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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.
Size | 49.5 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 49,000 items) |
Abstract | Willis D. Weatherford of Black Mountain, N.C., was president of the Blue Ridge Assembly, Black Mountain, N.C., 1906-1944; president of the Y.M.C.A. Graduate School, Nashville, Tenn., 1919-1946; trustee of Berea College, Berea, Ky., 1916-ca. 1962; faculty member of Fisk University, 1936-1946; director of the Southern Appalachian Studies Project, 1956-1968; and lifelong student of race relations in the South. The collection includes correspondence, financial records, printed material, reports, writings, speeches, photographs, and other material relating to the professional and personal life of Willis D. Weatherford. Many items are records, 1917-1944, of the YMCA Graduate School and of the Blue Ridge Assembly. Other papers document Weatherford's involvement, 1911-1943, in the YMCA at the regional and national level; his tenure, 1936-1946, as a professor at Fisk University; his involvement in the Commission for Interracial Cooperation and other interracial organizations, 1923-1969; his position on the board of trustees and as assistant to the president of Berea College, Berea, Ky., 1924-1969; his role as initiator and director of the Southern Appalachian Studies Project, 1956-1968; his membership on the North Carolina Governor's Coordinating Council on Aging; and his service on the board of directors of the American Cast Iron Pipe Company of Birmingham, Ala., which supported the Blue Ridge Assembly. Individuals important in the collection include Thomas Elsa Jones, president of Fisk University; William J. Hutchins and his son Francis S. Hutchins, both presidents of Berea College; playwright Paul Green; Tennessee congressman John Sparkman; writer and Weatherford biographer Wilma Dykeman; individuals involved with the Commission on Interracial Cooperation, including director Will W. Alexander, secretary James D. Burton, women's work director Jessie Daniel Ames, educational director Robert B. Eleazor, Arthur F. Raper, and Howard W. Odum; Roy Rowe; North Carolina Governor Dan K. Moore; and Fletcher Sims Brockman of the YMCA. |
Creator | Weatherford, Willis D. (Willis Duke), 1875-1970. |
Curatorial Unit | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection. |
Language | English |
Processed by: Rebecca McCoy and Lynn Roundtree, 1987
Encoded by: Eben Lehman, April 2007
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.
1 December 1875 | Born in Weatherford, Tex., son of Samuel L. and Margaret Turner Weatherford |
1895 | B.S., Weatherford [Junior] College, Weatherford, Tex. |
1899 | B.A., Vanderbilt University |
1900 | M.A., Vanderbilt University |
1907 | Ph.D., Vanderbilt University |
1902-1919 | International student secretary of YMCA |
1903-1907 | Married Lula Belle Trawick |
1906-1944 | President, Blue Ridge Assembly (later known as Blue Ridge College, Inc.) |
1907 | Set up the Southern Summer School for Social Science and Christian Workers of Blue Ridge |
1907 | Author: Fundamental Religious Principles in Browning's Poetry; College Problems |
1910 | Author: Negro Life in the South |
1911 | Author: Introducing Men to Christ |
1912 | Author: Present Forces in Negro Progress |
1912 | Served on Standing Committee on Negro Problems of the Southern Sociological Congress |
1914-1957 | Married Julia McCrory |
1915 | Served on Board of Governors of the Southern Sociological Congress |
1916 | Author: Christian Life, a Normal Experience; Personal Elements in Religious Life |
1916-circa 1962 | Trustee, Berea College, Berea, Ky. |
1917 | Editor: Report on Law and Order Conference |
1917 | Organized a law and order conference dealing with the lynching problem in the South, held at Blue Ridge, N.C. |
1919 | Attended organizational meeting of the Commission on Interracial Cooperation, Atlanta, Ga. |
circa 1919 | Took part in forming the Interracial Commission in Tennessee from the Tennessee Law and Order League |
1919-1936 | President, Southern College of the YMCA (later known as the YMCA Graduate School), Nashville, Tenn. |
1920 | Editor: Interracial Cooperation |
1924 | Author: The Negro from Africa to America |
1925 | Chair, Tennessee Commission on Interracial Cooperation; member, Board of Directors, Atlanta University |
1927-1970 | Member of the Board of Directors of ACIPCO |
1932 | Editor: Survey of the Negro Boy in Nashville |
1934 | Editor: Survey of Negro Boy Life in Nashville, Tenn. |
1934 | Author: Race Relations (co-authored with Charles S. Johnson, President, Fisk University) |
1935 | Author: Life Sketch of James Brownson Dunwoody DeBow |
1936 | YMCA Graduate School closes |
1936-1946 | Head, Department of Religion and Humanities, Fisk University, Nashville, Tenn. |
1945 | Blue Ridge Association sold to the Southern Region Headquarters of the YMCA |
1946 | Accepted position at Berea College dealing with instructional development and student recruitment |
1948 | Author: Analytical Index of DeBows Review |
1954-1957 | Organized and directed the development of the outdoor pageant, Wilderness Road |
1955 | Editor: Religion in the Appalachian Mountains; Educational Opportunities in the Appalachian Mountains |
1955 | Author: Pioneers of Destiny |
1956-1968 | Organizer and director of the Southern Appalachian Studies Project |
1957 | Author: American Churches and the Negro |
1962 | Author: Life and Religion in Southern Appalachia (co-authored with Earl D. C. Brewer); Studies in Christian Experience |
1962 | Editor: The Southern Appalachian Region: A Survey (co-edited with Thomas R. Ford) |
1965-1967 | Served on the Governor's Council on Aging |
21 February 1970 | Died |
