Manuscripts Department
Library of the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill
SOUTHERN HISTORICAL COLLECTION
#4460
WALTER FRANK TAYLOR PAPERS
Inventory
Abstract: Walter Frank Taylor (1889-1977) was a lawyer;
member of the North Carolina Senate, 1921; member of
the North Carolina House of Representatives,
1939-1951; and member of the University of North
Carolina Board of Trustees, 1915-1971.
Materials, 1958-1973, relating to Taylor's service
on the Board of Trustees of the University of North
Carolina, including files concerning the Speaker Ban
episode of 1965 and restructuring the board in the
1960s; files concerning Taylor's involvements in the
North Carolina General Assembly and some of his other
political activities; and a few other items.
Online Catalog Terms:
Academic freedom--North Carolina.
College trustees--North Carolina--History--20th century.
Legislators--North Carolina--History.
North Carolina--Politics and government--1951- .
North Carolina. General Assembly. House--History.
North Carolina. General Assembly. Senate--History.
North Carolina. General Assembly. Speaker ban law.
Taylor, Walter Frank, 1889-1977.
University of North Carolina (1793-1962). Board of Trustees.
University of North Carolina (System)--Administration.
University of North Carolina (system). Board of Trustees.
University and colleges--North Carolina--Administration.
Size: About 1,200 items (1.5 linear feet).
Provenance: Received from Mrs. W. Frank Taylor of Goldsboro,
N.C., in July and December 1986 and from Mrs.
Taylor through Betsey Baldridge in November 1988.
Related Collection: See THOMAS JACKSON WHITE, JR., #4231, for
additional material concerning the Speaker
Ban Law.
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:
Biographical Note
Series Descriptions
Series 1. University of North Carolina Material
Subseries 1.1. Board of Trustees
Subseries 1.2. Other Papers
Series 2. North Carolina Politics
Series 3. Other Papers
Shelf List
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Walter Frank Taylor was born 4 April 1889, in Duplin County,
North Carolina. He was educated at the University of North
Carolina, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in 1911, followed by a law
degree in 1914. He was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate and a member of
the Order of the Golden Fleece, Phi Society, and Tau Kappa.
Taylor began practicing law in a Goldsboro firm in 1914.
Later, as a partner, Taylor built the firm into one of North
Carolina's most respected firms - Taylor, Allen, Warren, and
Kerr. He served on the North Carolina Board of Law Examiners and
was president of the North Carolina Bar Association.
Taylor was also actively involved in North Carolina politics.
In 1921, he served as a Democrat in the North Carolina State
Senate, representing District 8, Wayne County. From 1933-1938 he
was a member of the Goldsboro Board of Aldermen. He represented
Wayne County from 1939 to 1951 in the North Carolina House of
Representatives, and in 1951 he was elected speaker of the North
Carolina House. Taylor was the legislative counsel to Governor
William B. Umstead from 1953 to 1954.
In addition to his interest in state politics, Taylor was
deeply committed to the University of North Carolina. He served
on the Board of Trustees of the University from 1915 until the
University was consolidated in 1931. He then served on the
Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of the consolidated
University until its reorganization in 1971. In 1972, he was
named to the Institutional Board, an interim board of trustees of
the Chapel Hill branch of the University, and served from July
1972 until July 1973. Taylor died 28 September 1977.
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
Series 1. University of North Carolina Material
1938-1974. About 400 items.
Subseries 1.1. Board of Trustees
1938-1971. About 325 items.
Correspondence, reports, clippings, and memos relating to
Taylor's tenure on the Board of Trustees. Executive Committee
files include material concerning the Speaker Ban Law, and Hodges
Report materials document the restructuring of the Board of
Trustees.
Folder 1 General, 1972-1973
2-10 Executive Committee, 1958-1971
11 Executive Committee, Speaker Ban Law, 1965
12 Hodges Report, 1966-1967
13-15 Nominating Committee, 1963-1968
Subseries 1.2. Other Papers
1950-1974. About 73 items.
Correspondence and reports pertaining to Taylor's tenure on
the selection committee of the John Motley Morehead Foundation
and the Board of Directors of the Medical Foundation of North
Carolina, Inc.
Folder 16-18 John Motley Morehead Foundation, 1952-1974
19 Medical Foundation of North Carolina, 1950-1970
Series 2. North Carolina Politics
1921-1977. About 500 items.
Arrangement: Chronological (roughly sorted)
Correspondence, reports, clippings, and other material
concerning Taylor's public career in the North Carolina General
Assembly as a member of the House of Representatives and the
Senate. Also included are items related to his service as a
member of the North Carolina Constitutional Commission, 1958, and
his service as a consultant to the General Assembly and various
governors.
Folder 20 Senate, 1921
21 General Assembly, 1943-1949
22-28 General Assembly, 1950-1952
29-30 Constitutional Commission, 1958
31 General Assembly, 1965-1967
32 General Assembly, 1971 (1939 Reunion)
33-35 Clippings, 1947-1977
Series 3. Other Papers
1913-1977. About 20 items.
Certificates, correspondence, and obituaries documenting
Taylor's involvement in various political, professional, and
civic organizations.
Folder 36
SHELF LIST
Box 1. (only)