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Collection Number: 05697

Collection Title: Russell Glenwood Baldwin Papers, 1938-2010

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.


expand/collapse Expand/collapse Collection Overview

Size 6.5 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 4200 items)
Abstract Russell Glenwood Baldwin (1925-2014) of Rocky Point and Leland, N.C., was a World War II veteran, graduate of the University of North Carolina, journalist, import-export business owner, technical writer, and founding mayor of Leland, N.C. Papers and photographs document his childhood; military service; education; political activism with organizations promoting world government and nuclear disarmament; and his successive careers. His writings document the intellectual life of a young man and include notes and essays on his reading habits and other self-reflective topics and fictional explorations of racism and interracial relationships, and the state of the world in the post-World War II era.
Creator Baldwin, Russell Glenwood, 1925-2014.
Curatorial Unit University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection.
Language English
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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Information For Users

Restrictions to Access
No restrictions. Open for research.
Restrictions to Use
No usage restrictions.
Copyright Notice
Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], in the Russell Glenwood Baldwin Papers #05697, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Acquisitions Information
Received from Jennifer McMillan in August 2016 (Acc. 102631).
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.
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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Processing Information

Processed by: Nancy Kaiser and Mary Oliva, February 2017; Patrick Cullom, March 2017

Encoded by: Nancy Kaiser, February 2017

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse 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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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Biographical Information

Russell Glenwood Baldwin (20 December 1925-18 September 2014) grew up in Rocky Point, N.C. He served in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II from January 1944 to May 1946, and continued to serve in the United States Air Force Reserve until March 1961. After the war, Baldwin studied political science at the University of North Carolina and became involved in various political organizations and activist groups, including the United World Federalists. He graduated in 1950 and began working as a newspaper writer and editor, at some point with the Charlotte Observer. He later owned import-export businesses and worked as a technical writer and engineer. Baldwin was instrumental in the establishment of Leland, N.C., as a formal town in 1989, and served as its first mayor.

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Scope and Content

The Russell Glenwood Baldwin Papers consist of correspondence, photographs, writings, and business records of Russell Glenwood Baldwin of Rocky Point and Leland, N.C. The collection documents his childhood; military service in the United States Army Air Corps and United States Air Force Reserve; education at the University of North Carolina; political activism with the Duke Young Republican's Club and organizations promoting world government and nuclear disarmament, including the United World Federalists and American Freedom Association; his successive careers in newspapers, import-export business, and technical writing in the aerospace industry; and the founding of Leland, N.C. Baldwin's writings document the intellectual life of a young man. Included are notes and essays on his reading habits and other self-reflective topics and fictional explorations of racism and interracial relationships, the state of the world in the aftermath of World War II, and lead-up to the Vietnam War.

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Contents list

expand/collapse Expand/collapse Series Quick Links

expand/collapse Expand/collapse Series 1. Correspondence, 1942-2010 (bulk 1942-1951).

1250 items.

Arrangement: Chronological.

Correspondence of Russell Glenwood Baldwin. Letters are chiefly from friends, family members, and organizations, including the United World Federalists, the Duke Young Republicans Club, and the Young Mens' Christian Association.

Folder 1

1942-1943

Folder 2

1944

Folder 3

1944-1945

Folder 4-5

Folder 4

Folder 5

1945

Folder 6-7

Folder 6

Folder 7

1946

Folder 8-10

Folder 8

Folder 9

Folder 10

1947

Folder 11-16

Folder 11

Folder 12

Folder 13

Folder 14

Folder 15

Folder 16

1948

Folder 17-24

Folder 17

Folder 18

Folder 19

Folder 20

Folder 21

Folder 22

Folder 23

Folder 24

1949

Folder 25-28

Folder 25

Folder 26

Folder 27

Folder 28

1950

Folder 29-30

Folder 29

Folder 30

1951

Folder 31

1951-1957

Includes letters of appreciation from a Greek girl to whom he sent monthly contributions through Foster Parents' Plan, Inc.

Folder 32

1961-2010

Folder 33

Undated

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Series 2. Subject Files, 1938-2008.

