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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 | 15.0 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 7,000 items) |
| Abstract | James McBride Dabbs (1896-1970) was a professor of English at the University of South Carolina and Coker College, Presbyterian churchman, writer, civil rights leader, Penn School Community Services trustee, Southern Regional Council president, and farmer of Mayesville, S.C. He also worked with the South Carolina Council on Human Relations, the Fellowship of Southern Churchmen, the Committee of Southern Churchmen, the Council on Church and Society, and the Delta Ministry. The collection consists of correspondence, writings, subject files, administrative records, and other materials that document Dabbs's professional involvements and interests, including his leadership roles in civil rights councils, religious organizations, and other groups. Almost all of the papers date from 1923 to shortly before Dabbs's death in 1970. Topics include observations on social and political issues of the day (especially in the American South), concerns about racial inequalities and segregation, Dabbs's opposition to the House Committee on Un-American Activities, and Dabbs's own life and religious beliefs. Most writings are drafts are of books, articles, addresses, short stories, poems, and other writings by Dabbs, and most correspondence is between Dabbs and fellow political and religious group members, publishers, and readers of his articles and books. There is light and scattered correspondence with prominent authors, activists, and historians, including Anne Braden, Sarah Patton Boyle, Hodding Carter, Isabel Fiske Conant, Paul Green, Myles Horton, George Mitchell, Eudora Welty, and C. Vann Woodward, among others; some writings by others; and a few photographs of Dabbs's university and church colleagues. |
| Creator | Dabbs, James McBride, 1896-1970. |
| 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
James McBride Dabbs (1896-1970) was a professor of English, Presbyterian churchman, writer, civil rights leader, Penn Community Services trustee, Southern Regional Council president, and farmer of Mayesville, S.C. He also worked with the South Carolina Council on Human Relations, the Fellowship of Southern Churchmen, the Committee of Southern Churchmen, the Council on Church and Society, and the Delta Ministry.
| 1896 | Born 8 May, Mayesville, Sumter County, S.C., son of farmer Eugene Whitefield Dabbs and Maude McBride |
| 1916 | AB, University of South Carolina |
| 1917-1919 | United States Army Field Artillery |
| 1918 | Married, 11 May, to Jesse Clyde Armstrong; children: Maude Elizabeth and Carolyn McBride |
| 1919-1920 | Director, Farm Life School, Vass, N.C. |
| 1921-1924 | Adjunct and later assistant professor, University of South Carolina |
| 1923-1930 | Intermittent graduate work in English, Columbia University |
| 1925-1942 | Professor, English Department, Coker College, Hartsville, S.C. |
| 1933 | Jesse Clyde Armstrong Dabbs died, 6 November |
| 1935 | Married, 11 June, to Edith Wells Mitchell; children: James McBride, Dorothy, Richard Whitefield |
| 1942-1970 | Farmer, writer, and lecturer; lived at Rip Raps Plantation, Mayesville, S.C. |
| 1947-1952 | Chair, South Carolina Council on Human Relations (member, board of directors, 1957-1963) |
| 1955-1963 | President, Southern Regional Council (member, executive committee, 1963-1970) |
| 1957-1963 | Member, executive committee, Fellowship of Southern Churchmen |
| 1964-1970 | Chair, board of trustees, Penn Community Services (member of the board, 1957-1963) |
| 1970 | Died, 30 May, Rip Raps Plantation |
Memberships:
Awards:
Books:
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Scope and Content
The bulk of the papers consists of correspondence, writings, subject files, and administrative records relating to James McBride Dabbs's activities as an English professor, churchman, writer, civil rights leader, Penn Community Services trustee, Southern Regional Council president, and farmer of Mayesville, S.C. Almost all of the papers date from 1923 to shortly before Dabbs's death in 1970. Papers document Dabbs's professional involvements and interests, including his leadership roles in civil rights councils, religious organizations, and other groups. Topics include observations on social and political issues of the day (especially in the American South), concerns about racial inequalities and segregation, Dabbs's opposition to the House Committee on Un-American Activities, and Dabbs's own life and religious beliefs. Most writings are drafts of books, articles, addresses, short stories, poems, and other writings by Dabbs, and most correspondence is between Dabbs and fellow political and religious group members, publishers, and readers of his articles and books. There is light and scattered correspondence with prominent authors, activists, and historians, including Paul Green, Eudora Welty, Anne Braden, Sarah Patton Boyle, Myles Horton, Hodding Carter, Isabel Fiske Conant, C. Vann Woodward, George Mitchell, among others; some writings by others; and a few photographs of Dabbs's university and church colleagues. Note that all letters are not in the correspondence series; some are included in subject files which Dabbs himself created.
