John Tyler Caldwell Papers 1893-1996

John Tyler Caldwell was born in Yazoo City, Mississippi, on December 11, 1911. He earned a bachelor of science degree from Mississippi State College (1932), master's degrees from Duke University (1936) and Columbia University (1937), and a doctoral degree in political science from Princeton University (1939) as a Julius Rosenwald Fellow. A political science instructor, Caldwell taught at Holmes Junior College from 1932 to 1936 and at Vanderbilt University from 1939 to 1947. He entered the United States Navy as an Ensign in 1942, eventually earning a Bronze Star Medal for his service in Okinawa. During this time, Caldwell was married to Helen Prentice from 1942 to 1945. In 1946, he left the Navy with the rank of Lt. Commander. At Vanderbilt he met Catherine Wadsworth Zeek. They married in May 1947. That same year, Alabama College (now the University of Montevallo) selected Caldwell as their president (1947-1952). He served as President of the University of Arkansas from 1952 to 1959. He then accepted the Chancellorship at North Carolina State College (later North Carolina State University), a position he held from 1959 to 1975.

Chancellor Caldwell married Carol Schroeder Erskine in June 1963, two years after the death of his second wife, Catherine Zeek Caldwell. As chancellor, Caldwell oversaw the expansion of North Carolina State from a college to a Class I research university. His reputation as an effective administrator gained both state and national recognition because of his effective handling of volatile issues and events, such as the university's controversial name changes and student protests over civil rights and the Vietnam War. After retiring, Caldwell taught political science and education courses at North Carolina State University until 1985, and was president of the Triangle Universities Center for Advanced Studies, Inc. (1975-1982).

In 1976, NC State University named its most prestigious merit-based scholarships in Caldwell's honor, the John T. Caldwell Merit Scholarships. In 1988, Caldwell accepted the interim presidency of the Research Triangle Foundation. A popular orator, Caldwell continually gave speeches for various organizations and causes. He received numerous awards, including the Watauga Medal in 1986, the North Carolina Award in 1987, and the University of North Carolina Board of Governor's University Award in 1989.

Caldwell died on October 13, 1995.

The majority of the John Tyler Caldwell papers document his extensive public life. These papers reflect the various roles and challenges Caldwell faced as a political science professor, president of Alabama College, president of the University of Arkansas and chancellor of North Carolina State University. The collection demonstrates Caldwell's role as "chief architect in the development of NC State University as a comprehensive and internationally acclaimed institution of higher education" through its Administrative and Correspondence files. A member of many committees and organizations, Caldwell's public life extended beyond the borders of the university into the surrounding community. Conference and reference files reflect issues which affected the South and the nation. Correspondence, memoranda, newspaper clippings, articles, artifacts, speeches, lectures, travels and photographs chronicle a life rarely out of the public eye.

A limited portion of Caldwell's private life is represented in these papers. Biographical material exists, but not in abundance. Addended material concentrates on Caldwell's service in the United States Naval Reserves during World War II, particularly in Okinawa. Located in the Personal files, these documents reveal United States policies toward Okinawa and Caldwell's role in the transfer of political power back to the Okinawans after the war. Other documents focus on administrative aspects of estates of friends and family. Other topics include Caldwell's involvement in the First Church of Christ, Scientist, and an article on his political views regarding John F. Kennedy. Correspondence, photographs, articles, and newspaper clippings are included.

The John Tyler Caldwell Papers are divided into ten series: Administrative Files; Correspondence; Personal Files; Speeches; Lectures; Thesis and Dissertation; Travels; Reference Files; Artifacts; and Unprocessed Material.

The nature of the NC State University Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NC State University Libraries claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials.

The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.

This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. 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 North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.

[Identification of item], John Tyler Caldwell Papers, MC 00037, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC

• John T. Caldwell Biographical File, UA 050.003.10
• North Carolina State University. Office of the Chancellor. John Tyler Caldwell Records ,UA 002.001.004

Transfer from Alumni Affairs Office on July 3, 1969; Gift from Dr. John T. Caldwell on June 27, 1975; January 7, 1976; October 14, 1976; and March 5, 1981; Transfer from D.H. Hill Library on February 2, 1970 and December 31, 1984; Gift from Mrs. John T. Caldwell on February 2, 1996 and July 24, 1996.

Processed by: Maurice Toler; machine-readable finding aid created by: Dawne E. Howard; Updated by Aaron Cusick; addition processed and finding aid updated by Shima Hosseininsab, 2021 June.