Inventory of the William Carroll Lassiter Papers, 1937-1988
Collection Number 4485
Manuscripts Department, University Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Collection Information
- Contact Information:
- Manuscripts Department
- CB#3926, Wilson Library
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Chapel Hill, NC 27514-8890
- Phone: 919/962-1345
- Fax: 919/962-3594
- Email: mss@email.unc.edu
- URL: http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/
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Descriptive Summary
- Repository
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection.
- Creator
- Lassiter, William Carroll, 1909-
- Title
- William Carroll Lassiter Papers, 1937-1988
- Call Number
- 4485
- Language of Materials
- Materials in English
- Extent
-
- Items: About 17,000
- Linear Feet: 60
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Administrative Information
- Restrictions to Access
- This collection has restrictions to access. Please see details below or contact the Manuscripts Department for more information.
- Acquisitions Information
- Received from the School of Journalism, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, in July 1987, and from Willam C. Lassiter of Raleigh, N.C., in August 1987 and June and July 1989.
- Processing Information
- Processed by: David Weber, Roslyn Holdzkom, 1989
- Encoded by: Eben Lehman, February 2007
- Preferred Citation
- [Identification of item], in the William Carroll Lassiter Papers #4485, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
- Copyright Notice
- Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Online Catalog Headings
These and related materials may be found under the following headings in online catalogs.
- Lassiter, William Carroll, 1909-
- Lawyers--North Carolina--History--20th century.
- Libel and slander--North Carolina.
- Lobbying--North Carolina.
- North Carolina Press Association.
- Press law--North Carolina.
- Privacy, Right of--North Carolina.
- Public meetings--Law and legislation--North Carolina.
- Public records--Law and legislation--North Carolina.
- Soldiers--United States--Correspondence.
- United States. Army--Military life--History--20th century.
- World War, 1939-1945--United States.
Biographical Note
William Carroll Lassiter was born in Smithfield, N.C., on 5 March 1909. His father, Thomas James Lassiter, was an editor and co-owner of the Smithfield Herald, half ownership of which upon his sudden death was actively retained by his widow, Rena Bingham Lassiter. William's mother was joined in the family business in 1934 by his younger brother, Thomas James Lassiter Jr., who eventually became primary owner (with William and his mother owning smaller percentages) of the paper, as well as its publisher and editor.
William Lassiter attended Smithfield public schools, and graduated from Duke University with an AB degree in 1930; he remained at the Duke to earn his law degree in 1933. In that same year, he commenced the practice of law in Raleigh, N.C., with Willis Smith and I.M. Bailey.
In 1938, Lassiter became general counsel and chief lobbyist to the state legislature for the North Carolina Press Association, of which his father and brother had, at various times, served as president. In his service as lobbyist, Lassiter was influential in fashioning North Carolina's open meeting law, while his reputation as a libel lawyer, his many published articles, and his outspokenness on issues regarding the First Amendment garnered him national recognition as the state's preeminent authority on newspaper law. Lassiter left lobbying in 1979, but continued to advise the North Carolina Press Association and its member newspapers on legal matters until 1984, even doing so in an unofficial capacity after that date.
Back to TopCollection Overview
The collection includes lawyer William Carroll Lassiter's files relating chiefly to legal cases and to newspaper law; correspondence, notes, and other material relating to lobbying the North Carolina General Assembly; published materials; and other items. Case files contain court papers of many types concerning libel, privacy rights, enforcement of the North Carolina Open Meetings statute, access to public records, and judicial gag orders. Materials relating to Willaim Carroll Lassiter's service in World War II also are included.
Back to TopArrangement of Collection
-
1. Legislative Material
2. Litigation Material
3. Published Material
Additions after 1988
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Detailed Description of the Collection
1. Legislative Material, 1948-1983.
About 4,000 items.
Arrangement: chronological, then by House or Senate proposal.
These materials consist largely of correspondence, business and financial records, notes and memoranda, and copies of the
proposed bills and amendments with Lassiter's critiques thereof, derived from his lobbying in the North Carolina General Assembly
for the North Carolina Press Association.
Box
11955-1969
Box
2-41971-1976
Box
5-61977
Box
7-81978-1979
Box
9Materials relating to open meetings statutes, circa 1971-1983
Box
9aMiscellaneous correspondence, 1948-1983
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2. Litigation Material, 1952-1985.
About 5,000 items.
Arrangement: chronological.
