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This collection has access restrictions. For details, please see the restrictions.
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.
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Collection Overview
| Size | 234.0 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 148000 items) |
| Abstract | James G. Martin, son of Rev. Arthur Morrison Martin and Mary Grubbs Martin, was born in Savannah, Ga., 11 December 1935. In 1960 he received his Ph.D. in chemistry from Princeton University. From 1966 to 1972, Martin served on the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners, serving as chair, 1967-1971. In 1968, he was a delegate to the Republican National Convention. Martin served six consecutive terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's Ninth Congressional District, 1972-1984, and sat on the Republican Study Committee, Republican Conference Research Committee on Science and Aeronautics, Committee on Ways and Means, Ad Hoc Committee on Energy, and House Budget Committee. In 1984, he was elected North Carolina's 65th governor. Papers documenting the congressional career of James G. Martin as U.S. Representative from the Ninth District of North Carolina. The bulk of these materials consists of legislative and general correspondence files. Other types of material include schedule files, press files, casework, district office files, and pictures. Topics addressed include abortion, civil rights, agriculture, conservation of natural resources, education, emigration and immigration, the Equal Rights Amendment, gun control, labor laws, power resources, prayer in the public schools, public health and welfare, saccharin, textiles, tobacco, foreign relations, veterans, and the Watergate Affair. The addition of February 2000 contains issue briefing files and other files from Martin's years as governor. |
| Creator | Martin, James G. (James Grubbs), 1935- |
| Curatorial Unit | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection. |
| Language | English |
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Information For Users
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Subject Headings
The 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.
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Biographical Information
11 December 1935 Born in Savannah, Ga., the son of Rev. Arthur Morrison Martin and Mary Grubbs Martin
1953 Graduated from Mt. Zion Institute in Winnsboro, S.C.
1957 Received a B.S. degree from Davidson College, Davidson, N.C.
1957 Married Dorothy McAulay (their children are: James G., Jr., Emily, and Benson)
1960 Received a Ph.D. in chemistry from Princeton University
1960-1972 Taught chemistry at Davidson College until his election to Congress
1966-1972 Served on the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners. Served as chairman, 1967-1971
1968 Served as a delegate to the Republican National Convention
1968-1970 Founded and served as first chairman of the Centralina Regional Council of Governments
1970-1972 Served as vice-president of the National Association of Regional Councils
1970-1972 Served as the first Republican president of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners
1972-1984 Served six consecutive terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's Ninth Congressional District. Served on the Republican Study Committee, Republican Conference Research Committee, Interior and Insular Affairs Committee, Committee on Science and Aeronautics, Committee Ways and Means, Ad Hoc Committee on Energy, and House Budget Committee.
1984 Elected North Carolina's 65th governor
1985-1993 Served as Governor of North Carolina
1992 Appointed chairman of Research Development Board at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C.
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Scope and Content
These papers consist of 145 boxes, containing approximately 139,000 items, documenting Martin's role in Congress. The Ninth District, which Martin represented, consisted of Mecklenburg, Lincoln, and Iredell Counties, and for the latter part of his congressional career, Yadkin County. Approximately 350 boxes of material existed originally. Printed material, duplicates, routine material, and books were discarded during processing. Other types of material were sampled. (See individual series descriptions for details.) The bulk of these papers consists of legislative and general correspondence files.
The materials are arranged in seven series and six subseries as listed below. Series and subseries divisions and the arrangement of material within each largely follow ordering schemes established by Martin's staff in Washington and Charlotte.
The additions to the collection include audiovisual material created for Martin's political campaigns in the 1970s, three boxes of papers from Martin's Congressional terms, and eight boxes of issue briefing files, news clippings, and political files from Martin's years as governor of North Carolina.
Videotapes, films, audiotapes, slides. The videotapes are campaign spots. The film was shot in 1974 in case Congress was still in session so Martin could not be home speaking to civic clubs and campaigning. The slides were for use on television.
These files, received from the North Carolina Department of Archives and History, have been placed in new folders, but not processed. The original folder titles have been retained.
These files have been placed in new boxes, but not processed. The original folders and folder titles have been retained.