1400 items.

Arrangement: Alphabetical by subject.

Materials pertaining to Baldwin's interests and activities, including his school work; military experience in the United States Army Air Corps and United States Air Force Reserve; political activism with organizations promoting world government and nuclear disarmament, including the American Freedom Association and United World Federalists; import-export business ventures; employment as a technical writer; and the founding of Leland, N.C.

Folder 34

American Freedom Association

Printed material, membership, list of activities, photograph of Eisenhower during a visit to the University of North Carolina, 8 December 1953, in which he called for an international atomic energy agency.

Folder 35

Alfred L. Baldwin, Individual Deceased Personnel File, 1945

Brother of Russell Glenwood Baldwin.

Folder 36

Church bulletins, 1943-1946

Folder 37

Clippings, 1963

Folder 38-39

Folder 38

Folder 39

History of World War III, 1958-1961

Clippings on Vietnam, Russia, Laos; writings and notes on Freedom Corps.

Folder 40-41

Folder 40

Folder 41

Import-export companies, 1952-1962

Primarily comprised of responses from to Baldwin's inquiries to international manufacturers and importers on behalf of Global Products Co. and Universal Products Co., as well as clippings related to imported merchandise.

Folder 42

Leland, N.C., 1987-1988, 2005-2008

Folder 43

Military service, 1943-1950

Baldwin's duty assignments, enlistment and discharge papers, and other military records.

Folder 44

Military service, 1951-1961

Official communication regarding Baldwin's role in the United States Air Force Reserve.

Folder 45-47

Folder 45

Folder 46

Folder 47

Political, 1953-1956

Republican National Committee mailings and printed material; clippings and writings on voting rights, state constitutional amendments, the Bennie and Lloyd Daniels case, elections, local politics, and the high cost of segregation.

Folder 48-53

Folder 48

Folder 49

Folder 50

Folder 51

Folder 52

Folder 53

Printed materials

Primarily booklets advocating disarmament and world organization as paths to continued peace, including several 1954 issues of "The Federalist."

Folder 54

Sara Sees It Through: A farce-comedy in three acts by Robert St. Clair

A 1937 play published through Denison's Red Letter series, containing a couple of notations by Baldwin for a production.

Folder 55

School materials, 1938-1943

Includes Baldwin's class notes, graded tests, and report cards.

Oversize Paper OP-5697/1

School materials: Long Creek-Grady High School Diploma, 1943

Folder 56

Strateway Distributors, Inc., 1959-1961

Primarily records related to the company's bankruptcy and receivership.

Folder 57-58

Folder 57

Folder 58

Technical writing, 1962-1971

Transcripts, resumes, applications, work appraisals, payroll, and other materials related to Baldwin's employment as a technical writer for Thiokol Chemical Corporation and an engineering technical writer for Northrop Corporation, including work related to Project Apollo launch vehicles.

Folder 59-62

Folder 59

Folder 60

Folder 61

Folder 62

United World Federalists, 1953

Includes clippings on student support for world government, printed materials, writings, notes, membership correspondence and mass mailings.

Folder 63

United World Federalists: Student Chapter, 1947

Member sign-ins, meeting minutes.

Folder 64

University of North Carolina, 1946-1947

Folder 65

University of North Carolina, 1948-1950

Folder 66

University of North Carolina: Ephemera

Oversize Paper OP-5697/2

University of North Carolina: Political cartoon, undated

Folder 67-70

Folder 67

Folder 68

Folder 69

Folder 70

War and Peace, 1952-1954

Clippings about nuclear bombs.

Folder 71

World Law Association, 1953

Certificate of incorporation, by-laws.

Folder 72-73

Folder 72

Folder 73

Miscellaneous

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Series 3. Writings, 1941-1970s.

About 650 items.

Russell Glenwood Baldwin's writings on his life, views of current events, and prospects for the future document the intellectual life of a young man. Included are a diary of his military experiences during World War II and notecards, notebooks, and loose papers with fiction and speculative fiction stories, ideas, in-story dictionaries, outlines, drafts, maps, and materials for submission to publishers. Topics include racism, nuclear war, World War III, global government, peace, interracial relationships, self reflection.

