
Folder 501 |
Manuscript Chapters 14-17 |
Folder 502 |
Manuscript Chapters 18-22 |
Folder 503 |
Manuscript Chapters 23-26 |
Folder 504 |
Notes and rough draft, Chapters 1-10 |
Folder 505 |
Notes and rough draft, Chapters 11-14 |
Folder 506 |
Notes and rough draft, Chapters 15-19 |
Folder 507 |
Notes and top draft, Chapters 19-24 |
Folder 508-510
Folder 508Folder 509Folder 510 |
Fragments of various drafts |
Folder 511-512
Folder 511Folder 512 |
University of North Carolina Press galleys: Author's copy |
Folder 513 |
Notes |
Drafts, notes, final copies, and galleys of Chamber's book on the life of Stonewall Jackson.
Arrangement: chronological.
Oversize Volume SV-3827/1 |
Volume SV-1: 1907-1917, 100 pagesScrapbook of souvenirs, newspaper clippings, and photographs of Chambers' years at Woodberry Forest and the University of North Carolina. |
Folder 630 |
Volume 2: 1917-1919Portfolio of newspaper clippings about World War I, picture postcards from Europe, and World War I maps. |
Folder 631 |
Volume 3: 1947, 100 pagesDiary of Chambers from a trip on the U.S.S. Wisconsin. |