Correspondence, financial records, printed material, reports, writings, speeches, photos, and other material relating to the professional and personal life of Willis D. Weatherford. Many items are records, 1917-1944, of the YMCA Graduate School and of the Blue Ridge Assembly. Other papers document Weatherford's involvement, 1911-1943, in the YMCA at the regional and national level; his tenure, 1936-1946, as a professor at Fisk University; his involvement in the Commission for Interracial Cooperation and other interracial organizations, 1923-1969; his position on the board of trustees and as assistant to the president of Berea College, Berea, Ky., 1924-1969; his role as initiator and director of the Southern Appalachian Studies Project, 1956-1968; his membership on the North Carolina Governor's Coordinating Council on Aging; and his service on the board of directors of the American Cast Iron Pipe Company of Birmingham, Ala., which supported the Blue Ridge Assembly. Individual important in the collection include Thomas Elsa Jones, president of Fisk University; William J. Hutchins and his son Francis S. Hutchins, both presidents of Berea College; playwright Paul Green; Tennessee congressman John Sparkman; writer and Weatherford biographer Wilma Dykeman; individuals involved with the Commission on Interracial Cooperation, including director Will W. Alexander, secretary James D. Burton, women's work director Jessie Daniel Ames, educational director Robert B. Eleazor, Arthur F. Raper, and Howard W. Odum; Roy Rowe; North Carolina Governor Dan K. Moore; and Fletcher Sims Brockman of the YMCA.
Back to TopChiefly records of the YMCA Graduate School and the Blue Ridge Association during the years in which Willis D. Weatherford was the president of each of these organizations: 1919-1936 for the Graduate School, 1917-1944 for Blue Ridge. The material consists primarily of incoming and outgoing correspondence, reports, meeting minutes, lists, applications, and printed material. It covers all aspects of managing these institutions: fundraising, administration, recruitment of students and staff, Christian leadership training, student work assignments, student projects, relations with the Southern Region Headquarters of the YMCA, cooperation between the YMCA Graduate School and other Nashville schools including Vanderbilt University, Scarritt College, and Fisk University, relations between Blue Ridge and Black Mountain College, and conferences held at Blue Ridge. The papers also include material pertaining to Lee School for Boys and attempts to establish Cragmore School for Girls at Blue Ridge during the winter months.
This series also contains a substantial amount of material relating to Weatherford's other professional interests. Material on the American Cast Iron Pipe Company (ACIPCO) of Birmingham, Ala., relates to Weatherford's responsibilities as a member of the board of directors and of the wage committee, labor relations at the plant, and the involvement of many of the company's executives on the Blue Ridge board of directors and their financial support for Blue Ridge. The papers also reflect Weatherford's interest in race relations; problems presented by interracial participation in conferences in an era of legally mandated segregation constitute an important topic. Correspondence concerning Weatherford's courses on race relations at the YMCA Graduate School is also included. Material pertaining to research for Weatherford's books and projects as well as personal financial material and correspondence with close friends is included in this series.
The arrangement of this series adheres closely to the order of the material as received. The files consist of subject folders arranged by year. Within each year, the YMCA Graduate School material precedes that of Blue Ridge, with the files for each institution filed alphabetically. Users should note that Weatherford's filing system contained many inconsistencies, and there is a great deal of overlap between the YMCA Graduate School and the Blue Ridge material. Most folder headings are those used by Weatherford and his staff, except for some folders and titles added or altered for consistency and in order to make the material more accessible.
During processing, much routine material was discarded or sampled. Material discarded includes routine bills and receipts, requests for transcripts, equipment catalogs, notices of board meetings, recommendation letters, copies of form letters, and requests for information at the Blue Ridge grounds. Folders containing samples of the original correspondence are so labeled.
This series overlaps in part with other series. For more extensive material on race relations, users should consult Series 5. Race Relations and Series 3. Fisk University. Material on the YMCA and its Southern Region Headquarters, which supervised Weatherford in his roles as a president of the YMCA Graduate School and Blue Rige, is filed in Series 2. National YMCA. Finally, Series 6. Other Papers includes personal material and papers relating to the American Cast Iron Pipe Company, 1943-1969.
Correspondence (mainly incoming), meeting minutes, schedules, reports, proposals, and printed material relating to the national, regional, and Tennessee state organization of the YMCA. The bulk of the material dates from 1921 to 1936, at which time Willis D. Weatherford retired from direct employment in the YMCA, although he was indirectly employed by the Y during the summers at Blue Ridge through 1943. Much of the material focuses on Weatherford's involvement with the Student Department and with committees relating to personnel, training, and professional standards, therefore reflecting his role as an educator and administrator of institutions dedicated to preparing students for YMCA and religious work.
Although many of Weatherford's activities relate to the YMCA movement in the South, Weatherford was also active in the YMCA at the national level. Weatherford maintained extensive contacts with directors of YMCA colleges and camps throughout the United States. He was also involved in placing secretaries abroad, especially in Asia. He was at the forefront of efforts to achieve racial equality in YMCA institutions. The papers reflect Weatherford's role in bringing about a compromise in a dispute between national and local organizations that resulted in the YMCA's 1923 Constitution.