Folder 74

"My Life in the Service" diary, 1943-1945

Folder 75

Notebook, 1941-1944

Folder 76

Notebook, 1945

Folder 77

Notebook, 1945-46

Folder 78

Notebook, 1946-1947

Folder 79

Notebook, "Books Read," 1947-1953

Folder 80-82

Folder 80

Folder 81

Folder 82

Notebook, 1949-1952, 1955

Folder 83

Notebook, 1955

Essay of self-realization of his feelings about profit, service, and how he came to his life's direction; notes on advertising campaign related to Strateway.

Folder 84

Writings, 1946-1957

Folder 85

Writings, 1961

Folder 86

Writings, 1962

Folder 87

Writings, 1963-1965

Folder 88-89

Folder 88

Folder 89

Writings, 1950s-1960s, undated

Folder 90

Writings, 1970s

Folder 91-92

Folder 91

Folder 92

Writings: Advanced ideas, 1950s

Folder 93

Writings: Clippings

Folder 94-98

Folder 94

Folder 95

Folder 96

Folder 97

Folder 98

Writings: Story ideas, 1949-1951

Folder 99

Miscellaneous notes

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Series 4. Photographs, circa 1940-1960s.

500 items.

Arrangement: Chronological.

Photographic materials chiefly depicting Russell Glenwood Baldwin's family, friends, service in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II (1944-1946), and time as a student at the University of North Carolina (1946-1950).

Titles in quotation marks are original and were found on verso of images. Images were grouped together during processing based on subjects depicted in materials and film formats.

Image Folder PF-5697/01

"Broadwater, Winnalow, N.C.," 14 October 1941

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Has negatives.

Image Folder PF-5697/02

"Broadwater, Winnalow, N.C.," 14 October 1941

Black-and-White Sheet Film

Image Folder PF-5697/03

"Mother, Dad, and baby sister Libby" Rocky, Point, N.C., summer 1943

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Has negatives.

Image Folder PF-5697/04

"Mother, Dad, and baby sister Libby" Rocky, Point, N.C., summer 1943

Black-and-White Sheet Film

Image Folder PF-5697/05

"Rocky Point flood," Rocky Point, N.C., 1943

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Has negatives.

Image Folder PF-5697/06

"Rocky Point flood," Rocky Point, N.C., 1943

Black-and-White Sheet Film

Image Folder PF-5697/07

"Rocky Point, N.C.: Hilda Roaks," 1943

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/08

Flat Rock High School, Flat Rock, N.C., circa 1943

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/09

Military group portrait, Miami Beach, Fla., 01 January 1944

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/10

"Hotel where I stayed while taking basic training, Miami, Beach, Fla.," 01 January 1944

Facsimile from publication

Image Folder PF-5697/11

"Corporal Whirley, Assistant Flight Instructor, Miami Beach, Fla.," 15 February 1944

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/12

"Camp Blanding, Fla.," 30 May 1944

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/13

"Al," spring 1944

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/14

"Mary Jo, Muriel, Doris Horvell, 24 June 1944

Black-and-White Photographic Prints

Image Folder PF-5697/15

Russell Glenwood Baldwin visiting home(?), 24 June 1944

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Has negatives.

Image Folder PF-5697/16

Russell Glenwood Baldwin visiting home(?), 24 June 1944

Black-and-White Sheet Film

Image Folder PF-5697/17

"Merry," 01 August 1944

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/18

"Tom Bailey, George Wiser, and Russell Baldwin" in Hollywood, Calif., 16 August 1944

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/19

"Muroc Army Air Field," Muroc, Calif., September 1944

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/20

Unidentified family members(?), September 1944

Black-and-White Photographic Prints

Image Folder PF-5697/21

"Elanoir," 1944

Black-and-White Photographic Prints

Image Folder PF-5697/22

"Flat Rock High School Senior Class" Flat Rock, N.C., circa 1942-1944

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/23

"Muroc Army Air Field," Muroc, Calif., January 1945

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Has negatives.

