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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 FAQ section for more information.
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Collection Overview
| Size | 76.0 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 52,000 items) |
| Abstract | Taylor Branch, journalist and historian, is best known for his books chronicling the career of Martin Luther King Jr., and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Raised in Atlanta, Branch attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he became involved in political activism and completed a degree in American history in 1968. While a graduate student at Princeton University, Branch conducted a voter registration campaign among African Americans in rural Georgia. He was editor of Washington Monthly, 1971-1973, and has been a contributing editor since then. He has also written for Harper's and Esquire magazines and is the author or co-author of several books. He advised President Bill Clinton on race-related issues. The papers consist of correspondence, writings, legal material, subject files, pictures, and audio and video material, many of which relate to Branch's trilogy focused on Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement: Parting the Waters: America in the King Years, 1954-63 (1988), Pillar of Fire: America in the King Years, 1963-65 (1998), and At Canaan’s Edge: America in the King Years, 1965-68 (2006). Correspondence includes letters and some printed emails to and from Branch related to his research for his books; interfiled are pamphlets, notes, clippings, and other printed material. Included is correspondence about writing and publishing the books as well as with archives, libraries, historical societies, universities, and individuals about King and the Civil Rights Movement. Some letters relate to Branch's attempts to acquire files through the Freedom of Information and Privacy Act (FOIPA). There is also some correspondence about speaking engagements and personal correspondence related to friends and family. Writings chiefly relate to Branch's books; items include drafts, notes, clippings, articles, correspondence, advertisements, and data compact discs containing bibliographic and research databases. There is also some information about a proposed television miniseries based on the first two books of the King trilogy (not available for research). Legal material is chiefly about a 1964 California case involving a violent confrontation in 1962 between police officers and several black men. Subject files include research files on King and civil rights, particularly in Selma and Montgomery, Ala. There are also files relating to Branch's dealings with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) over freedom of information and other issues, the Vietnam War and anti-war groups, Communism, the Ku Klux Klan, and other topics. Individuals and groups important in these files include John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, Lyndon B. Johnson, Martin Luther King Jr., the National Council of Churches, the Student Non-Violence Coordinating Committee (SNCC), Stokely Carmichael, J. Edgar Hoover, and the FBI. Audio material includes interviews conducted by Branch and copies of material used in his research. Among the interviewees are Ralph Abernathy, Joan Baez, Harry Belafonte, James L. Bevel, John Bevel, Stokely Carmichael, Marion Cheek, Septima Clark, William Sloane Coffin, S. K. De, John Doar, Vernon Dobson, James Farmer, Alex Haley, Michael Harrington, Meree Harris, Rutha Mae Harris, Timothy Jenkins, Charles Jones, Clarence Jones, Edward Kennedy, S. B. King, Barnard Lee, John Lewis, Burke Marshall, Louis Martin, Robert McNamara, Richard Morrisroe, Bob Moses, Diane Nash, Sheriff Nichols, Edgar Daniel Nixon, Silas Norman, Joseph Rauh, Bernice Johnson Reagon, Bayard Rustin, Charles Sherrod, Sargent Shriver, Harry Wachtel, Wyatt Tee Walker, S. B. Wells, and Andrew Young. There are also speeches and/or sermons of Abernathy, James Bevel, Martin Luther King, John F. Kennedy, and Malcolm X. (Audio materials relating to Bill Clinton are not available for research.) Video material includes documentaries and news programs about the Civil Rights Movement, King, Johnson, and Malcolm X. Also included are class notes from a course Branch taught, 2000; biographical information; and speeches, 1998-2000. |
| Creator | Branch, Taylor. |
| 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
Journalist and historian Taylor Branch has written several books, including three volumes on Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s: Parting the Waters : America in the King Years, 1954-63 (1988), Pillar of Fire : America in the King Years, 1963-65 (1998), and At Canaan’s Edge : America in the King Years, 1965-68 (2006). Branch was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for History in 1989 and a MacArthur Foundation "genius grant" in 1991 in recognition for his achievements as a historian.
A native of Atlanta, Branch was raised in a middle-class white family and became interested in race relations during his high school years. He has commented that television images of police brutality directed against demonstrators in Birmingham in 1963 shocked him and motivated him to become involved in the Civil Rights Movement. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which was integrated while he was a student there, and completed a degree in American history in 1968. He became involved in political activism while in college. He was one of the leaders of the Georgia Loyal National Democrats, an organization that challenged the seating of the Georgia delegation to the 1968 national Democratic Party convention on the grounds that it was not properly elected and blacks were underrepresented among its members. The organization succeeded in claiming half of the seats allotted to the Georgia delegation.
