Collection is open for research; access requires at least 48 hours advance notice.
The collection consists of mounted photographs and various artifacts brought together for the 2001 North Carolina State University exhibit "The Sodfather: A Friend of Agriculture in North Carolina" highlighting the career of James A. Graham (1921- ), who was North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture from 1964 until 2000.
James A. Graham served as the North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture from 1964 until 2000. In this capacity, he emerged as a national figure, holding the presidency at various times of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, the Southern Association of State Departments of Agriculture, and the Southern United States Trade Association.
James Allen Graham (April 27, 1921–November 20, 2003), universally known as Jim Graham, served as the North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture from 1964 until 2000. In this capacity, he emerged as a national figure, holding the presidency at various times of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, the Southern Association of State Departments of Agriculture, and the Southern United States Trade Association.
Jim Graham was born in Cleveland, North Carolina. He grew up on a 250-acre farm where his family raised cattle and grew cotton and grain. Graham attended North Carolina State (then called State College) and graduated with a degree in agricultural education in 1942. After graduation he worked as a teacher in the Celeste Henkle School in Iredell County, having been disqualified for military service because of vision problems. He taught for several years before embarking on his career with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, accepting a job running a test farm in Ashe County. There he worked on experiments related to raising beef cattle and sheep. Subsequently, he managed the Dixie Classic Fair in Winston-Salem and the Farmers Market in Raleigh.
In 1964, then-governor Terry Sanford appointed Graham to fill the unexpired term of L. Y. "Stag" Ballentine, who died while in office as North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture. From that point Graham was elected to that office every four years until he retired in 2000. He has become, with thirty-six years in office, the longest serving commissioner of agriculture in the United States. In this capacity, he emerged as a national figure, holding the presidency at various times of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, the Southern Association of State Departments of Agriculture, and the Southern United States Trade Association.
The collection consists of mounted photographs and artifacts pertaining to the life and career of James A. Graham (1921-2003). The materials in this collection were originally assembled for an exhibit entitled "The Sodfather: A Friend of Agriculture in North Carolina," which was shown in the lobby of D.H. Hill Library at North Carolina State University from 5 January 2001 to 4 April 2001. Of particular interest are the photographs in the timeline subseries which depict a history of agriculture in North Carolina during Graham's thirty-six years in office, and the humor subseries, which portray the offbeat and idiosyncratic nature which made Graham a beloved public figure in North Carolina and beyond. Also of interest is Graham's corduroy fedora affixed with donkey ears which he was often seen wearing at public occasions.
The collection is divided into two series:
The NC State University Libraries generally claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. Libraries staff are unable to advise on copyright and other legal matters; the user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Helpful resources for assessing copyright include Cornell Libraries' "Copyright Services: Copyright Term and the Public Domain" and copyright.gov. This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information about identifiable living individuals, which may be protected under federal or state laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that there may be legal ramifications for disclosing this information.
The University Archives operates in accordance with the State Public Records Act, with unrestricted access to records not covered by state and federal statutes and regulations.
[Identification of item], NC State University Libraries Collection about Jim Graham, MC 00276, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
Processed by Dani Nation, 11 July 2007; Encoded by Dani Nation, 11 July 2007
The collection is organized into two principal series:
This series contains mounted photographs that were displayed from 5 January 2001 to 4 April 2001 as part of the "The Sodfather: A Friend of Agriculture in North Carolina" exhibit in D. H. Hill Library at North Carolina State University. The timeline subseries is a survey of North Carolina agricultural events and accomplishments which ocurred during Graham's career. The family subseries contains photographs of Graham as a youth as well as his family. The humor subseries consists of images of Graham at various social and official functions. The campaign subseries contains photographs of campaign events as well as printed materials. The buildings subseries contains images of North Carolina Department of Agriculture buildings which were constructed during Graham's tenure as commissioner. The international subseries contains photographs of Graham in a variety of global locations as well as images of North Carolina produce and livestock. The unknown subseries are photographs which could not definitively be identified.
This series contains awards, exhibit materials, and various artifacts Graham possessed as North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture. These items were brought together for the 2001 North Carolina State University exhibit, "The Sodfather: A Friend of Agriculture in North Carolina."
Collection is open for research; access requires at least 48 hours advance notice.
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Mailing address:
Special Collections Research Center
Box 7111
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Phone: (919) 515-2273
[Identification of item], NC State University Libraries Collection about Jim Graham, MC 00276, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
The NC State University Libraries generally claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. Libraries staff are unable to advise on copyright and other legal matters; the user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Helpful resources for assessing copyright include Cornell Libraries' "Copyright Services: Copyright Term and the Public Domain" and copyright.gov. This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information about identifiable living individuals, which may be protected under federal or state laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that there may be legal ramifications for disclosing this information.
The University Archives operates in accordance with the State Public Records Act, with unrestricted access to records not covered by state and federal statutes and regulations.