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Series Quick Links
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Series 1: Legislative Files, 1973-1984.
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Subseries 1.1: Correspondence, 1973-1984.
Primarily correspondence between Martin and constituents about various legislative matters. Also included are correspondence with federal officials and other members of Congress; some correspondence from out-of-state residents; some background material (mostly printed or committee materials used by Martin in preparing responses to letters); a collection of Martin's form letters; and a few enclosures to letters.
Arrangement is by year and, within each year, by subject, except for the set of form letters that begins the subseries. The contents of each folder are roughly in reverse chronological order. For additional details concerning arrangement see the folder list that follows.
This series was sampled extensively during processing. Files containing large amounts of correspondence, correspondence on issues of national, regional, or local importance, and correspondence on subjects in which Martin had a particular interest have been retained. For a complete list of discarded files, consult the staff.
Most correspondents expressed support or opposition to particular pieces of legislation. Martin typically responded by explaining the issue and his position, if necessary, and by thanking his correspondent for his or her opinion. Responses are attached to incoming letters except in most 1983 and 1984 files where form-letter responses are clipped inside the front of the folder. Topics most commonly addressed were education, energy, environment, foreign policy, government, health, social security, and, particularly, taxes. Other significant topics include abortion, busing, equal rights, gun control, and prayer in schools.
A number of files are particularly notable. "Impeachment" files for 1973-1974 are subdivided into pro and con categories. Several "Saccharin" files for March through December, 1977, document reaction to the attempt to ban the artificial sweetener; they consist mainly of constituent correspondence but also include correspondence from others across the state and nation, printed material, committee testimony, and congressional status profiles of food additive safety amendments introduced by Martin. A 1981 "Environmental Protection Agency" file includes letters from Martin explaining to constituents his reasons for removing his name from consideration for Administrator.
"Dear Colleague" letters, found in 1976-1977 and 1979-1984, are letters from members of Congress requesting sponsorship, co-sponsorship, or support for pending legislation. "Delegation Letters," found in 1982-1984 files, are from the North Carolina congressional delegation or other groups of congressmen to the president, cabinet members, or other officials urging support or opposition in legislative matters. "Questionnaires," included here for the later years, 1980-1984, were sent to constituents by Martin, often returned, and acknowledged with a letter from the congressman. Additional "questionnaires" may be found in Series 2. Computer-generated "indexes to correspondence" are included, covering portions of 1978 and 1979 (filed in 1978); they list correspondence by date of response.
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Subseries 1.2: Background Files, 1973-1982.
Printed material and a few other types of material used in drafting legislation, answering legislative correspondence, or in preparing information for Martin. Arrangement, imposed during processing, is by year, and within each year, alphabetical by subject. Much of this material addresses issues in the areas of energy, food safety, health, and taxation. Other topics include agriculture, the budget, employment, foreign policy, social security, and textiles. The most complete set of files exists for 1981 while only small amounts of material were received for 1973-1977 and 1980. No files were received for 1983-1984.
Types of printed material included are Congressional Record remarks, news clippings, White House and other press releases, articles from scholarly journals, a few Government Printing Office publications, and publications of business and other interest groups. Printed material that is easily accessible elsewhere was removed during processing.
Also included are notes made by Congressman Martin; bills; statements made before committees; reference material from the Congressional Research Service at the Library of Congress; and correspondence with business groups, other interest groups, legislators, and federal and state officials. "Saccharin" files, 1977-1980, are subdivided into types of material--background statements, news releases, dear colleague letters, Congressional Record remarks, and bills. "Food Safety" files also contain information on the saccharin controversy.
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Subseries 1.3: Committee Files, 1973-1984.
A wide variety of materials documenting the activities of Republican Party committees and committees of the House on which Martin served. Arrangement, imposed during processing, is by name of committee. Republican Party committee materials precede materials of House committees. Full committee materials precede materials of respective task forces and subcommittees. For additional details concerning arrangement see the folder list that follows. The bulk of these files documents Martin's service on the Ways and Means Committee. Both yearly files and subject files exist for the whole committee and for almost all subcommittees. Material pertaining to a particular subject may be found in both committee and subcommittee files, and within each, in both subject and yearly files. Subject files within the Ways and Means Committee and subcommittee materials cover such topics as individual retirement accounts, health care spending, pension funding, poverty, renal disease, social security, taxation, and welfare.