Branch pursued graduate study in international economics, with additional study in religion and philosophy, at Princeton University. To fulfill a policy-writing requirement of his master's degree program, Branch traveled to predominantly African American communities in rural Georgia to assist blacks in registering to vote during the summer of 1969 and documented his experiences. He developed his documentation into an article published by Washington Monthly, of which he became editor in 1971. He continued in that position until 1973 and remains affiliated with the publication as a contributing editor. He has also written for Harper's and Esquire magazines and has written or co-written several books in addition to his work on King and civil rights. These include a novel entitled The Empire Blues (1981). He advised President Bill Clinton on race-related issues, taught at Goucher College in Maryland, and frequently speaks at public events.
Branch resides with his family in the Baltimore area.
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Scope and Content
Papers of journalist and historian Taylor Branch consist of correspondence, writings, legal material, subject files, pictures, and audio and video material, many of which relate to Branch's trilogy focused on Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement: Parting the Waters: America in the King Years, 1954-63 (1988), Pillar of Fire: America in the King Years, 1963-65 (1998), and At Canaan’s Edge: America in the King Years, 1965-68 (2006). Correspondence includes letters and some printed emails to and from Branch related to his research for his books; interfiled are pamphlets, notes, clippings, and other printed material. Included is correspondence about writing and publishing the books as well as with archives, libraries, historical societies, universities, and individuals about King and the Civil Rights Movement. Some letters relate to Branch's attempts to acquire files through the Freedom of Information and Privacy Act (FOIPA). There is also some correspondence about speaking engagements and personal correspondence related to friends and family. Writings chiefly relate to Branch's book; items include drafts, notes, clippings, articles, correspondence, advertisements, and data compact discs containing bibliographic and research databases. There is also some information about a proposed television miniseries based on the first two books of the King trilogy (not available for research). Legal material is chiefly about a 1964 California case involving a violent confrontation in 1962 between police officers and several black men. Subject files include research files on King and civil rights, particularly in Selma, Ala., and Montgomery, Ala. There are also files relating to Branch's dealings with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) over freedom of information and other issues, the Vietnam War and anti-war groups, Communism, the Ku Klux Klan, and other topics. Individuals and groups important in these files include John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, Lyndon B. Johnson, Martin Luther King Jr., the National Council of Churches, the Student Non-Violence Coordinating Committee (SNCC), Stokely Carmichael, J. Edgar Hoover, and the FBI. Audio material includes interviews conducted by Branch and copies of material used in his research. Among the interviewees are Ralph Abernathy, Joan Baez, Harry Belafonte, James L. Bevel, John Bevel, Stokely Carmichael, Marion Cheek, Septima Clark, William Sloane Coffin, S. K. De, John Doar, Vernon Dobson, James Farmer, Alex Haley, Michael Harrington, Meree Harris, Rutha Mae Harris, Timothy Jenkins, Charles Jones, Clarence Jones, Edward Kennedy, S. B. King, Barnard Lee, John Lewis, Burke Marshall, Louis Martin, Robert McNamara, Richard Morrisroe, Bob Moses, Diane Nash, Sheriff Nichols, Edgar Daniel Nixon, Silas Norman, Joseph Rauh, Bernice Johnson Reagon, Bayard Rustin, Charles Sherrod, Sargent Shriver, Harry Wachtel, Wyatt Tee Walker, S. B. Wells, and Andrew Young. There are also speeches and/or sermons of Abernathy, James Bevel, Martin Luther King, John F. Kennedy, and Malcolm X. (Audio materials relating to Bill Clinton are not available for research.) Video material includes documentaries and news programs about the Civil Rights Movement, King, Johnson, and Malcolm X. Other papers include class notes from a course Branch taught, 2000; biographical information; and speeches, 1998-2000.
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Series Quick Links
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Series 1. Correspondence, 1988-2005
.
Arrangement: chiefly alphabetical.
