Benjamin Lee Smith papers, 1916-1961, bulk 1930-1961
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Summary
- Creator:
- Smith, Benjamin Lee
- Abstract:
- North Carolina educator and superintendent of public schools in Greensboro, N.C. The papers of Benjamin Lee Smith, North Carolina educator and Duke University alumnus, span the years 1916-1961, and contain correspondence, memoranda, clippings, and other printed material related to public education at both the local and state levels in North Carolina. There are also several dozen photographs of N.C. school buildings and personnel, circa 1930s-1950s. Papers are arranged in the following series: Correspondence, Subject Files (the largest series in the collection), Clippings, Printed Material, and Speeches. Other topics include prohibition and the elections of 1928, and religion and politics in North Carolina. A small but significant amount of material concerns school integration in Greensboro and associated civil rights issues in North Carolina (located within boxes 10, 11, 14-16, 21, 24, 26 and 31). Collection also includes material on charitable organizations in which Smith was active, especially the Methodist Church, North Carolina Education Association (NCEA), Kiwanis Club, Boy Scouts, and the Horace Mann League.
- Extent:
- 12.4 Linear Feet
9300 Items - Language:
- Material is in English
- Collection ID:
- RL.01210
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The papers of Benjamin Lee Smith, North Carolina educator and Duke University alumnus, span the years 1916-1961, and contain correspondence, memoranda, clippings, and other printed material related to public education at both the local and state levels in North Carolina. There are also several dozen photographs of N.C. school buildings and personnel, circa 1930s-1950s. Papers are arranged in the following series: Correspondence, Subject Files (the largest series in the collection), Clippings, Printed Material, and Speeches. Other topics include prohibition and the elections of 1928, and religion and politics in North Carolina. A small but significant amount of material concerns school integration in Greensboro and associated civil rights issues in North Carolina (located within boxes 10, 11, 14-16, 21, 24, 26 and 31). Collection also includes material on charitable organizations in which Smith was active, especially the Methodist Church, North Carolina Education Association (NCEA), Kiwanis Club, Boy Scouts, and the Horace Mann League.
- Biographical / historical:
-
Chronology List Date Event 1893 Feb. 6 Benjamin Lee Smith born, Granite Falls, Caldwell County, N.C. 1916 A.B., Duke University 1916-1917 Served in U.S. Army 1919-1924 Superintendent of Schools, Forest City (N.C.) 1922-1934 Taught summer school classes for Appalachian State Teachers College, N.C. 1924-1929 Superintendent of Schools, Rutherfordton-Spindale 1925 Served as secretary for the newly chartered Rutherfordton Kiwanis Club 1927-1934 Member of NC Textbook Commission 1929-1934 Superintendent of Schools, Shelby 1935-1958 Superintendent of Schools, Greensboro 1937 M.A., Duke University 1938-1939 President, N.C. Education Association (NCEA) 1949-1950 President, Horace Mann League of the U.S. 1958 Retired from position as N.C. schools superintendent 1959 Participated in National Civil Rights hearing on school integration 1961 Year of death - Acquisition information:
- The Benjamin Lee Smith Papers were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a gift in 1961.
- Processing information:
-
Processed by Ted Holt, February 2008
Encoded by Ted Holt, February 2008
Accession 68-238 is described in this finding aid.
- Physical location:
- For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Subjects
Click on terms below to find related finding aids on this site. For other related materials in the Duke University Libraries, search for these terms in the Catalog.
- Subjects:
- Presidents -- United States -- Election -- 1928
Elections -- North Carolina -- 1928
Educators -- North Carolina -- Correspondence
Civil rights -- North Carolina
African Americans -- Segregation -- North Carolina
School integration -- North Carolina
Public Schools -- North Carolina
Prohibition -- North Carolina - Names:
- Boy Scouts of America
Kiwanis International
Horace Mann League
Methodist Church -- North Carolina
Smith, Benjamin Lee
Smith, Benjamin Lee
Segregation in education -- North Carolina - Places:
- North Carolina -- Social conditions
North Carolina -- Race relations
North Carolina -- Politics and government -- 1951-
North Carolina -- Politics and government -- 1865-1950
Greensboro (N.C.) -- History
Contents
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Using These Materials
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Collection is open for research.
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All or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke University's Library Service Center. The library may require up to 48 hours to retrieve these materials for research use.
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The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.
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- Preferred citation:
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[Identification of item], Benjamin Lee Smith Papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University