These materials are Lassiter's legal case files. The cases, which he either tried personally or on which he served as a consultant,
reflect his longtime duty as counsel for the North Carolina Press Association and its member newspapers and his professional
interest in First Amendment issues. The cases concern violations of the right of privacy; civil actions for libel; enforcement
of the North Carolina Open Meetings statute; access to public records; and judicial gag orders, which Lassiter characterized
as fair trial versus free press.
The files contain court papers of every type (e.g., complaints, pleadings, motions, orders, and judgments), court records,
legal briefs and memoranda, petitions, and depositions. In the libel case files, the libelous newspaper column leading to
the litigation is often exhibited; for otherwise newsworthy cases, pertinent news material can be found in most files. If
the case spurred Lassiter to comment in his own column, "Law and Press," contributed to the Press Association's monthly The North Carolina Press, a typed draft may be filed. The correspondence, official and personal, derived in each case is included. The final box of
files in this series contains miscellaneous material.
The year on each file is usually the date of the passing of final judgment on the case, whether in Superior, District, Appellate,
or Supreme court (one case involving Lassiter reached the United States Supreme Court). Each file is designated below by its
case title (which normally corresponds to that given to it by Lassiter on the outside of each file), and the files are then
further arranged within each year alphabetically.
Box
10Lanier versus Kinston Free Press Co., 1952
Stanley versus the Smithfield Herald, and Stanley versus C.E. Bingham, 1952
Taylor versus Kinston Free Press Co., 1952
Long and others versus Statesville Daily Record, Inc., 1953
Redwine versus Greenwood, Pou Bailey and Fourteen Newspaper Publishers, 1953
Debnam versus Chapel Hill News Leader, 1957
Hallman versus News and Observer Publishing Co., and Underwood versus News and Observer Publishing Co., 1957
Hallman versus the Pilot, Inc., 1958
Libel claim against Carteret Publishing Co. by Wheatley, 1959
Nowell versus News and Observer Publishing Co., and Nowell versus Hamilton, Daniels and numerous others, 1960
Whorton versus Pamlico Publishing Co., Inc., 1961
Libel claim against Coastland Times by Cannady, 1962
Payton versus Jones, 1962
Cooper versus Asheville Citizen-Times Publishing Co., 1963
A.B.C. Johnson versus Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Co., 1963
Knights of Columbus versus Timby and Bryan, 1963
McFarland, Holliday, Blanding, Brailsford, and Bannerman versus News and Observer Publishing Co., and
Mcfarland, et al. versus Patton, 1963
Harper versus Burlington Times-News Publishing Co., 1965
Fayetteville Publishing Co. versus Cumberland County Hospital Authority, 1967
Box
11United States Department of Labor versus Wilson Daily Times, Inc., and Dickerman, 1968
Kinloch versus News and Observer Publishing Co., 1971
Morris versus Gastonia Gazette, 1971
Arthur versus Belk, 1972
Durham Herald Co. versus City of Durham Board of Adjustment, 1972
High Point Enterprise, Inc. versus Bencini, 1972
Lee versus Multi-Media, Inc., 1972
State of North Carolina versus Boney, 1972
Green and Miller versus Hall and News and Observer Publishing Co., 1973
Mecklenburg County versus Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education, 1973
Greenville Publishing Co. versus Daily Reflector, Inc., et al, 1974
Harper versus Brunswick County Board of Commissioners, 1974
News and Observer Publishing Co., et al versus Coble, North Carolina Secretary of Revnue, 1974
Chatham News Publishing Co. versus Chatham County Board of Commissioners, 1975
Leak versus High Point City Council, 1975
Shinn, Vaughan and Bowers versus Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners, 1975
State of North Carolina versus Furr, 1975
State of North Carolina versus Purdie, 1975
Times-News Publishing Co. versus Walker, 1975
Williams versus Bradley, 1975
Box
12Coe versus Good and Elkin Tribune, Inc., 1976
Sun Journal, Inc. versus City of New Bern Redevelopment Commission, (Gunkel versus Kimbrell, et al.), 1976
McCoy versus Sun Journal, Inc., 1976
News and Observer Publishing Co. versus Wake County Interim Board of Education, 1976
Walters versus Sanford Herald, Inc., 1976
Greensboro News Co. versus Guilford County Commissioners, 1977
League of Women Voters of Jackson County versus Jackson County Commissioners, 1977
News and Observer Publishing Co., et al. versus Interim Board of Education for Wake County, 1977
State of North Carolina versus Pritchard, 1977
Daly versus Havelock Progress Publishing Co., and Wilson versus Havelock Progress Publishing Co., 1978