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Series Quick Links
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Series 1. Correspondence, 1912-1974.
Arrangement: chronological.
This series is comprised chiefly of letters written to Dabbs about his writings and speaking engagements, his integrationist stance, and his involvement with religious, college, and civil rights groups. Many letters are "fan mail," praising his writings, as well as "hate mail," prompted by Dabbs's civil rights activism and writings in the 1940s-1960s. Responses to Dabbs's public opposition to the House Un-American Activities Committee are included, especially in the 1961 correspondence. There are scattered letters from prominent authors, activists, and historians, including Paul Green, Eudora Welty, Sarah Patton Boyle, Myles Horton, Hodding Carter, Isabel Fiske Conant, C. Vann Woodward, and George Mitchell, among others. These letters include discussions of the lives, writings, and beliefs of these individuals. Letters from pastors and religious leaders are common, as are letters commenting on the treatment of African Americans, especially in the South. There are occasional copies of letters Dabbs wrote to fellow writers, association members, friends, admirers, and groups. Note that letters from members of groups to which Dabbs belonged may also be found in the subject files.
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Series 2. Writings, 1914-1972.
Arrangement: by material type.
This series includes various types of published and unpublished writings by James McBride Dabbs. Drafts of Dabbs's book-length manuscripts, articles, and public addresses constitute the bulk of the writings. Poems, short stories, and plays date from his student and teaching days in the 1920s-1930s. Starting in the mid-1930s, Dabbs devoted his energies to writing non-fiction prose. Also included are Sunday school lessons, book reviews, letters to editors, course notebooks, teaching notes and exams, diary entries, and other writings. For a comprehensive bibliography of Dabbs's published writings, see folders 682-683 of these papers: "James McBride Dabbs: A Life Story," by Thomas L. Johnson.
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Subseries 2.1. Book-length manuscripts.
Arrangement: alphabetical by title.
Drafts or partial drafts of Dabbs's five published books; of his proposed dissertation in English at Columbia University, "The Poetic Experience," which was not accepted; and two unpublished manuscripts, "The Poetry of Life," and "Religious Values in American Life." Correspondence with publishers about most of these works is included in Series 4. Subject files, under their respective titles.
| Folder 36-40 |
Civil Rights in Recent Southern Fiction #03816, Subseries: "2.1. Book-length manuscripts." Folder 36-40Folder 36Folder 37Folder 38Folder 39Folder 40 |
| Folder 41-49 |
Haunted by God #03816, Subseries: "2.1. Book-length manuscripts." Folder 41-49Folder 41Folder 42Folder 43Folder 44Folder 45Folder 46Folder 47Folder 48Folder 49 |
| Folder 50-58 |
"The Poetic Experience" #03816, Subseries: "2.1. Book-length manuscripts." Folder 50-58Folder 50Folder 51Folder 52Folder 53Folder 54Folder 55Folder 56Folder 57Folder 58 |
| Folder 59-67 |
"The Poetry of Life" #03816, Subseries: "2.1. Book-length manuscripts." Folder 59-67Folder 59Folder 60Folder 61Folder 62Folder 63Folder 64Folder 65Folder 66Folder 67 |
| Folder 68-74 |
"Religious Values in American Life" #03816, Subseries: "2.1. Book-length manuscripts." Folder 68-74Folder 68Folder 69Folder 70Folder 71Folder 72Folder 73Folder 74 |
| Folder 75-85 |
The Road Home #03816, Subseries: "2.1. Book-length manuscripts." Folder 75-85Folder 75Folder 76Folder 77Folder 78Folder 79Folder 80Folder 81Folder 82Folder 83Folder 84Folder 85 |
| Folder 86-95 |
Southern Heritage #03816, Subseries: "2.1. Book-length manuscripts." Folder 86-95Folder 86Folder 87Folder 88Folder 89Folder 90Folder 91Folder 92Folder 93Folder 94Folder 95 |
| Folder 96-104 |
Who Speaks for the South? #03816, Subseries: "2.1. Book-length manuscripts." Folder 96-104Folder 96Folder 97Folder 98Folder 99Folder 100Folder 101Folder 102Folder 103Folder 104 |
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Subseries 2.2. Articles and essays.