This series overlaps with the YMCA Graduate School/Blue Ridge Series because the regional YMCA administered these institutions. Therefore, most correspondence between Weatherford and regional or national officers, or between these officers and YMCA secretaries about the Graduate School and Blue Ridge is included in this series. Information about programs and issues to be discussed at YMCA conferences to be held at Blue Ridge is also included in this series, whereas material regarding conference arrangements that pertains to Blue Ridge operations is filed in Series 1. Material for 1928 relating to local committees for training agencies, including the YMCA Graduate School are also included in this series because the committees were part of a nationally organized program.
The material is filed by year, and by subject titles within each year. These files reflect Weatherford's original titles, but have been systematized and the material has been rearranged so that the folder contents and titles are more consistent. The titles roughly reflect YMCA committees and divisions. Because various committees and divisions often cooperated on projects or because members served on many committees, the subject matter of many folders overlaps. Although no longer employed by the YMCA in any capacity after 1943, Weatherford continued to be a member, kept abreast of Y activities, and occasionally served on committees and attended meetings. Material relating to the National YMCA after 1942 is located in Series 5.
Correspondence, course outlines, lists, and reports from Weatherford's years as a professor at Fisk University. Much of the correspondence focuses on fundraising for Fisk's endowment campaign, 1938-1938; for a revitalized Department of Religion and Philosophy; and for research in Fisk's Humanities Institute, of which Willis D. Weatherford was the director.
Weatherford was instrumental in developing Fisk's Department of Religion and Philosophy, and much of the correspondence relates to organization, curriculum, hiring, student recruiting, and scholarships, as well as for funding for this program. Material regarding the library, which Fisk purchased from the YMCA Graduate School is also included. Other topics included in the correspondence are the summer Ministers' Institutes sponsored by Fisk, and the Committee For Youth Work Among Negroes (especially 1945), a Nashville organization.
Thomas Elsa Jones, president of Fisk, other Fisk faculty members, and fundraising representatives for Fisk, are the main correspondents. Material relating to Fisk dated prior to 1937 are filed in Series 1. Users interested in race relations should consult Series 5. Material other than correspondence pertains to the same topics; it is filed chronologically by year following correspondence.
Folder 3287 |
1937: Correspondence |
Folder 3288a |
1938: Correspondence |
Folder 3288b |
1938: Correspondence |
Folder 3289-3291
Folder 3289Folder 3290Folder 3291 |
1939: Correspondence |
Folder 3292-3293
Folder 3292Folder 3293 |
1940: Correspondence |
Folder 3294 |
1941: Correspondence |
Folder 3295 |
1942: Correspondence |
Folder 3296-3300
Folder 3296Folder 3297Folder 3298Folder 3299Folder 3300 |
1943: Correspondence |
Folder 3301-3306
Folder 3301Folder 3302Folder 3303Folder 3304Folder 3305Folder 3306 |
1944: Correspondence |
Folder 3307-3315
Folder 3307Folder 3308Folder 3309Folder 3310Folder 3311Folder 3312Folder 3313Folder 3314Folder 3315 |
1945: Correspondence |
Folder 3316-3320
Folder 3316Folder 3317Folder 3318Folder 3319Folder 3320 |
1946: Correspondence |
Folder 3321 |
1947: Correspondence |
Folder 3322 |
1936: Other Material |
Folder 3323 |
1938: Other Material |
Folder 3324-3325
Folder 3324Folder 3325 |
1939: Other Material |
Folder 3326 |
1939-1940: Other Material |
Folder 3327-3328
Folder 3327Folder 3328 |
1940: Other Material |
Folder 3329 |
1941-1942: Other Material |
Folder 3330-3331
Folder 3330Folder 3331 |
1943: Other Material |
Folder 3332 |
1944: Other Material |
Folder 3333-3334
Folder 3333Folder 3334 |
1945: Other Material |
Folder 3335 |
1946: Other Material |
Folder 3336-3337
Folder 3336Folder 3337 |
Undated: Other Material |
Folder 3338 |
Folder number omitted |
Correspondence, reports, lists, and printed material relating to the administration and operation of Berea College. The two primary correspondents are William J. Hutchins (president 1920-1939), whose letters constitute the bulk of the series through 1939; and his son Francis S. Hutchins (president 1939-1967).
During William J. Hutchins's tenure as president, the particulars of board meetings, faculty, college policies, building projects, finances, and Berea's mission as a Christian institution are the main topics of discussion. The correspondents also address the issue of student conduct and the campaign against smoking among students that took place during 1932. Letters discussing the YMCA Graduate School's field projects at the Berea College are also filed in this series, although the resulting reports are in Series 1.
In the early years of Francis S. Hutchins's tenure as president, the possibility of a navy contract for wartime use of Berea's facilities, reorganization of the upper and lower schools (Berea operated a high school as well as a college), and fundraising were the most important issues. In 1946, Berea hired Willis D. Weatherford as a student recruiter and as a fundraiser. Consequently, after 1946, the subseries includes correspondence with high school principals, parents, and prospective students. Correspondence about fundraising and with potential donors also increases after 1946. This correspondence addresses fundraising both for the College's endowment and for special projects. Building projects, upgrading the hospital and the college's health and nursing programs required special fundraising efforts.
