Hemphill, Robert W. (Robert Witherspoon), 1915-1983

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series: Senate papers are arranged in the following sub-series: General, Grants and Projects, Newsletters, Press Releases, Schedules, and Topical files. General papers contain constituent correspondence which address multiple subjects or do not fall under a specific topical heading, thus to ensure that they have seen everything on a topic, researchers may need to study both General Papers and Topical Files.Grants and Projects, 2.5 linear feet, relate to everything from agricultural...

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series: Legislative Files, 132.5 linear feet (106 cartons), contain correspondence and other material relating to bills and issues considered by Congress. Files often include copies of the pertinent bills and resolutions, committee prints, and official and constituent correspondence. Legislative files are arranged by year, with general papers followed by topical files for that year. The collection inventory, which follows, contains a detailed list of the files. Those for cities and counties usually...

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The Ernest F. Hollings files contain Workman’s notes from Hollings’ gubernatorial press conferences, 1959-1961, gubernatorial campaign of 1958, and primary campaign for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate in 1962 (including transcripts of television appearances). The George Bell Timmerman and Donald Russell files also contain gubernatorial press conference notes and speeches.

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series: The Topical subseries, the largest in the Personal series, documents Culbertson’s many interests and activities. There are extensive Persons files, containing much of his correspondence with well-known figures such as Thurgood Marshall and Eleanor Roosevelt, and others whom he counted among his friends, including Judge J. Waties Waring, Modjeska Simkins, Olin Johnston, and Hubert Humphrey. Culbertson’s relationship with Judge and Mrs. Waring seems to have begun when, in response to the...

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series: Clippings consist of 15 feet of material (12 cartons), primarily 1958 to 1964. Clippings were kept by Johnston to provide background information on persons, issues, and current events. Most frequently from the Columbia State, Charleston News and Courier, and Greenville Times, clippings include extensive files on agricultural topics, the armed services, civil rights, political campaigns, education, persons, and postal issues. [While working with the clippings, you may notice there are gaps in...

Abstract

Robert W. Hemphill served South Carolina's 5th District in the U.S. House of Representatives, 1957-1964. President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed him to a federal district court judgeship in April 1964, and he served in that capacity until his death in 1983. Previous public service included a stint in the South Carolina House of Representatives (Chester County), 1947-1948, and as Solicitor for the 6th Judicial Circuit, 1951-1956.

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LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR PAPERS, 1963-1965, consist of General and Topical material created during McNair‘s service as Lieutenant Governor under Governor Donald Russell. General papers include correspondence, memoranda, and other papers of a general nature, arranged chronologically. Topical Files regard education, his work presiding over the General Assembly, and meetings, as well as other subjects.

Scope and Contents From the Series: The Speeches and Media series consists primarily of speech texts, mostly from Culbertson’s radio broadcasts during his 1951 race for mayor. Although he spoke dozens of times on behalf of the NAACP, it appears most of these speeches were not drafted ahead of time. He wrote in 1957, “I find a written speech loses some of its spark and sparkle that one can give an extemporaneous speech. I have heretofore almost been speaking off the cuff.” The series also includes his letters to the editor on...

Scope and Contents From the Series: The Legal series includes material on Culbertson’s involvement with a number of legal associations, among them the South Carolina Bar, the National Lawyers’ Guild, and the National Association of Claimants’ and Compensation Attorneys, the forerunner to the modern American Association for Justice. Culbertson spoke before the NACCA’s national meeting in 1951, stating that textile manufacturers largely controlled South Carolina’s economy and took advantage of the state’s low wages and lack of...