Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Grand Army of the Republic records
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Grand Army of the Republic records
- Date
- 1895-1896 (inclusive)
- Creator
- Cornwell, William, Jr.
- Extent
- 1.03 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- Correspondence.
- Events -- 1890-1920.
- Letters.
- Race relations -- Kentucky -- Louisville
- Veterans -- Societies.
- Arrangement
- Collection retains its original order and where possible original item names are retained. Loose documents are arranged by date. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
- Preferred Citation
- 2009ms132.0358: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Grand Army of the Republic records, 1895-1896, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a veteran's organization founded at the close of the American Civil War. The group's membership reached a peak of 400,000 in 1890. By this point, most prominent veterans were registered members, including five presidents: Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Harrison, and McKinley. At its inception, the GAR limited its activities to fraternal events. But gradually, the group developed an interest in national politics and eventually became known as a pressure group which influenced the passage of legislation to support pension and disability for veterans. The GAR's primary legacy is the annual decorating of veteran's graves on 30th of May, today known as Memorial Day. The GAR was based on fraternity, charity, and loyalty. Fraternity was encouraged through multi-day gatherings, called encampments. In 1895, the 29th National Encampment was held in Louisville, Kentucky. This was the first instance of the national gathering being held south of the Ohio River. The event sparked controversy with African American newspapers in the North, who reported cases of unequal treatment in the accommodations and proposed entertainment for black veterans.
- American Letters collector Wade Hall (1934-2015) was a native of Union Springs, Alabama. Starting in 1962, he lived in Louisville, where he taught English and chaired the English and Humanities/Arts programs at Kentucky Southern College and Bellarmine University. He also taught at the University of Illinois and the University of Florida. He held degrees from Troy State University (B.S.), the University of Alabama (M.A.), and the University of Illinois (Ph.D.). He served for two years in the U.S. Army in the mid-fifties. Dr. Hall was the author of books, monographs, articles, plays, and reviews relating to Kentucky, Alabama, and Southern history and literature. His most recent books include A Visit with Harlan Hubbard; High Upon a Hill: A History of Bellarmine College; A Song in Native Pastures: Randy Atcher's Life in Country Music; and Waters of Life from Conecuh Ridge.
- Scope and Content
- The Grand Army of the Republic records (dated 1895-1896; 1.03 cubic feet; 1 box, 4 items) primarily consist of letters, telegram notes, and other correspondence kept and organized by William Cornwell Jr., General Secretary of the citizens committee of the Grand Army of the Republic's 29th National Encampment in Louisville, Kentucky. As a whole, the collection affords a view of the planning and large scale of the 1895 encampment. The majority of the letters are kept in their original organization created by William Cornwall Jr., bound in letter books and organized chronologically. Also included in these letters books is an index which lists the names of letter recipients in alphabetical order according to last name. The collection includes 4 letter books, which contain copies of outgoing letters written by Cornwell Jr. to potential vendors, GAR members, and other event officials. Incoming letters, separated into alphabetical folders, include further correspondence between William Cornwall Jr. and individuals inquiring about a growing controversy related to the segregation of black veterans in upcoming encampment activities. Notable documents include orders outlining the expected timeline and proceedings of the encampment, letters to Cornwall Jr. containing newspaper clippings from African American newspapers reporting a distinction in veteran treatment on the basis of race.
- The Grand Army of the Republic records are part of the Wade Hall Collection of American letters, which includes correspondence and diaries from all over North America covering the time period of the Civil to Korean Wars. The materials were collected by Wade Hall and document everyday men and women.
Restrictions on Access and Use
- Conditions Governing Access
- Collection is open to researchers by appointment.
- Use Restrictions
- The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
Contents of the Collection
Incoming correspondence, 1895
Outgoing correspondence, 1895-1896
William Cornwell Jr. General Secretary Citizens Committee 29th National Encampment letter book 1, 1895 August 12-27
William Cornwell Jr. General Secretary Citizens Committee 29th National Encampment letter book 2, 1895 August 27-October 1
William Cornwell Jr. General Secretary Citizens Committee 29th National Encampment letter book 3, 1895 October 2-1896 February 15
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Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.
Table of Contents
You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.
If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.
UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.
Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.
Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.
Requests
No items have been requested.
You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.
If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.