Berea's celebration in 1955, however, was the most important project except for the Southern Appalachian Studies Program (see Subseries 2). Weatherford both initiated and supervised the production of an outdoor drama, Wilderness Road, written expressly for Berea by Paul Green; it was the centerpiece of the centennial celebration. The series includes considerable correspondence during the 1950s (and almost all the material for 1954 and 1955) about the commission for the play, its storyline, production of the drama, construction of an amphitheatre, and craft exhibits at the performances. Paul Green, director Sam Selden of the University of North Carolina's Playmakers, and general manager Ted Cronk are among those with whom Weatherford corresponded on this subject. Weatherford also occasionally corresponded with Kermit Hunter, another playwright, about other outdoor dramas.
Other topics covered in the correspondence include tours by Berea's Country Dancers; Weatherford's books, Educational Opportunities in the Appalachian Mountains (1955) and Religion in the Appalachian Mountains; a workshop on children's literature in Appalachia held in July 1959; plans for the development of what eventually became the W. D. Weatherford and W. A. Hammond Southern Appalachian Collection of History and Literature (1960s); a proposed merger between the Berea College Foundation School and the public school system of the town of Berea; and Berea's contract with the International Cooperation Administration (1960-1962) for assistance in the development of rural institutes in India. The subseries also includes some letters that discuss the Southern Appalachian Studies project in addition to other topics. Many letters to and from Francis S. Hutchins are of this nature. All correspondence with Hutchins has been filed in this subseries in order to make it more accessible.
Miscellaneous material include financial reports, donor lists, people to contact, lists of foreign students at Berea College, lists of scholarships awarded Berea students for post-graduate study, reports on Berea's student industries and work program, reports on educational policies, minutes from meetings of the board of trustees and of various committees, meeting and travel schedules, enrollment figures, material on the proposed school merger, publicity material, and material relating to the production of Wilderness Road. Some material of this nature is included in the correspondence because it was enclosed in letters.
The correspondence in this subseries is arranged chronologically and by correspondent within each year. The non-correspondence follows the correspondence and is arranged by year, and then, for years that include more than one folder of material, by type of material or by topic.
Folder 3339 |
1924: Correspondence |
Folder 3340 |
1924: Correspondence |
Folder 3341 |
1926: Correspondence |
Folder 3342 |
1927: Correspondence |
Folder 3343 |
1928: Correspondence |
Folder 3344-3345
Folder 3344Folder 3345 |
1929: Correspondence |
Folder 3346-3347
Folder 3346Folder 3347 |
1930: Correspondence |
Folder 3348-3349
Folder 3348Folder 3349 |
1931: Correspondence |
Folder 3350-3351
Folder 3350Folder 3351 |
1932: Correspondence |
Folder 3352 |
1933: Correspondence |
Folder 3353 |
1934: Correspondence |
Folder 3354 |
1936: Correspondence |
Folder 3355 |
1937: Correspondence |
Folder 3356-3357
Folder 3356Folder 3357 |
1938: Correspondence |
Folder 3358-3360
Folder 3358Folder 3359Folder 3360 |
1939: Correspondence |
Folder 3361 |
1940: Correspondence |
Folder 3362 |
1941: Correspondence |
Folder 3363 |
1942: Correspondence |
Folder 3364 |
1943: Correspondence |
Folder 3365 |
1944: Correspondence |
Folder 3366 |
1945: Correspondence |
Folder 3367 |
1946: Correspondence |
Folder 3368-3370
Folder 3368Folder 3369Folder 3370 |
1947: Correspondence |
Folder 3371-3374
Folder 3371Folder 3372Folder 3373Folder 3374 |
1948: Correspondence |
Folder 3375-3378
Folder 3375Folder 3376Folder 3377Folder 3378 |
1949: Correspondence |
Folder 3379-3381
Folder 3379Folder 3380Folder 3381 |
1950: Correspondence |
Folder 3382-3384
Folder 3382Folder 3383Folder 3384 |
1951: Correspondence |
Folder 3385-3392
Folder 3385Folder 3386Folder 3387Folder 3388Folder 3389Folder 3390Folder 3391Folder 3392 |
1952: Correspondence |
Folder 3393-3400
Folder 3393Folder 3394Folder 3395Folder 3396Folder 3397Folder 3398Folder 3399Folder 3400 |
1953: Correspondence |
Folder 3401-3408
Folder 3401Folder 3402Folder 3403Folder 3404Folder 3405Folder 3406Folder 3407Folder 3408 |
1954: Correspondence |
Folder 3409-3418
Folder 3409Folder 3410Folder 3411Folder 3412Folder 3413Folder 3414Folder 3415Folder 3416Folder 3417Folder 3418 |
1955: Correspondence |
Folder 3419-3423
Folder 3419Folder 3420Folder 3421Folder 3422Folder 3423 |
1956: Correspondence |
Folder 3424-3427
Folder 3424Folder 3425Folder 3426Folder 3427 |
1957: Correspondence |
Folder 3428-3432
Folder 3428Folder 3429Folder 3430Folder 3431Folder 3432 |
1958: Correspondence |
Folder 3433-3437
Folder 3433Folder 3434Folder 3435Folder 3436Folder 3437 |
1959: Correspondence |
Folder 3438-3440
Folder 3438Folder 3439Folder 3440 |
1960: Correspondence |
Folder 3441-3443
Folder 3441Folder 3442Folder 3443 |
1961: Correspondence |
Folder 3444-3445
Folder 3444Folder 3445 |