Image Folder PF-5697/24

"Muroc Army Air Field," Muroc, Calif., January 1945

Black-and-White Sheet Film

Image Folder PF-5697/25

"January at Muroc," Muroc, Calif. (8x10), 01 January 1945

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/26

"Fort Benning," Ft. Benning, Ga., April 1945

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Has negatives.

Image Folder PF-5697/27

"Fort Benning," Ft. Benning, Ga., April 1945

Black-and-White Sheet Film

Image Folder PF-5697/28

"Wilmington, N.C.: Ruth Autry," circa April 1945

Color and Black-and-White Photographic Prints

Image Folder PF-5697/29

"Fort Benning" Ft. Benning, Ga., 01 May 1945

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/30

"Ready for night patrol, Fort Benning, Ga.," 01 June 1945

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Has negatives.

Image Folder PF-5697/31

"Ready for night patrol, Fort Benning, Ga.," 01 June 1945

Black-and-White Sheet Film

Image Folder PF-5697/32

Russell Glenwood Baldwin and others at Fort Benning, Ga., 01 June 1945

Black-and-White Photographic Prints

Has negatives.

Image Folder PF-5697/33

Russell Glenwood Baldwin and others at Fort Benning, Ga., 01 June 1945

Black-and-White Sheet Film

Image Folder PF-5697/34

Russell Glenwood Baldwin and others at Fort Benning, Ga., 01 June 1945

Black-and-White Photographic Prints

Image Folder PF-5697/35

"Dorothy, Mary Elizabeth, Nell, Linara, and Hazel," 27 August 1945

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/36

"Natalie Roth," 01 September 1945

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/37

"Taken at Greensboro, N.C.," 01 November 1945

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Has negatives.

Image Folder PF-5697/38

"Taken at Greensboro, N.C.," 01 November 1945

Black-and-White Sheet Film

Image Folder PF-5697/39

"Wilmington, N.C.: Doris Harvell," circa 1943-1945

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/40

Military group portrait: Flight K 144th Squadron, AROTC Summer Camp, OAFB, Orlando, Fla., 1944-1945

Panorama photograph (rolled)

Image Folder PF-5697/41

"Box Singing Tower, Lake Wales, Fla.," 03 February 1946

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Has negatives.

Image Folder PF-5697/42

"Box Singing Tower, Lake Wales, Fla.," 03 February 1946

Black-and-White Sheet Film

Image Folder PF-5697/43

"Holding blue indigo at Silver Springs, Fla.," 10 February 1946

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Has negatives.

Image Folder PF-5697/44

"Holding blue indigo at Silver Springs, Fla.," 10 February 1946

Black-and-White Sheet Film

Image Folder PF-5697/45

"Smitty (Robert C. Smith) at Orlando," 01 March 1946

Black-and-White Photographic Prints

Image Folder PF-5697/46

"Smitty (Robert C. Smith) and I at Orlando Air Force Base," Orlando, Fla., March 1946

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Has negatives.

Image Folder PF-5697/47

"Smitty (Robert C. Smith) and I at Orlando Air Force Base," Orlando, Fla., March 1946

Black-and-White Sheet Film

Image Folder PF-5697/48

"Work outfit, Orlando, Fla.," 01 April 1946

Black-and-White Photographic Prints

Image Folder PF-5697/49

"Wilmington, N.C.: Evelyn Hickman," 15 April 1946

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/50

Russell Glenwood Baldwin University of North Carolina student id card, circa 1946-1950

ID Card

Indicates Russell Glenwood Baldwin is a veteran on ID.

Image Folder PF-5697/51

Russell Glenwood Baldwin in uniform, circa 1944-1946

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Has negatives.