Correspondence includes letters and some printed emails to and from Taylor Branch related to his research for his books; interfiled are pamphlets, notes, clippings, and other printed material. Correspondence pertains more to Pillar of Fire and At Canaan's Edge than to Parting the Waters . Some correspondence relates directly to the books and their development and publications and includes information about and copies of pictures considered for use in the books. Also included is Branch's correspondence with several archives, libraries, historical societies, universities, and other institutions about King and civil rights research. Branch also wrote letters or advertised in newspapers, seeking out individuals to interview, and some letters are responses to Branch's requests for people's memories of King. Letters to and from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) relate to Branch's attempts to acquire files through the Freedom of Information and Privacy Act (FOIPA) (see also Series 4). Some letters are grouped by subject or city. Following the alphabetical listing of correspondents and subjects are letters from 1989 and the 1990s, some of which discuss Branch's speaking engagements and other of which are personal letters to friends and family.
Note that original file folder titles have, for the most part, been retained.
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Series 2. Writings and Related Material, 1967-2005 and undated.
RESTRICTED: Special equipment required to access database.
Writings and other material related to Branch's books Parting the Waters , Pillar of Fire, and At Canaan's Edge , including drafts, notes, clippings, articles, correspondence, advertisements, and other material, some of which discusses speaking engagements. Data compact discs contain bibliographic and research databases. Also included are awards and certificates given to Branch in honor of his books, particularly Parting the Waters . There is also material related to a proposed television miniseries based on Parting the Waters and Pillar of Fire , including drafts of scripts, notes, and comments.
Note that original file folder titles have, for the most part, been retained.
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Subseries 2.1. Parting the Waters, 1967-1990 and undated.
Writings and other material related to Parting the Waters, including drafts, notes, clippings, articles, thank-you letters, invitations to speak, programs, flyers, posters, and research material. Research material includes church bulletins, clippings, a journal, notes, and chronological listings of events. Although the printed drafts are undated, the draft labeled "Draft I" seems to be a later version than the other draft. Also included is an advance uncorrected reader's proof.
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Subseries 2.2. Pillar of Fire, 1997-1999 and undated.
RESTRICTED: Special equipment required to access database.
Writings and other material related to Pillar of Fire, including drafts, publicity concerning the book, reactions to the book, and some correspondence and clippings. Printed drafts are undated and include edits. Also included is a data compact disc containing a research database compiled 1990-1991. Publicity related to the book includes clippings about the book (both pre- and post-publication) and about Branch, advertisements, speaking engagement requests, and announcements. Also included are business correspondence, materials documenting reactions to the book, and chronological file notes.
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Subseries 2.3. At Canaan's Edge, 2002-2005 and undated.
RESTRICTED: Special equipment required to access database.
Writings and other material related to At Canaan's Edge, including drafts with edits, correspondence, and notes. Drafts include one from 2002 with 2005 revisions and an edit file from 2005. Data compact discs include research and bibliography databases, drafts, and edit files. Research databases include information searchable by fields such as date, location, source, subject, and name.
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Subseries 2.4. Awards and Certificates, 1989-1996.
Awards and certificates given to Branch in honor of his books, particularly Parting the Waters, including the Andrew White Medal from Loyola College, Baltimore, Md.; a certificate from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation as a MacArthur Fellow, 1991-1996; and the Los Angeles Times 1989 Book Prize for a Work of Current Interest for Parting the Waters .
| Folder 180-182 |
Awards and Certificates #05047, Subseries: "2.4. Awards and Certificates, 1989-1996." Folder 180-182Folder 180Folder 181Folder 182 |
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Subseries 2.5. Proposed Television Miniseries: Parting the
Waters, 1998-2001.
CLOSED: Series 2.5 not available for research.
Materials relating to a proposed television miniseries based on Parting the Waters and Pillar of Fire.
| Folder 210-262 |
Proposed Television Miniseries #05047, Subseries: "2.5. Proposed Television Miniseries: Parting the Waters, 1998-2001." Folder 210-262Folder 210Folder 211Folder 212Folder 213Folder 214Folder 215Folder 216Folder 217Folder 218Folder 219Folder 220Folder 221Folder 222Folder 223Folder 224Folder 225Folder 226Folder 227Folder 228Folder 229Folder 230Folder 231Folder 232Folder 233Folder 234Folder 235Folder 236Folder 237Folder 238Folder 239Folder 240Folder 241Folder 242Folder 243Folder 244Folder 245Folder 246Folder 247Folder 248Folder 249Folder 250Folder 251Folder 252Folder 253Folder 254Folder 255Folder 256Folder 257Folder 258Folder 259Folder 260Folder 261Folder 262 |
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Series 3. Legal Material, 1964.