1962: Correspondence |
Folder 3446-3448
Folder 3446Folder 3447Folder 3448 |
1963: Correspondence |
Folder 3449-3451
Folder 3449Folder 3450Folder 3451 |
1964: Correspondence |
Folder 3452-3453
Folder 3452Folder 3453 |
1965: Correspondence |
Folder 3454-3455
Folder 3454Folder 3455 |
1966: Correspondence |
Folder 3456 |
1967: Correspondence |
Folder 3457a |
1968-1969: Correspondence |
Folder 3457b |
Undated: Correspondence |
Folder 3458 |
1926-1936: Other Material |
Folder 3459 |
1938-1942: Other Material |
Folder 3460 |
1943-1947: Other Material |
Folder 3461 |
1948-1949: Other Material |
Folder 3462 |
1950: Other Material |
Folder 3463 |
1951: Financial and Fundraising Material |
Folder 3464 |
1951: Hospital Appropriation |
Folder 3465 |
1951: Labor Program |
Folder 3466 |
1951: Other Material |
Folder 3467 |
1952: Other Material |
Folder 3468-3470
Folder 3468Folder 3469Folder 3470 |
1953: Financial and Fundraising Material |
Folder 3471 |
1953: Other Material |
Folder 3472-3473
Folder 3472Folder 3473 |
1954: Financial and Fundraising Material |
Folder 3474 |
1954: Other Material |
Folder 3475 |
1955: Financial and Fundraising Material |
Folder 3476 |
1955: Wilderness Road |
Folder 3477 |
1955: Other Material |
Folder 3478-3479
Folder 3478Folder 3479 |
1956: Financial and Fundraising Material |
Folder 3480 |
1956: Other Material |
Folder 3481 |
1957: Other Material |
Folder 3482-3483
Folder 3482Folder 3483 |
1958: Financial and Fundraising Material |
Folder 3484 |
1958: Other Material |
Folder 3485-3487
Folder 3485Folder 3486Folder 3487 |
1959: Financial and Fundraising Material |
Folder 3488 |
1959: Other Material |
Folder 3489-3490
Folder 3489Folder 3490 |
1960: Financial and Fundraising Material |
Folder 3491a |
1960: Other Material |
Folder 3491b |
1960: Other Material |
Folder 3492 |
1961: Financial and Fundraising Material |
Folder 3493 |
1961: Other Material |
Folder 3494-3495
Folder 3494Folder 3495 |
1962: Financial and Fundraising Material |
Folder 3496 |
1962: Other Material |
Folder 3497-3498
Folder 3497Folder 3498 |
1963: Financial and Fundraising Material |
Folder 3499 |
1963: Other Material |
Folder 3500-3501
Folder 3500Folder 3501 |
1964: Financial and Fundraising Material |
Folder 3502-3503
Folder 3502Folder 3503 |
1964: Other Material |
Folder 3504-3505
Folder 3504Folder 3505 |
1965: Financial and Fundraising Material |
Folder 3506 |
1965: Other Material |
Folder 3507 |
1966: Financial and Fundraising Material |
Folder 3508 |
1966: Other Material |
Folder 3509 |
1967: Other Material |
Folder 3510a |
1969: Other Material |
Folder 3510b |
Undated: Other Material |
Primarily correspondence, reports, and organizational material for the Southern Appalachian Studies project and drafts of chapters for the project's findings, published as The Southern Appalachian Region: A Survey. The Southern Appalachian Studies project developed as a result of a Berea College-sponsored interdenominational conference of southern clergy held in 1956 to address the problems of Appalachia. In 1957, Berea College received a grant from the Ford Foundation to undertake the study as well as a number of other related projects. Willis D. Weatherford served as director of administration for the project. The board of directors included Weatherford and other members of the executive committee, as well as representatives from Berea College, the Council of the Southern Mountains, and eight of the largest Protestant denominations in the South. The board employed scholars at several southern universities to undertake studies on a variety of topics. In addition, the project sponsored a writer's workshop at Berea College in 1959 and two workshops and study tours of the Appalachian region for administrators of social agencies who worked with Appalachian migrants in Akron, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, and New York. After completion of the study in 1961, Weatherford worked with the United States government, state governors, and churches to implement programs in the Southern Appalachian region. Among the correspondents included in this series is Tennessee Congressman John Sparkman.
The series documents all aspects of the study, but it includes only limited material on the preparation of the studies themselves, except for the report on Appalachian literature and writers, which Weatherford co-authored with Wilma Dykeman. Weatherford also corresponded with Stokely and her husband, James Stokley, about novels that Weatherford commissioned them to write, as well as about a biography of Weatherford, published in 1966 as Prophet of Plenty: The First Ninety Years of W. D. Weatherford. The subseries also includes a draft of a chapter for the study by Rupert B. Vance. Correspondence between Weatherford and Francis S. Hutchins, president of Berea College, about the project is filed in Subseries 4.1. More correspondence and material on the Southern Appalachian Studies project is located in the special collections department of the Berea College library. Weatherford's interest in Appalachia led him to become involved in other projects and organizations, primarily in western North Carolina. Material related to these projects is filed in Series 5.
Arrangement: by type of material, then by year.
