Edward J. McCauley Photographic Materials, 1949-1974

Summary

Creator:: McCauley, Edward J. (Edward Johnson), 1926-2003.
Abstract:: Collection contains photographic material created by white photojournalist Edward J. McCauley (1926-2003) between the years 1949 and 1974, mostly for the Burlington Daily Times-News, but also as a private photographer and developer for portraits, weddings and other events. Included are images of local, state, and national politicians and political events; news events; Burlington businesses; civic groups and other organizations; Alamance County schools; sporting events; and other images that document daily life in North Carolina. Most of the images are from Burlington and Alamance County, but many other North Carolina localities are also represented.
Extent:: 83,300 items (72.0 linear feet)
Language:: Materials in English
Library Catalog Link:: View UNC library catalog record for this item

Background

Biographical / historical:

Edward Johnson McCauley was born in Burlington, N.C., in 1926. McCauley was a lifelong resident of Burlington, leaving only to join the United States Navy after graduating High School and to attend the University of North Carolina. As a young man, he was active in the Boy Scouts of America where he acquired an affinity for the outdoors, fishing, camping, hiking, and also picked up a hobby: photography. He graduated from Burlington High School in 1942 and joined the United States Navy in 1944 to serve in World War II. Because of his previous experience with photography, McCauley was chosen to attend the United States Navy Photography School in Pensacola, Fla.

It was during this time that he received formal training as a professional photographer. He served as an aerial photographer for the Navy during the war. He would later build on this education by attending Hugh Morton's Camera Clinics. After his service to the nation was complete and the war had ended, McCauley attended the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C., and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Communications in 1950. Starting in December of 1949, he began to take some photographs for his hometown newspaper, the Burlington Daily Times-News.

By January of 1950, he was hired as a full-time photographer, operator of the Fairchild Photo-Electric Engraving Machine (cutting edge equipment for the time that allowed newspapers to publish their own photographs the same day they were developed), and as a part-time Circulation Assistant. McCauley was employed as a photographer at the Burlington Daily Times-News for over 20 years, serving as Chief Photographer for much of that time. During the two decades that McCauley took pictures of Burlington and surrounding areas of Alamance County, McCauley captured with his camera some of the many changes and challenges that faced Burlington, North Carolina, and the United States during the 1950s-1970s. McCauley captured events in Burlington ranging from local news, sporting events, graduating classes, annual events (Christmas parade, Easter Egg Hunt, Fourth of July), organizations (Freemasons, Kiwanis Club, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, unions), churches, and local business. He married, raised two daughters, and was an active member in the Burlington community, especially as a member of the Masonic Lodge No. 721 and as member of First Presbyterian Church.

He retired from the Burlington Daily Times-News in 1974. He left the paper to pursue his work as a contract photographer, photographic developer, and framer, and to operate Ed McCauley Art Supply, a popular art supply store with his wife Aileen. McCauley died in 2003 at the age of 77 after fighting Parkinson's for several years.

Scope and content:

This collection is comprised of approximately 77,000 photographic negatives and 7,500 photographic prints created by Edward McCauley both for the Burlington Daily Times-News and as a private photographer and developer, 1949-1974. Included are images of local, state, and national politicians and political events; news events; Burlington businesses; civic groups and other organizations; Alamance County schools; sporting events; and other images that document daily life in North Carolina. Most of the images are from Burlington and Alamance County, but many other North Carolina localities are also represented. This collection contains images depicting groups of white men, women, and children performing in blackface.

Acquisition information:

These materials were donated to the North Carolina Collection by Mrs. Aileen McCauley and the Burlington Daily Times-News in 2003.

Processing information:

Processed by: Patrick Cullom, 2007-2008

Encoded by: Patrick Cullom, April, 2010

Shortly after the materials were donated to the University, a preliminary inventory was completed and an estimate was made as to how many images the collection contained. Beginning in October of 2007, the collection was evaluated again and a finding aid was created; it will be updated as series are processed further and materials can be made available to the public as a resource.

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.