Image Folder PF-5697/52

Russell Glenwood Baldwin in military uniform, circa 1944-1946

Black-and-White 35mm Roll Film

Image Folder PF-5697/53

Russell Glenwood Baldwin in military uniform, circa 1944-1946

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/54

Claude M. Baldwin (brother) in military uniform, 1944-1946

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/55

"Chapel Hill" (University of North Carolina), August 1947

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/56

Unidentified military friends, circa 1945-1947

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/57

"Chapel Hill" (University of North Carolina), August 1948

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/58

"Chapel Hill" (University of North Carolina), August 1948

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/59

"Chapel Hill" (University of North Carolina), August 1948

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/60

"Chapel Hill" (University of North Carolina), August 1948

Black-and-White Sheet Film

Image Folder PF-5697/61

Trip to Fort Fisher, N.C., 01 September 1948

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/62

"United Workers Federation National Convention," 01 November 1948

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/63

Portraits of Russell Glenwood Baldwin, circa 1941-1948

Black-and-White Photographic Prints and Newspaper Mats

Image Folder PF-5697/64

"Elliot, Autry, Armstrong, Lee, and Wiseman," circa 1943-1948

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/65

"Chapel Hill" (University of North Carolina), 01 March 1950

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Depicts student housing in trailers.

Image Folder PF-5697/66

Russell Glenwood Baldwin in cap and gown at Chapel Hill (University of North Carolina), May 1950

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Has negatives.

Image Folder PF-5697/67

Russell Glenwood Baldwin in cap and gown at Chapel Hill (University of North Carolina), May 1950

Black-and-White Sheet Film

Image Folder PF-5697/68

Russell Glenwood Baldwin in cap and gown at Chapel Hill (University of North Carolina), May 1950

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/69

"Chapel Hill" (University of North Carolina), circa March 1950

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/70

"Chapel Hill" (University of North Carolina), circa 1946-1950

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/71

"Chapel Hill" (University of North Carolina), circa 1946-1950

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/72

Trip to Havana, Cuba, 21 August 1951

Black-and-White Sheet Film

Image Folder PF-5697/73

Russell Glenwood Baldwin with group at Plantation Supper Club, Greensboro, N.C., 24 December 1951

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/74

Russell Glenwood Baldwin with extended family(?), 23 June 1952

Color Photographic Print

Has negatives.

Image Folder PF-5697/75

Russell Glenwood Baldwin with extended family(?), 23 June 1952

Color Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/76

Trip to Coulee Dam, Coulee, Wash., 1952

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Has negatives.

Image Folder PF-5697/77

Trip to Coulee Dam, Coulee, Wash., 1952

Black-and-White Sheet Film

Image Folder PF-5697/78

Trip to Coulee Dam, Coulee Wash., 1952

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Has negatives.

Image Folder PF-5697/79

Visit to Brittany American Cemetery, St. James, France, circa 1952

Black-and-White Photographic Prints

Has negatives.

Includes image of grave site of Baldwin's brother Alfred Baldwin, killed in action 9 August 1944.

Image Folder PF-5697/80

Visit to Brittany American Cemetery, St. James, France, circa 1952

Black-and-White 120 Roll Film

Includes image of grave site of Baldwin's brother Alfred Baldwin, killed in action 9 August 1944.

Image Folder PF-5697/81

"Norma," circa May 1954

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/82

Russell Glenwood Baldwin removes bees from attic, circa 1950s

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/83

Jo Anne Ronk, circa 1950s

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Image Folder PF-5697/84

Russell Glenwood Baldwin and unidentified man with airplane, circa 1946-1950s

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Has negatives.

Image Folder PF-5697/85

Russell Glenwood Baldwin and unidentified man with airplane, circa 1946-1950s

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Has negatives.

Image Folder PF-5697/86

Newspaper clippings found with prints, circa 1940s-1950s

Printed materials

Image Folder PF-5697/87

Russell Glenwood Baldwin with extended family(?), September 1963

Black-and-White Photographic Print

Has negatives.

Image Folder PF-5697/88

Russell Glenwood Baldwin with extended family(?), September 1963

Black-and-White 120 Roll Film

Image Folder PF-5697/89

Russell Glenwood Baldwin nieces and nephews(?), circa 1960s

Color and Black-and-White Photographic Prints

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