Correspondence, reports, and other material relating to Willis D. Weatherford's participation in a variety of interracial organizations, his contacts with African American colleges, and his research on race relations. Much of the material consists of correspondence with other members of the Commission on Interracial Cooperation. Notable correspondents include Will Winton Alexander, director; James D. Burton, Interstate Secretary for Tennessee; Jessie Daniel Ames, Director of Women's Work and director of the Commission's auxillary, the Association of Women For the Prevention of Lynching; Robert B. Eleazor, educational director; Arthur F. Raper; and Howard W. Odum. The topics include organizational and personnel matters, projects designed to improve interracial relations, anti-lynching efforts, and the campaign against the poll tax. The series also includes material relating to the organizations that succeeded the Commission on Interracial Cooperation, including the Southern Regional Council and various state human relations councils.
While president of the YMCA Graduate School, Weatherford maintained close ties with African American colleges such as Tuskegee Institute, Atlanta University, and Fisk University. He also followed closely the progress of the Rosenwald Schools and other projects for African American education. The series also includes material relating to his textbook, Race Relations: Adjustment of Whites and Negroes in the United States, coauthored with Charles Johnson of Fisk University, and to The American Churches and the Negro. An acknowledged authority on race relations, Weatherford also received many requests for information about books and courses on this topic.
Some material pertaining to race relations is filed in other series. Correspondence and other material relating to projects and research conducted under the auspices of the YMCA Graduate School and to joint projects between the Graduate School and Fisk is filed in Series 1. Users should also consult Series 3 on Fisk University.
This subseries documents Weatherford's participation as a member of the board of directors of the American Cast Iron Pipe Company of Birmingham, Ala., and as a member of the firm's wage benefits committee. The company's Eagan Plan (a program of profit sharing and employee representation on the board of directors), attempts by United Mine Workers to unionize the company in the early 1960s, the problems of the iron industry, profits and losses, the particulars of board and committee meetings, and other business affairs are the main topics discussed in correspondence. Correspondence referring to research for a biographical sketch of John J. Eagan, the company's founder, is filed in Subseries 6.3.
Folder 3692 |
1943: Correspondence |
Folder 3693 |
1944: Correspondence |
Folder 3694 |
1945-1946: Correspondence |
Folder 3695 |
1948-1951: Correspondence |
Folder 3696 |
1952-1953: Correspondence |
Folder 3697 |
1954: Correspondence |
Folder 3698 |
1955: Correspondence |
Folder 3699 |
1956: Correspondence |
Folder 3700 |
1957: Correspondence |
Folder 3701 |
1958: Correspondence |
Folder 3702 |
1959: Correspondence |
Folder 3703 |
1960: Correspondence |
Folder 3704-3706
Folder 3704Folder 3705Folder 3706 |
1961: Correspondence |
Folder 3707-3709
Folder 3707Folder 3708Folder 3709 |
1962: Correspondence |
Folder 3710 |
1963: Correspondence |
Folder 3711 |
1964: Correspondence |
Folder 3712 |
1965: Correspondence |
Folder 3713 |
1966-1967: Correspondence |
Folder 3714 |
1968-1969: Correspondence |
Folder 3715 |
"The American Cast Iron Pipe Company, an Adventure in Human Relations" by Willis D. Weatherford |
Folder 3716-3717
Folder 3716Folder 3717 |
John Joseph Eagan Day Addresses, 1937-1959 |
Folder 3718a |
Miscellaneous |
Primarily reports and publications of various organizations, financial material, personal material, miscellaneous notes, and printed items. This material covers most of the same topics described in Subseries 6.1.
Weatherford also served as a member of the North Carolina Governor's Council on Aging during his later years. Correspondence relating to Weatherford's membership covers recreational activities for the elderly, public relations for the council, funding for projects, local senior citizens' organizations, federal programs affecting the elderly, health affairs, and meetings. Among the correspondents are Roy Rowe and North Carolina Governor Dan K. Moore.
Correspondence relating to Willis D. Weatherford's numerous interests, involvement in a variety of institutions, and personal letters from family, friends, and former colleagues. Topics covered in this series include YMCA activities, religion, poverty and economic development in the Appalachian region, the activities of the North Carolina Film Board (of which Weatherford was a member), programs at Blue Ridge, speaking engagements, publication of Weatherford's Analytical Index of DeBow's Review, and Wilma Dykeman's biography of Weatherford.
Former YMCA colleagues such as Fletcher Sims Brockman constitute the largest group of correspondents in this subseries. Although Weatherford was no longer employed by the YMCA after 1936, he sustained an interest in YMCA activities and continued to serve on committees throughout his life, particularly the Campus Advisory Council to which he was appointed in 1956. Letters from YMCA officers and secretaries deal with issues confronting the organization (especially the civil rights movement), meetings, and campus programs.
The subseries also includes correspondence from officials of the Blue Ridge Assembly after the YMCA Southern Area Council purchased the Assembly grounds in 1943. Most of the correspondence is dated 1943-1946, as Weatherford and the Southern Area Council wound up the affairs of Blue Ridge's former administration. Later material focuses primarily on meetings at Blue Ridge and invitations to Weatherford to speak. This subseries also includes many letters from former YMCA Graduate School students and Blue Ridge participants.
