Timeline extended for launch of Wilson Library facilities work.

Collection Number: 04770

Collection Title: J. Carlyle Sitterson Papers, 1930s-1999s

This collection has access restrictions. For details, please see the restrictions.

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 Duplication Policy section for more information.


expand/collapse Expand/collapse Collection Overview

Size 25.5 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 15000 items)
Abstract J. Carlyle Sitterson (1911-1995) was born in Kinston, N.C. He received his B.A. from the University of North Carolina in 1931 and began teaching history at UNC in 1935 while completing his Ph. D. In 1955, Sitterson became dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, and, in 1965, he was appointed vice-chancellor. Serving as chancellor from 1966 to 1971, he steered the University through major desegregation efforts, anti- Vietnamese War protests, and general campus unrest while reorganizing the administration to reflect the needs of a modern university. Through all of his administrative work, Sitterson continued to teach history, moving from his specialty in United States economic history to 20th-century United States history; he retired as William Rand Kenan Professor of History in 1981. Sitterson married Nancy Howard in 1944; the couple had three children: Joseph Carlyle, Jr.; Mary Howard, who married Eric Calhoun; and Curtis Howard. Sitterson died 19 May 1995. Papers, 1930s-1990s, reflecting Sitterson's activities at the University of North Carolina, his professional activities within the community of historians, and work with other groups. Included are general office files containing correspondence, publications, calendars, and other materials and several boxes of notes and other items relating to classes that Sitterson taught. Also included are a considerable number of documents relating to Sitterson's work with other groups, particularly the Research Triangle Institute and the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT), for which he served as board chair. NCCAT was organized in 1984 to promote excellence in teaching by offering outstanding teachers opportunities to study advanced topics in the sciences, arts, and humanities. Family papers include 19th-century correspondence and court and legal records from Sitterson's ancestors in Williamson, N.C., as well as Sitterson's own family correspondence and personal papers.
Creator Sitterson, J. Carlyle (Joseph Carlyle), 1911-
Curatorial Unit University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection.
Language English
Back to Top

expand/collapse Expand/collapse Information For Users

Restrictions to Access
UNPROCESSED, but screened; researchers may require extra help to use effectively.
This collection contains additional materials that are not available for immediate or same day access. This collection contains additional unprocessed materials that are currently not available to researchers. For information about access to these materials, contact Research and Instructional Services staff at wilsonlibrary@unc.edu. Please be advised that preparing unprocessed materials for access can be a lengthy process.
Access to moving image materials may require production of viewing copies copies.
Copyright Notice
Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], in the J. Carlyle Sitterson papers #4770, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Acquisitions Information
Received from Nancy Howard Sitterson in August 1995 (Acc. 95112) and May 1997 (Acc. 97064).
Received from Mrs. J. Carlyle Sitterson in May 1997.
Moving image film transferred from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Library, North Carolina Collection in September 2010 (Acc. 101347).
Sensitive Materials Statement
Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, the North Carolina Public Records Act (N.C.G.S. § 132 1 et seq.), and Article 7 of the North Carolina State Personnel Act (Privacy of State Employee Personnel Records, N.C.G.S. § 126-22 et seq.). Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill assumes no responsibility.
Back to Top

expand/collapse Expand/collapse Processing Information

Processed by: Roslyn Holdzkom, August 1995; Adera Scheinker, October 1997

Encoded by: ByteManagers Inc., 2008

Updated by: Anne Wells and Melanie Meents, September 2021

Back to Top

expand/collapse Expand/collapse 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.

Back to Top

expand/collapse Expand/collapse Related Collections

Back to Top

expand/collapse Expand/collapse Biographical Information

J. Carlyle Sitterson (1911-1995) was born in Kinston, N.C. He received his B.A. from the University of North Carolina in 1931 and began teaching history at UNC in 1935 while completing his Ph. D. In 1955, Sitterson became dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, and, in 1965, he was appointed vice-chancellor. Serving as chancellor from 1966 to 1971, he steered the University through major desegregation efforts, anti- Vietnamese War protests, and general campus unrest while reorganizing the administration to reflect the needs of a modern university. Through all of his administrative work, Sitterson continued to teach history, moving from his specialty in United States economic history to 20th-century United States history; he retired as William Rand Kenan Professor of History in 1981. Sitterson married Nancy Howard in 1944; the couple had three children: Joseph Carlyle, Jr.; Mary Howard, who married Eric Calhoun; and Curtis Howard. Sitterson died 19 May 1995.

Back to Top

expand/collapse Expand/collapse Scope and Content

Materials have been roughly sorted into office files, which include items relating to the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching, the Research Triangle Institute, and other groups with which Sitterson was associated, and teaching materials.

Personal records of J. Carlyle Sitterson. Included is 19th-century correspondence and court and legal records of Sitterson's ancestors of Williamston, N.C. Also included are materials, 1933-1995, of Sitterson, including personal documents and letters and cards relating to personal and family matters. Materials from 1995 are primarily concerned with the death of Lyle Sitterson. There are also awards and certificates of J. Carlyle Sitterson, newspaper clippings about family members, a 1971 inventory of items at the UNC-CH chancellor's residence, and records, 1967-1971, of University expenses. There are also photographs of the inventory of the Sitterson's home, miscellaneous family photographs, and a motion picture film of a 1960s WUNC-TV recording titled "J. Carlyle Sitterson Day".

Back to Top

Contents list

expand/collapse Expand/collapse Series Quick Links

expand/collapse Expand/collapse J. Carlyle Sitterson Papers, 1930s-1999s.

Box 1-9

Box 1

Box 2

Box 3

Box 4

Box 5

Box 6

Box 7

Box 8

Box 9

Office files

Box 10-12

Box 10

Box 11

Box 12

Teaching materials

Back to Top

expand/collapse Expand/collapse Addition of May 1997 (Acc. 97064).

Box 13

1800-1964

Box 14

1965-1975

Box 15

1976-1990

Box 16

1995

Box 17

Undated correspondence, clippings, inventories, expenses

Also includes a WUNC-TV transfer order form found with motion picture film "WUNC-TV, "J. Carlyle Sitterson Day", 16 June 1966" (F-4770/1).

Image Folder 1

Inventory photographs

Image Folder 2

Family photographs

Back to Top

expand/collapse Expand/collapse Addition of September 2010 (Acc. 101347).

Processing information: Title compiled from label on original film can and corresponding WUNC-TV transfer order form found with motion picture film. Corresponding order form resides in box 17.

Film F-4770/1

WUNC-TV, "J. Carlyle Sitterson Day", 16 June 1966

16mm motion picture film

Corresponding WUNC-TV transfer order form notes that this item is a kinescope transfer from videotape.

Back to Top

expand/collapse Expand/collapse Items Separated

Back to Top