Idol versus Carver, Trustees of Piedmont Technical Institute, Horton and Riley, 1978
Knight Publishing Co. d/b/a Charlotte Observer, et al. versus Board of Medical Examiners of State of North Carolina, 1978
Madison versus Holder, 1978
Piedmont Publishing Co., et al. versus Tropman, North Carolina Commissioner of Banks, 1978
State of North Carolina versus Priscilla and Bernard Hopchas, 1978
Student Bar Association Board of Governors versus University of North Carolina, 1978
Weathers and Shelby Daily Star versus City of Shelby Alcoholic Beverage Control Board and its Members, 1978
Box
13Bazemore versus Lewis (Union News and Home), 1979 Brown versus Boney (Alamance News), 1979
Caldwell versus Times Mirror Magazines, Inc., et al., 1980
Hall versus Piedmont Publishing Co., 1980
Advanced Publishing Inc. versus City of Elizabeth City, 1981
Bright versus Bolden, 1981
Courier-Times Inc. versus City of Roxboro, 1981
Fayetteville Publishing Co. versus Griffin, 1981
Goodman versus Knight Publishing Co., 1981
Hopper versus Shelby Daily Star, 1981
Martin versus Hickory Publishing Co., 1981
Box
14Hudson versus New and Observer Publishing Co., 1982
News and Observer Publishing Co. versus Wake County Hospital System, Inc., 1982
Sun-Journal Inc. versus Craven County Hospital, 1982
Taylor versus Greensboro News Co., 1982
Durham Herald Co. versus Hillsborough Town Board, 1983
Renwick versus News and Observer Publishing Co., 1984
Reid versus Durham Herald Co., 1985
Box
15Miscellaneous, 1953-1987
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3. Published Material, 1958-1985.
About 1,500 items.
Case summaries from various published Reporters, an assortment of periodicals and books, and a residue of miscellaneous items. The case summaries reflect Lassiter's regard
for the First Amendment; they cover cases involving libel, privacy, public records, open meetings, freedom of speech versus
the right to a fair trial, and any others that would concern one who is a defender of the press. Noteworthy among the periodicals
are complete sets of some volumes of the North Carolina Press Association's monthly, The North Carolina Press, in addition to a large amount of unorganized issues that might constitute more whole volumes. The books mostly address newspaper
and media law, although a few general law texts are included, in addition to a set containing briefs of landmark constitutional
cases.
Box
16-18The North Carolina Press
Box
18-19Assorted periodicals
Box
20-26Case Summaries Extracted from Published Reporters
Box
26Miscellaneous Loose Material
Box
27-29Books
Box
30"Law and Press" articles, 1951-1986, with index prepared by Lassiter
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Additions after 1988.
Addition of July 1989 (Acc. 89087).
Information in quotation marks is from captions supplied by William Carroll Lassiter.
Letters to his mother of William Carroll Lassiter while serving in the United States Navy during World War II, 1945. Also
included are maps, photographs, and other items from this period.
"Charges against Thomas E. Boney, editor and publisher of the Alamance News, of criminal trespass for going upon public school facilities and taking pictures during a racial disturbance at the school
(October 1971)."
"Opinions of William Carroll Lassiter, city attorney of the city of Raleigh, N.C. (1947-1951)," with an index and a report of accomplishments of the city attorney's office during this period.
"Correspondence between William Carroll Lassiter and Wyoming Supreme Court Justice Walter Urbigket about alleged newly created
word: conclusory."
"Gag order entered in matter of North Carolina attorney general's investigation into corporate affairs of Southern Bell."
"In the matter of Gary Martin, Kermit Hull, and Jay Hampton (Gastonia Gazette reporters/ photographers)--contempt of court proceedings."
"Miscellaneous matters relating to legal status of newspaper carriers handled by William Carroll Lassiter," including cases in 1937 and 1938.
"North Carolina Open Meetings Law--solution to problems by letter to Public Board members from publisher."
"Public access to public records--police investigative memoranda and reports."
"Files on various subjects of newspaper law, containing copies of letters to members of NCPA, memoranda, court decisions, and
other materials."
An index, prepared by William Carroll Lassiter, follows.
Box
32A1-A20
Box
33A21-C20
Box
34C21-D15
Box
35E1-F1a
Box
36F1b-J1
Box
37K1-O2
Box
38P1-X1
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Addition of June 1989 (Acc. 89073).
Box
39Open meetings law materials, 1953
Miscellaneous short writings (chiefly articles and speeches, 1939-1988).
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