| Abstract |
Collection consists of correspondence, religious and business materials, photographs, and clippings. The majority of the correspondence is addressed to Cole during his imprisonment with details of his appeal efforts, the National States Rights Party, and Ku Klux Klan efforts to stem the tide of desegregation. Of significance are the numerous broadsides, bulletins, leaflets, pamphlets, and newsletters pertaining to Klan operations in North and South Carolina, and North Carolina election material from the campaigns of I. Beverly Lake, John East, Robert Curtis, and Lenoir County officials. Of interest is a petition from citizens of Lenoir County, N.C., for the impeachment of Lyndon Johnson. Also included are items from Cole's period as an evangelist; materials related to the Helping Hands C.B. Club; financial records; and numerous newspaper and magazine clippings, most of which deal with race relations, Klan activities, and the Maxton Rally and the ensuing trial. |
| Access restriction | Joyner- No access restrictions. |
| Cite as |
James William Cole Papers (#40), Special Collections Department, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA. |
| Terms of use | Joyner- Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law. |
| Acquisitions source |
Joyner- Gift of Mrs. Carolyn Cole. |
| Biographical note | James William "Catfish" Cole (1924-1967) was an evangelist and active member of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. A Klan rally in Maxton, N.C., developed into a highly publicized confrontation with the Lumbee Indians and led to Cole's arrest and conviction. He served a prison sentence (1959-1960) for inciting a riot. He was also involved in the Committee for Better Government, a political action group with Klan overtones. |