The Appalachian region constituted Weatherford's other primary interest during the 1950s and 1960s. Although the Southern Appalachian Studies Project absorbed much of Weatherford's energy in this area, he was also involved in many related regional organizations. Through these organizations Weatherford promoted efforts to alleviate poverty in the region, and to promote regional culture and interests. Other projects included plans for a tourist information area on Interstate 40 on the North Carolina-Tennessee state line and building a new Methodist church and library in Weatherford's hometown of Black Mountain. For Weatherford, efforts at reform in Appalachia were always linked to religion; he also contributed to the efforts of the National Council of Churches in the region.
This subseries also includes many letters from family and friends. This correspondence primarily includes letters between Weatherford's wife, Julia McRory Weatherford, and her husband and son, Willis Duke Weatherford Jr., primarily in the late 1940s; from Willis Duke Weatherford Jr., his wife Anne, and their children, especially during the 1960s; and from close friends Robert and Ethel Eleazor. Letters from many other relatives and personal friends are included.
Folder 3782-3785
Folder 3782Folder 3783Folder 3784Folder 3785 |
1943 |
Folder 3786-3790
Folder 3786Folder 3787Folder 3788Folder 3789Folder 3790 |
1944 |
Folder 3791-3792
Folder 3791Folder 3792 |
1945 |
Folder 3793-3795
Folder 3793Folder 3794Folder 3795 |
1946 |
Folder 3796-3798
Folder 3796Folder 3797Folder 3798 |
1947 |
Folder 3799-3800
Folder 3799Folder 3800 |
1948 |
Folder 3801-3802
Folder 3801Folder 3802 |
1949 |
Folder 3803 |
1950 |
Folder 3804-3805
Folder 3804Folder 3805 |
1951 |
Folder 3806-3807
Folder 3806Folder 3807 |
1952 |
Folder 3808 |
1953 |
Folder 3809-3810
Folder 3809Folder 3810 |
1954 |
Folder 3811-3812
Folder 3811Folder 3812 |
1955 |
Folder 3813-3814
Folder 3813Folder 3814 |
1956 |
Folder 3815-3817
Folder 3815Folder 3816Folder 3817 |
1957 |
Folder 3818-3825
Folder 3818Folder 3819Folder 3820Folder 3821Folder 3822Folder 3823Folder 3824Folder 3825 |
1958 |
Folder 3826-3837
Folder 3826Folder 3827Folder 3828Folder 3829Folder 3830Folder 3831Folder 3832Folder 3833Folder 3834Folder 3835Folder 3836Folder 3837 |
1959 |
Folder 3838-3844
Folder 3838Folder 3839Folder 3840Folder 3841Folder 3842Folder 3843Folder 3844 |
1960 |
Folder 3845-3854
Folder 3845Folder 3846Folder 3847Folder 3848Folder 3849Folder 3850Folder 3851Folder 3852Folder 3853Folder 3854 |
1961 |
Folder 3855-3863
Folder 3855Folder 3856Folder 3857Folder 3858Folder 3859Folder 3860Folder 3861Folder 3862Folder 3863 |
1962 |
Folder 3864-3868
Folder 3864Folder 3865Folder 3866Folder 3867Folder 3868 |
1963 |
Folder 3869-3874
Folder 3869Folder 3870Folder 3871Folder 3872Folder 3873Folder 3874 |
1964 |
Folder 3875-3889
Folder 3875Folder 3876Folder 3877Folder 3878Folder 3879Folder 3880Folder 3881Folder 3882Folder 3883Folder 3884Folder 3885Folder 3886Folder 3887Folder 3888Folder 3889 |
1965 |
Folder 3890-3900
Folder 3890Folder 3891Folder 3892Folder 3893Folder 3894Folder 3895Folder 3896Folder 3897Folder 3898Folder 3899Folder 3900 |
1966 |
Folder 3901-3910
Folder 3901Folder 3902Folder 3903Folder 3904Folder 3905Folder 3906Folder 3907Folder 3908Folder 3909Folder 3910 |
1967 |
Folder 3911-3913
Folder 3911Folder 3912Folder 3913 |
1968 |
Folder 3914-3916
Folder 3914Folder 3915Folder 3916 |
1969 |
Folder 3917-3918
Folder 3917Folder 3918 |
1960s and undated |
Folder 3919 |
Undated |
Mainly pictures of applicants for the YMCA Graduate School and Blue Ridge, taken between 1920 and 1940. Included also are photographs of Willis D. Weatherford by himself and with groups of people, photographs of identified groups and scenes, and a few unidentified photographs.
