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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 | 9.0 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 6600 items) |
| Abstract | Darley Hiden Ramsey of Asheville, N.C., was a newspaper editor, public speaker, city and state official, member of educational boards, writer, and sportsman. The collection includes correspondence, speeches, and writings of Ramsey, including more than 200 manuscript speeches on a wide variety of subjects and occasions and 30 essays and articles on public issues and events. Correspondence is with politicians, businessmen, educators, writers, and conservationists concerning the North Carolina Democratic Party and the civic life, economic development, and history of the North Carolina mountain region. Correspondents included Emily Bridgers, Oliver Max Gardner, Josiah William Bailey, Clyde Roark Hoey, Robert F. Campbell, John Temple Graves, Richard Heath Dabney, Virginius Dabney, Hoyt M. Dobbs, Josephus Daniels, Jonathan Daniels, Josh L. Horne, Glenn Tucker, and Wilma Dykeman. The bulk of the papers are 1940-1965, although the speeches date back to 1912. Also included are materials pertaining to the Asheville municipal government in the early 20th century, personal recollections concerning Thomas Wolfe and Woodrow Wilson, and information on the death of Elisha Mitchell. |
| Creator | Ramsey, D. Hiden (Darley Hiden), 1891-1966. |
| 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
Darley Hiden Ramsey, son of Simeon Clay and Lucy (Pinckard) Ramsey, was born in Gretna, Va., in 1891. In 1903, his family moved to Asheville, N.C., to the same neighborhood as Thomas Wolfe. Ramsey received two degrees from the University of Virginia, an A.B. (1912) and an M.A. (1913) in economics. He also pursued a year of doctoral studies as Supply Professor of Economics.
In 1915, Ramsey was elected Commissioner of Public Safety of Asheville and served a year in the same capacity in Winston-Salem after his term expired in 1919. In 1920, he joined the Asheville press as associate editor of the Citizen, and was successively editor of the Asheville Times, 1921-1926; general manager of the Times, 1926-1930; and general manager of the Citizen-Times Company, 1930-1954.
Ramsey was actively connected with public education during most of his career. He served as chairman of the board of trustees of Western Carolina College; a member of the State Board of Education, 1945-1953; and on the first Board of Higher Education, 1955-1960. Among other civic posts he held were president of the North Carolina Conference for Social Service, 1923-1924; chairman of the State Planning Board, 1944-1945; president of the North Carolina Press Association and director of the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association; chairman of the Buncombe County Sinking Fund Commission, the clean-up operation in the wake of the Asheville-Buncombe County financial default; treasurer of the School of Journalism Foundation of North Carolina, 1949-1953; director of the North Carolina Forestry Association; and director of the James G. K. McClure Education and Development Fund (Farmers Federation Fund), which engaged in health, educational, and religious philanthropies in Western North Carolina.
Ramsey was often urged by his correspondents and by editors in the state press to become a candidate for governor. He never sought public office after 1919, but was influential in the state Democratic Party through keynote addresses, writing party platforms, and campaigning for governors. He was a presidential elector in 1940 and 1960.
Ramsey was much in demand as a speaker for commencements, elections campaigns, radio broadcasts, memorials, dedications, and other civic occasions. Besides editorials, he frequently wrote magazine articles on journalism, education, conservation, Western North Carolina history, and other topics.
Ramsey married Mary Sumner in 1926. He was made Doctor of Laws by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Doctor of Letters by Western Carolina College.
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Scope and Content
The collection consists primarily of correspondence, both to and from Ramsey, and speeches between the years 1940 and 1965. Correspondence includes many letters relating to organizational affiliations. Speeches include addresses for commencements, campaigns, and political and civic occasions. Papers from the Board of Education, the Board of Higher Education, and the Foundation of Journalism are separated into different series. Subject files include papers other than correspondence that touch on many of the subjects discussed in letters. Clippings include articles by and about Ramsey.
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Series Quick Links
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Series 1. Correspondence, 1914-1966.
Arrangement: chronological.
Personal, business, and political correspondence often relating to the many positions he held throughout his career in journalism and politics. Political and business correspondents include Emily Bridgers, Oliver Max Gardner, Josiah William Bailey, Clyde Roark Hoey, Robert F. Campbell, John Temple Graves, Richard Heath Dabney, Virginius Dabney, Hoyt M. Dobbs, Josephus Daniels, Jonathan Daniels, Josh L. Horne, Glenn Tucker, and Wilma Dykeman. Personal correspondence is mainly with friends with whom Ramsey went fishing and hunting yearly.