Other committee materials include those of the House Republican Conference Research Committee, Republican Study Committee, Interior and Insular Affairs Committee, Ad Hoc Committee on Energy, and Budget Committee.
Included is correspondence between members, agendas, statements of purpose, lists of members, memos, bills, fact sheets, notes made by Martin, reports, committee testimony, transcriptions of hearings, printed materials, press releases, and some correspondence from constituents and other interest groups.
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Subseries 1.4: Bill Files, 1973-1984.
Copies of legislation and related materials for the 93rd through the 98th Congresses. These files consist mainly of bills sponsored or co-sponsored by Martin, a few bills referred to committees on which he served, and other bills in which he had an interest. Also included is an index and lists, summaries, and status reports of bills. Arrangement is by year of Congress, and within each Congress, by bill number. When indexes, lists, summaries, and status reports of bills are present, they precede bill files for that Congress.
The bulk of these files document Martin's activities in the 93rd and 98th Congresses, while only a small amount of material is included for other Congresses. The bill files are probably not complete for each Congress. In a few cases, no copy of a bill was received, but material relating to that bill is on file. Included are mainly copies of bills but also amendments offered by Martin and others; correspondence between members of Congress, especially, "dear colleague" letters; some correspondence from lobbyists and other interested individuals; committee correspondence and "mark-ups" of bills; committee testimony; and floor briefing packets. Also included are a few notes made by Martin; statements made by him or others in supporting or opposing pending legislation; and a few Government Printing Office publications, Congressional Record statements, and press releases.
A list of energy-related bills, other bills, and resolutions sponsored or co-sponsored by Martin in the 93rd Congress, 1st session, is filed in folder 1. Preceding the bill files for the 95th Congress is a "Legislative Profile" listing measures sponsored and co-sponsored by Martin. Preceding the bill files for the 96th Congress is a numerical and subject index of bills for the 1st session of that Congress; a list of several Senate bills; a list of bills sponsored or co-sponsored by Martin; and numerous bill summaries. Almost half of the material in the bill files of the 98th Congress concerns the Risk Assessment Bill, HR 4192.
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Series 2: General Correspondence Files, 1973-1984.
Primarily correspondence between Martin and constituents about non-legislative matters. Also included is a small amount of correspondence between Martin and other legislators and federal and state officials; correspondence from out-of-state; and reports, printed materials, and other enclosures to letters. Arrangement, established by the Congressman's staff, is by year, and, within each year, alphabetical by subject. The contents of each folder are roughly in reverse chronological order. This series was sampled extensively during processing. Routine files were not retained. For a complete list of discarded files, consult the staff.
These letters concern topics such as agriculture, defense, education, energy, environment, foreign policy, health, labor, social security, taxes, tobacco, inaugurations, Watergate, and the Bicentennial. Correspondents expressed concerns about the activities of the military and of other government departments and agencies such as the Commerce Department, Federal Aviation Administration, General Services Administration, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Internal Revenue Service, Justice Department, Labor Department, Office of Personnel Management, State Department, and Transportation Department.
There are a number of notable files. A good deal of correspondence addresses Ninth District concerns and may be filed under the name of the city or the county and/or under other headings such as Douglas Airport, Education, Lake Norman, Post Office, Sugar Creek, or Town Meetings. A substantial file exists for "North Carolina, State of" for each year. Some correspondence concerns the work and membership of House committees while other correspondence addresses the work of the Republican National Committee and the state Republican Party. Correspondence concerning "Arrangements" made by Martin for others is included here while materials concerning arrangements made for Martin are in Series 3. "Questionnaires," included for most years (see also Subseries 1.1), were sent to constituents by Martin, and those returned were acknowledged with a letter from the Congressman. Several computer-generated "indexes to correspondence" are included--one for 1977 correspondence in alphabetical order by correspondent, and another for 1979 "town meeting" correspondence in reverse chronological order.