Legal documents related to the 1964 court case People of the State of California v. Robert Louis Buice et al. , which involved a violent confrontation in 1962 between police officers and several black men, including Robert Louis Buice. Documents include reporters' transcripts, an appeal from the Supreme Court of Los Angeles County, and grand jury proceedings. (For information about Branch v. FBI, see series 4.)
| Folder 183-184 |
People v. Buice et al: Grand Jury Proceedings #05047, Series: "3. Legal Material, 1964." Folder 183-184Folder 183Folder 184 |
| Folder 185 |
People v. Buice et al: Clerk's Transcript #05047, Series: "3. Legal Material, 1964." Folder 185 |
| Folder 186-201 |
People v. Buice et al: Appeal #05047, Series: "3. Legal Material, 1964." Folder 186-201Folder 186Folder 187Folder 188Folder 189Folder 190Folder 191Folder 192Folder 193Folder 194Folder 195Folder 196Folder 197Folder 198Folder 199Folder 200Folder 201 |
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Series 4. Subject Files, 1865-2005
(bulk 1958-2005) and undated.
Chronological and alphabetical runs of files compiled and used by Branch when writing his books on King and the Civil Rights Movement. Also included are Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) files and material related to the court case Branch v. FBI .
Chronological subject files include information relevant to particular years, months, or days and social justice events of each time period. Older materials in these files are mostly photocopies of newspaper articles; other files contain transcriptions, clippings, speeches, FBI information, notes, and copies of correspondence. Alphabetical subject files include information related to particular individuals, groups, events, cities, and other topics, particularly as they related to the Civil Rights Movement or King. Materials are clippings, notes, microfilm printouts, interview transcripts, copies of speeches and letters, and committee reports from the federal government.
Individuals important in the subject files include John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Malcolm X. Files related to Lyndon B. Johnson include information about his programs and staff members; among the materials are oral history transcripts. Files specifically concerning King include information about his early life and particular events in his career as a civil rights leader. Groups important in these files include both African American and white church organizations, such as the National Council of Churches; the Student Non-Violence Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and its leaders; and Muslims, particularly the Nation of Islam and its relationship to the Civil Rights Movement. Subject files also include information about the Vietnam War, particularly anti-war groups. Information related to scenes of considerable civil rights activity, such as Birmingham, Ala., Selma, Ala., and Mississippi, is also included.
Subject files related to the FBI include information about J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI's wiretapping of King. There are also FBI files that Branch acquired from the agency about individuals, among them Eva Childs, Jack Childs, and Morris Childs, FBI informants who infiltrated Communist organizations, and Gary Thomas Rowe, informant who reported on the Ku Klux Klan. There are also materials relating to the Branch v. FBI court case. While working on Parting the Waters, Branch tried to acquire FBI files through the Freedom of Information and Privacy Act (FOIPA). After experiencing difficulties acquiring FBI files on Stanley Levison, Branch filed suit. Levison's previous Communist ties and his relationship to King are considered by some to be the FBI's justification for wiretapping King.
Also included are files Branch acquired from the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library. These include transcriptions and ntoes from Johnson's telephone conversations and office files of Mildred Stegall, a member of Johnson's staff whose duties included working as a liaison with the FBI. These files concern Communism, civil rights, Martin Luther King, race relations, and SNCC's Stokely Carmichael.
Note that original file folder titles have, for the most part, been retained.
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Series 5. Pictures, 1980s, 1990s,
and undated.
Includes undated pictures that appear to be from the 1980s and 1990s, including publicity pictures of Branch. See other series for copies of pictures considered for Branch's books and personal pictures.
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Series 6. Audio Material, 1958-2005 and undated.
RESTRICTED: Use of audio material may require production of listening copies.
Series 8 contains audio material related to Bill Clinton, but is CLOSED to researchers.
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Subseries 6.1. Interviews by Taylor Branch, 1983-2005.
CLOSED: C-5047/96 and related transcript are not available for research.
RESTRICTED: Use of audio material may require production of listening copies.
Interviews conducted by Taylor Branch with civil rights leaders and experts in the field, including Ralph Abernathy, Harry Belafonte, James Bevel, John Doar, Edward Kennedy, Robert McNamara, Richard Morrisroe, Bob Moses, Silas Norman, Harry Wachtel, and Andrew Young. Also included is an audiocassette of Branch speaking to high school students in Columbia, Md., 29 January 1990. Transcriptions are included for several interviews as listed below (Boxes 148-149). For other interview transcriptions, researchers are encouraged to search the related subject file for individuals in Series 4.