Image Folder PF-3831/1 |
Photographs of Willis D. Weatherford, circa 1940-1960 |
Image Folder PF-3831/2 |
Photographs of Willis D. Weatherford and others, circa 1960Includes Weatherford with children, a wedding party, and a group of men, all unidentified. A plaque held by the men, circa 1960. |
Image Folder PF-3831/3 |
Photographs of identified individuals, 1924One is of Warren H. Wilson, Board of National Museums of the Presbyterian Church in the USA, another of Fletcher S. Brockman, International Committee of the YMCA |
Image Folder PF-3831/4 |
Photographs of identified individuals, circa 1920-1940Applicants for the YMCA Graduate School and Blue Ridge are arranged alphabetically by surname, A-Bo. |
Image Folder PF-3831/5 |
Photographs of identified individuals, circa 1920-1940Applicants for the YMCA Graduate School and Blue Ridge are arranged alphabetically by surname, Bu-Cl. |
Image Folder PF-3831/6 |
Photographs of identified individuals, circa 1920-1940Applicants for the YMCA Graduate School and Blue Ridge are arranged alphabetically by surname, Co-D. |
Image Folder PF-3831/7 |
Photographs of identified individuals, circa 1920-1940Applicants for the YMCA Graduate School and Blue Ridge are arranged alphabetically by surname, E-F. |
Image Folder PF-3831/8 |
Photographs of identified individuals, circa 1920-1940Applicants for the YMCA Graduate School and Blue Ridge are arranged alphabetically by surname, G-Ha. |
Image Folder PF-3831/9 |
Photographs of identified individuals, circa 1920-1940Applicants for the YMCA Graduate School and Blue Ridge are arranged alphabetically by surname, He-Hu. |
Image Folder PF-3831/10 |
Photographs of identified individuals, circa 1920-1940Applicants for the YMCA Graduate School and Blue Ridge are arranged alphabetically by surname, I-J. |
Image Folder PF-3831/11 |
Photographs of identified individuals, circa 1920-1940Applicants for the YMCA Graduate School and Blue Ridge are arranged alphabetically by surname, K-L. |
Image Folder PF-3831/12 |
Photographs of identified individuals, circa 1920-1940Applicants for the YMCA Graduate School and Blue Ridge are arranged alphabetically by surname, Ma-Mc. |
Image Folder PF-3831/13 |
Photographs of identified individuals, circa 1920-1940Applicants for the YMCA Graduate School and Blue Ridge are arranged alphabetically by surname, Me-O. |
Image Folder PF-3831/14 |
Photographs of identified individuals, circa 1920-1940Applicants for the YMCA Graduate School and Blue Ridge are arranged alphabetically by surname, P. |
Image Folder PF-3831/15 |
Photographs of identified individuals, circa 1920-1940Applicants for the YMCA Graduate School and Blue Ridge are arranged alphabetically by surname, R-Sm. |
Image Folder PF-3831/16 |
Photographs of identified individuals, circa 1920-1940Applicants for the YMCA Graduate School and Blue Ridge are arranged alphabetically by surname, Sn-T. |
Image Folder PF-3831/17 |
Photographs of identified individuals, circa 1920-1940Applicants for the YMCA Graduate School and Blue Ridge are arranged alphabetically by surname, V-Wa. |
Image Folder PF-3831/18 |
Photographs of identified individuals, circa 1920-1940Applicants for the YMCA Graduate School and Blue Ridge are arranged alphabetically by surname, We-Z. |
Image Folder PF-3831/19 |
Photographs taken at Tuskegee Institute, circa 1920-1940Included are an image of Willis D. Weatherford with Robert Russa Moton and an image of George Washington Carver. |
Image Folder PF-3831/20 |
Photographs of identified groups of individuals, 1930s-1940sIncludes the Part-time Worker's reunion in Blue Ridge, N.C., 1936-37, and the Southern Secretaries, YMCA, meeting at Virginia Polytechnical Institute in Blacksburg, Va., in 1942. |
Image Folder PF-3831/21 |
Photographs of the Blue Ridge conference grounds, 1926-1939Includes pictures of a new dormitory, Robert E. Lee Hall, Weatherford's home, and summer camp activities. |
Image Folder PF-3831/22 |
Photographs of the YMCA Graduate School, Nashville, Tenn., circa 1935 |
Image Folder PF-3831/23 |
Photograph of the American Cast Iron Pipe Company, Birmingham, Ala., 1936The company was a benefactor of the YMCA Graduate School and the Blue Ridge Association. |
Image Folder PF-3831/24 |
Photographs of the Institute Tecnico of the South American YMCAs, 1926Includes pictures of students and directors. |
Image Folder PF-3831/25 |
Photographs taken during a Philippines training conference, May 1932 |
Image Folder PF-3831/26 |
Photograph of a group of unidentified young women holding a basketball team championship banner, circa 1900 |
Image Folder PF-3831/27 |
Unidentified photographs possibly taken by or including Mrs. Emmons Blaine, a benefactor of the Blue Ridge Association, circa 1925Includes pictures of groups of people, buildings, troops, and others. |
Image Folder PF-3831/28 |
Photographs of Willis D. Weatherford and others, circa 1940-1960Most individuals are identified. |
Image Folder PF-3831/29 |
Photographs of the YMCA Graduate School and the Blue Ridge summer quarters, circa 1925-1926 |
Image Folder PF-3831/30 |
Photographs of an unidentified group of individuals, the YMCA College basketball team, and the YMCA gym team, 1926 |
Image Folder PF-3831/31 |
Photograph of chapel at Berea, circa 1946 |
Image Folder PF-3831/32 |
Photograph of unidentified group at a graduation, 6 June 1966 |
Image Folder PF-3831/33 |
Photograph of American Cast Iron Pipe Company, 1960s |
Image Folder PF-3831/34 |
Photographs of identified individuals, probably applicants for the YMCA Graduate School and Blue Ridge, 1932Photographs are arranged alphabetically by surname, A-H. |
Image Folder PF-3831/35 |
Photographs of identified individuals, probably applicants for the YMCA Graduate School and Blue Ridge, 1932Photographs are arranged alphabetically by surname, L-W. |
Extra Oversize Paper Folder XOPF-3831/1 |
Oversize papers |