Some letters deal with projects on the preservation of monuments in Western North Carolina; mounting a portrait of Frank Graham; and scholarship programs, such as Rhodes and Markle. In 1935, Ramsey corresponded with Emily Norfleet and discussed his childhood memories of his neighbor, Thomas Wolfe. From 1939 to 1946, Ramsey received lengthy letters from Edward Astley describing World War II and its repercussions in England. In 1954, Ramsey helped to nominate Reuben B. Robertson for an award on forest conservation. Race relations are discussed primarily from 1942 to 1949.
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Series 2. Writings, 1912-1965.
Arrangement: chronological.
Speeches and articles written by Ramsey. A few speeches were apparently written for other people. Most speeches and articles are typewritten, but some are in note form. Miscellaneous notes for speeches or articles are filed at the end of articles series.
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Subseries 2.1. Speeches, 1912-1965.
Arrangement: chronological.
Speeches by Ramsey on the newspaper business, politics, education, political leaders, and other topics. Some of the speeches were for delivery at memorial occasions and commencements.
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Subseries 2.2. Articles, 1910-1965.
Arrangement: chronological.
Articles and writings by D. Hiden Ramsey; some may originally have been intended as articles for the Asheville Citizen or other publications or as speeches. Included are notes in preparation for articles and speeches, many fragmentary.
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Series 3. Other Papers, 1948-1965.
Correspondence and other materials pertaining to Ramsey's positions on the Board of Education, the North Carolina Board of Higher Education, and the School of Journalism Foundation. Subject files include papers on other organizations with which Ramsey was affiliated.
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Subseries 3.1. Education, 1948-1966.
Arrangement: chronological.
Correspondence and other Papers, primarily reports and tables, concerning Ramsey's position on the Board of Education, 1948-1966, and the North Carolina Board of Higher Learning. The two main topics are the State Insurance Fund and adequate housing for college students. Some material pertains to integration and other problems of education in North Carolina and the South.
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Subseries 3.2. Journalism, 1949-1953.
Arrangement: chronological.
Letters, financial materials, and other business papers of the School of Journalism Foundation of North Carolina, Inc. Ramsey served as treasurer of the Foundation from 1949 until 1953. During that time, he handled the finances of the Foundation, including donations.
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Subseries 3.3. Subject Files, 1930-1965.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Reports and other information pertaining to various topics and organizations of interests to Ramsey. The "Historical Letters and Information" file includes copies of a letter by Zebulon Vance, information about Vance's death, and an account of finding the body of University of North Carolina professor Elisha Mitchell.
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Series 4. Clippings, 1911-1966.
Arrangement: chronological.
Mainly newspaper clippings of editorials by Ramsey or articles about Ramsey.
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Series 5. Volumes, 1911-1940.
Arrangement: chronological.
Primarily scrapbooks of newspaper clippings about Ramsey.
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Series 6. Pictures, 1963-1965.
| Image P-3805/1 |
Photograph of Alfred E. Smith. #03805, Series: "6. Pictures, 1963-1965." P-3805/1 |
| Image P-3805/2-5 |
Photographs of D. Hiden Ramsey with groups of people. #03805, Series: "6. Pictures, 1963-1965." P-3805/2-5P-3805/2P-3805/3P-3805/4P-3805/5 |
| Image P-3805/6-10 |
Photographs of groups of people associated with the Cradle of Forestry in America, 1963. #03805, Series: "6. Pictures, 1963-1965." P-3805/6-10P-3805/6P-3805/7P-3805/8P-3805/9P-3805/10 |
| Image P-3805/11-17 |
Photographs of the Laurence Ellis Mansfield Library at the Oriskany Club, Canada, circa 1961. #03805, Series: "6. Pictures, 1963-1965." P-3805/11-17P-3805/11P-3805/12P-3805/13P-3805/14P-3805/15P-3805/16P-3805/17 |
| Image P-3805/18 |
Picture of mural "Industrial Awakening." #03805, Series: "6. Pictures, 1963-1965." P-3805/18 |
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Items Separated
Processed by: Suzanne Ruffing, March 1996
Encoded by: ByteManagers Inc., 2008
This collection was processed with support from the Randleigh Foundation Trust.
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