Arrangement: alphabetical by title.
Articles and essays are chiefly drafts that Dabbs submitted to publishers. There are also scattered outlines and earlier drafts that differ substantially from finished products. Articles are about religion, desegregation, war and peace, southern life, college teaching, and other issues.
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Subseries 2.3. Addresses.
Arrangement: alphabetical by title.
Addresses are transcripts, drafts, outlines, and notes pertaining to speeches made to civic, church, and college groups. Frequent topics include religion, southern life, and desegregation.
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Subseries 2.4. Other writings.
Arrangement: alphabetical by type of writing, then by title or year.
Other writings by James McBride Dabbs include columns, editorials, letters to editors, Sunday school lesson outlines, poems, short stories, plays, book reviews, course notebooks, teaching notes, diary entries, and various fragments. Letters to editors were addressed primarily to South Carolina newspapers, 1935-1968. Through these letters, particularly one in April 1944, Dabbs first made his liberal civil rights stance known. There are also outlines of Sunday school lessons Dabbs delivered to a men's class at the Black River Presbyterian Church in Mayesville, S.C., from 1944 to 1963. Titled paragraphs were probably written in the 1960s as newspaper fillers. Poems were written while Dabbs was in graduate school and during his early years as a college professor and are chiefly final drafts with some notations of journals to which poems were submitted. Plays and short stories appear to have been written during Dabbs's early Coker College days as he experiemented with various forms of writing and actively participated in campus life.
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Series 3. Penn Community Services, 1956-1970.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
This series is comprised chiefly of administrative records of Penn Community Services of Frogmore, S.C. During the 1950s and 1960s, Penn was a center for civil rights debates and conferences and a sponsor of community improvement programs in South Carolina. Dabbs served as a trustee from 1957 to 1970, as chair of the board of trustees from 1964 to 1970, and as chair of the nominating committee. Records include board of trustees correspondence and minutes, financial statements, committee reports, and program development plans and reports. Some of the materials relate to day-to-day operations of Penn Community Services, such as property ownership and personnel actions. Newspaper clippings, press releases, and printed attacks and defenses of Penn and its programs are also included.
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Series 4. Subject files, 1922-1972.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
This series includes correspondence, committee reports, financial records, minutes of organization meetings, research material, newspaper clippings, and printed reports reflecting Dabbs's political, religious, educational, and writing activities. Several folders contain correspondence with publishers about articles, poems, and book-length manuscripts he submitted and with church, college, and civic groups about his addressing their meetings. "Fan mail" and correspondence with publishers about specific books are filed by book title. Organizational records are of the Southern Regional Council, South Carolina Council on Human Relations, Fellowship of Southern Churchmen, Committee of Southern Churchmen, Council on Church and Society, Delta Ministry, and other civic groups to which Dabbs belonged. Research material that Dabbs collected is in files with titles such as "Freedom of Thought in Southern Colleges" (which contains correspondence between Dabbs and professors at southern colleges and universities about the issue of freedom to comment on desegretation events) and "The economic effect of the racial struggle." Most of these subject files were created by Dabbs himself; the remainder were created during the processing of these papers.
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Series 5. Other materials, 1930s-1980s.
This series includes clippings, printed materials, photographs, books about James McBride Dabbs, and other items.
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Items Separated
Processed by: Elaine Kaye Lanning, July 1981
Encoded by: Jessica Sedgwick, March 2009
Diacritics and other special characters have been omitted from this finding aid to facilitate keyword searching in web browsers.
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