Indexed terms

Subjects:: 4-H clubs--North Carolina.
Baseball--North Carolina.
Basketball--North Carolina.
Crime--North Carolina.
Dairy products industry--North Carolina.
Distilling, Illicit--North Carolina.
Elections--North Carolina.
Elections--United States.
Football--North Carolina.
Freemasons--North Carolina--History--20th century.
Golf--North Carolina.
Governors--North Carolina--Election.
Korean War, 1950-1953--Participation, American.
Korean War, 1950-1953--Veterans.
Minor league baseball--North Carolina.
Poliomyelitis--Patients--North Carolina.
Poliomyelitis--Prevention.
Presidents--United States--Election--1952.
Presidents--United States--Election--1956.
Presidents--United States--Election--1960.
Presidents--United States--Election--1964.
Presidents--United States--Election--1968.
Presidents--United States--Election--1972.
Textile industry--North Carolina.
Textile workers--North Carolina.
Times-news (Burlington, N.C.)
Tobacco curing--North Carolina.
Tobacco farms--North Carolina.
Tobacco industry--North Carolina.
Tuberculosis--North Carolina.
Tuberculosis--Prevention.
World War, 1914-1918--Veterans.
World War, 1939-1945--Veterans.
Names:: Alamance County Hospital (Burlington, N.C.)
American Automobile Association.
American Cancer Society. North Carolina Division.
American Heart Association.
American Legion. Auxiliary. Department of North Carolina
American Red Cross. Blood Services.
Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine for North America.
Boy Scouts of America.
Burlington High School (Burlington, N.C.)
Burlington Hosiery Company.
Burlington Indians (Baseball team)
Burlington Mills Corporation.
Cub Scouts.
Disabled American Veterans.
Duke University--Basketball.
Elon College--Sports.
Georgia Institute of Technology--Basketball.
Girl Scouts of the United States of America.
Junior Chamber International.
Kiwanis International.
March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation.
Miss North Carolina Pageant.
National Easter Seal Society (U.S.)
North Carolina Elks Association.
North Carolina Federation of Women's Clubs.
North Carolina National Bank.
North Carolina State Fair.
North Carolina State University--Basketball.
North Carolina. Dept. of Conservation and Development.
North Carolina. State Highway Patrol.
Palmer Memorial Institute (Sedalia, N.C.)
Rotary International.
Salvation Army.
United States Postal Service.
United States. Air Force--Recruiting, enlistment, etc.
United States. Army--Recruiting, enlistment, etc.
United States. Coast Guard--Recruiting, enlistment, etc.
United States. Navy--Recruiting, enlistment, etc.
University of North Carolina (1793-1962)--Basketball.
Wachovia Bank and Trust Company.
Wake Forest University--Basketball.
Danieley, James Earl.
Ervin, Sam J. (Sam James), 1896-1985.
Hawkins, Reginald Armistice, 1923-
Hodges, Luther Hartwell, 1898-1974.
Holshouser, James E.
Johnson, Lady Bird, 1912-2007.
Johnson, Lyndon B. (Lyndon Baines), 1908-1973.
Jordan, B. Everett (Benjamin Everett)
Kennedy, Ethel, 1928-
Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963.
Kennedy, Robert F., 1925-1968.
Kornegay, Horace Robinson, 1924-
Lake, I. Beverly (Isaac Beverly), 1906-1996.
Larkins, John Davis, 1909-1990.
McCauley, Edward J. (Edward Johnson), 1926-2003.
Moore, Daniel Killian, 1906-1986.
Moore, Jeanelle Coulter.
Sanford, Terry, 1917-1998.
Scott, Robert Walter, 1929-2009.
Scott, William Kerr, 1896-1958.
Seawell, Malcolm, 1909-1977.
Places:: Alamance County (N.C.)--Photographs.
Burlington (N.C.)--Photographs.
Elon (N.C.)--Photographs.
Graham (N.C.)--Photographs.
Greensboro (N.C.)--Photographs.
Guilford County (N.C.)--Photographs.
Haw River (N.C.)--Photographs.
Mebane (N.C.)--Photographs.
North Carolina--Photographs.
Raleigh (N.C.)--Photographs.
Saxapahaw (N.C.)--Photographs.
Sedalia (N.C.)--Photographs.
Wake County (N.C.)--Photographs.
Alamance County (N.C.)--History.
Burlington (N.C.)--History.
Burlington (N.C.)--Newspapers.

Access and use

Restrictions to access:

No restrictions. Open for research.

Restrictions to use:

No image in this collection may be reproduced without the permission and consent of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Preferred citation:: [Identification of item], in the Edward J. McCauley Photographic Materials (P0082), North Carolina Collection Photographic Archives, Wilson Special Collections Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Location of this collection:: North Carolina Collection Photographic Archives

Louis Round Wilson Library

200 South Road

Chapel Hill, NC 27515

Contact:: (919) 962-3765

wilsonlibrary@unc.edu