Frank Arthur Daniels Papers, 1894-1985.

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Summary

Creator:
Daniels, Frank Arthur, 1904-1986.
Abstract:

Publisher of the Raleigh, N.C., "News and Observer"; civic leader in Raleigh, N.C.; son of Adelaide Worth Bagley and Josephus Daniels, founder of the "News and Observer," secretary of the Navy, and U.S. Ambassador to Mexico.

Correspondence, reference material, financial and legal Papers, clippings, pictures, and other material documenting the business, civic, and personal life of Frank Arthur Daniels and the experience of his father, Josephus Daniels, as U.S. Ambassador to Mexico. Most of the material about Frank Daniels dates from the early 1970s and relates to his business and civic activities. The operation of the "News and Observer," the activities of the News and Observer Foundation, and Daniels's service on the Rex Hospital board of trustees are among the most important topics. The material that relates to Josephus Daniels's service as U.S. Ambassador to Mexico consists primarily of "letter-diaries" that he sent to his family. These missives report on social activities of the diplomatic corps and describe people and places in Mexico, but only occasionally refer to Daniels's official duties as ambassador.

Extent:
4,000 items (6.5 linear feet)
Language:
Materials in English
Library Catalog Link:
View UNC library catalog record for this item

Background

Biographical / historical:

The fourth son of Adelaide Worth Bagley and Josephus Daniels was born 8 June 1904 and was named for his father's older brother, Frank Arthur Daniels. Josephus Daniels was editor of the Raleigh News and Observer; secretary of the Navy, 1913-1921; and United States Ambassador to Mexico, 1933-1941.

Frank Daniels received an A.B. degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1927. He married Ruth Aunspaugh on 20 November 1929. They had two children: Frank Arthur Daniels, Jr., born 7 September 1931, and Patricia (Patsy) Bagley Daniels (Mrs. Robert M. Woronoff), born 21 July 1933.

Frank Daniels made his career with the News and Observer, beginning in the pressroom. According to the News and Observer of 6 May 1986, Daniels was made treasurer in 1937, general manager in 1942, president in 1956, publisher in 1966, and chairman of the board in 1970. (Note: Who's Who in the South and Southwest, 1969-1970, gives a different set of dates: treasurer, 1932-1956; general manager, 1942- ; president, 1956-; publisher, News and Observer and Raleigh Times.) He was active in professional organizations, serving as a member of the board of directors of the Associated Press; president of the North Carolina Publishers Association, 1948-1949; president of the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association, 1951; a director of the American Newspaper Publishers Association, 1955-1964; and treasurer of the American Newspaper Publishers Association, 1963-1964.

In addition to his business activities, Daniels was involved in many civic activities. He was a member of the board of trustees of Rex Hospital in Raleigh from 1937 until 1968 and was chairman for the last eighteen of those years. He was president of the Raleigh Community Chest and chairman of the group that organized the United Fund in Raleigh. From 1948 to 1956, Daniels was chairman of the North Carolina Board of Public Welfare. From 1956 to 1957, he was a member of the North Carolina Tax Study Commission. He was also a trustee of the consolidated University of North Carolina and a member of the executive committee of the Research Triangle Institute.

Frank Daniels died in Raleigh, North Carolina, on 5 May 1986.

Scope and content:

This collection contains correspondence, reference material, financial and legal Papers, clippings, pictures, and other material that document the business, civic, and personal life of Frank Arthur Daniels and the experience of his father, Josephus Daniels, as United States Ambassador to Mexico. Most of the material about Frank Daniels dates from the early 1970s and has to do with his business and civic activities. The operation of the News and Observer, the activities of the News and Observer Foundation, and Daniels's service on the Rex Hospital Board of Trustees are among the most important topics. This material is filed mainly in Series 2.

The material that relates to Josephus Daniels's service as United States Ambassador to Mexico consists primarily of "letter-diaries" that he sent to his family. These missives describe people and places in Mexico, but only occasionally refer to Daniels's work as ambassador. Most of this material is in Series 1. Almost all of the material in Subseries 4.1 concerns Josephus Daniels.

The file titles and order established by Frank Daniels were retained in the subject files in Series 2. The remainder of the material was loose when received at the Southern Historical Collection

Acquisition information:

Received from Frank Arthur Daniels, Jr., of Raleigh, N.C., in 1987.

Processing information:

Processed by: Linda Sellars, August 1987; Revised by: Suzanne Ruffing, March 1996

Encoded by: ByteManagers Inc., 2008

This collection was processed with support from the Randleigh Foundation Trust.

Sensitive materials statement:

Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, the North Carolina Public Records Act (N.C.G.S. § 132 1 et seq.), and Article 7 of the North Carolina State Personnel Act (Privacy of State Employee Personnel Records, N.C.G.S. § 126-22 et seq.). Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill assumes no responsibility.

Access and use

Restrictions to access:

No restrictions. Open for research.

Restrictions to use:

Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

No usage restrictions.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], in the Frank Arthur Daniels Papers #4481, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Special Collections Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Location of this collection:
Louis Round Wilson Library
200 South Road
Chapel Hill, NC 27515
Contact:
(919) 962-3765
wilsonlibrary@unc.edu