Manuscripts Department
Library of the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill
SOUTHERN HISTORICAL COLLECTION
#4491
NORTH CAROLINIANS FOR THE FREEZE RECORDS
Inventory
Abstract: North Carolinians for the Freeze, a coalition
organized in 1982 as a citizens's group advocating a
mutual, verifiable nuclear weapons freeze between the
United States and the Soviet Union. The group's main
activity was the campaign for a freeze resolution in
the 1983 session of the N.C. Genreal Assembly. The
resolution narrowly failed.
Office files of the North Carolinians for the
Freeze documenting the organization of a state-wide
network to lobby for the N.C. General Assembly freeze
resolution, with some material relating to the
campaign for the city council of Raleigh, N.C., to
pass a "Peace Initiative" ordinance.
Online Catalog Terms:
Antinuclear movement--North Carolina.
Lobbying--North Carolina.
North Carolina--Politics and government--1951- .
North Carolinians for the Freeze;
Peace movements--North Carolina.
Raleigh (N.C.)--Politics and government.
Size: About 800 items (1.0 feet)
Provenance: Received from Cyrus B. King of Raleigh, North
Carolina, in August 1987.
Access: No restrictions.
Copyright: Retained by the authors of items in these papers, or
their descendants, as stipulated by United States
copyright law.
Table of Contents:
Historical Note
Description
Shelf List
HISTORICAL NOTE
North Carolinians for the Freeze was organized in the fall of
1982 as a citizens' group advocating a mutual, verifiable nuclear
weapons freeze between the United States and the Soviet Union.
NCF was a loose coalition of freeze groups and individuals from
across the state who worked together to promote awareness of the
freeze issue and to encourage the introduction and passage of a
freeze resolution in the 1983 session of the North Carolina
General Assembly.
The group was based in Raleigh, in office space donated by
Common Cause. Dale M. Evarts of the Raleigh Peace Initiative was
hired as general coordinator. Evarts had been active in the 1982
drive that resulted in the Raleigh City Council's adoption of an
ordinance requiring the city manager to petition the president
annually for a nuclear arms freeze. In addition to Common Cause,
NCF received support from the American Friends Service Committee,
SANE, the War Resisters' League, and other groups.
NCF was instrumental in lobbying for the freeze resolution
that was introduced in the North Carolina General Assembly on 16
February 1983 by Representative H. Parks Helms (D-Mecklenburg)
and Senator William G. Hancock, Jr. (D-Durham). The House
resolution was passed on 4 March, but a joint resolution,
designed to put both houses on record as favoring the freeze,
eventually went down in defeat in the Senate, even though
twenty-four of the fifty state senators were listed as sponsors.
It was widely reported that the intervention of anti-freeze Lt.
Governor James C. Green was the primary cause of the resolution's
failure.
NCF was officially disbanded in January 1985, although
activity had stopped, for the most part, after the freeze
resolution's demise.
DESCRIPTION
Files, 1982-1985, from the office of North Carolinians for
the Freeze. Most files retain the titles assigned by NCF staff;
a few titles have been changed to clarify contents. Of interest
is the set of notes marked "Background" in the publicity file,
which documents some of the history of the organization and its
activities.
Folders 1-2 Clippings
3 Conferences, Receptions
4 Congressional District Correspondence
5 Congressional District Lists
6 County Contacts
7-8 Endorsements
9 Financial - Fundraising
10 - General
11 - Receipts
12 Handouts
13 Mailing Lists
14 Miscellaneous
North Carolina General Assembly
15 Correspondence
16 Freeze Opinion Survey - House
17 Freeze Opinion Survey - Senate
18 Lists of Contacts - House
19 Lists of Contacts - Senate
20 Resolutions
21 Outreach
22 Press Releases
23 Publicity
24 Staff and Volunteers
25 Steering Committee Notes
SHELF LIST
Box 1 (only)