This collection contains the professional papers of Stuart McGuire Noblin, including those related to his professorship at North Carolina State University, and on topics of his research, including farmers' movements, the National Grange, and the role of churches in constructive race relations. Also contained in this collection are Noblin's personal papers from his involvement in the North Carolina Chess Association.
Stuart Noblin was a professor in the Departments of History and Political Science at North Carolina State University from 1947 to 1976. He also served as part-time University Archivist from 1957 to 1964, as well as chairman of the Committee on the History of the College, and was a member of the Faculty Senate from 1957 to 1961. Noblin was also active in the North Carolina Chess Association.
Stuart McGuire Noblin was born in Radford, Virginia, in 1913. He received his bachelor's degree from Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina, majoring in history, and graduating in 1933. He taught junior high school for a brief period in Durham, North Carolina, and then pursued graduate work in history at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. He was awarded a Masters of Arts degree in 1935 and a PhD in 1947. While working on the PhD, Noblin taught history at the College of Charleston in South Carolina, and at Davis and Elkins College in West Virginia. Noblin came to Raleigh in 1947 and began work as an assistant professor at North Carolina State College. In 1951, he became an associate professor, and in 1957, a full professor.
Noblin was an authority on the history of the National Grange and American agricultural movements. He authored numerous articles and three books on the subject. These include The Grange in North Carolina 1929 -1954: A Story In Agricultural Progress and Codification of Grange Policy. His most important work is a full length biography of the nationally known farm leader Colonel Leonidas La Fayette Polk, titled Leonidas Layfayette Polk: Agrarian Crusader. This is an account of the man who was North Carolina's first Commissioner of Agriculture, a leader in the establishment of North Carolina State University, and founder of the monthly farm publication, The Progressive Farmer.
As an educator and historian at North Carolina State University, Noblin served as an advisor to the Student Publications Board. He was also active in the American Historical Association, the Southern Historical Association, the Historical Society of North Carolina, the American Association of University Professors, the State Grange, the Raleigh Torch Club, Organization of American Historians, the History of Education Society, and the Wake Historical Society.
Noblin was a leader in Raleigh's Institute of Religion. He studied churches in the South and was active in the movement for the peaceful desegregation of Raleigh. His work in the area led to the publication of a case study on the United Church of Raleigh through the Southern Historical Association in Washington, D.C. As a member of the United Church of Christ in Raleigh, Noblin served as the chairman of the church's Board of Deacons. He was also the church historian.
An expert chess player, Noblin labored diligently to promote the game in North Carolina, and worked cooperatively with chess associations at the national level to stage tournaments and exhibitions for the benefit of local chess enthusiasts. Noblin was the treasurer for the North Carolina Chess Association for two decades, and was the organization's president from 1961 to 1964.
Stuart Noblin was married to Evelyn Blanchard Noblin. His wife worked as a librarian in North Carolina State University's D. H. Hill Library. The couple shared a love of literature and history. Stuart McGuire Noblin died on January 10, 1977, at the age of sixty-three.
This collection contains book manuscripts, scholarly writings, Fulbright and Guggenheim fellowship applications, speeches, encyclopedia articles, and correspondence generated by Stuart McGuire Noblin during his tenure as a professor of history at North Carolina State University. In addition to papers that were written by Professor Noblin, there are journal articles, reviews, and papers written by his colleagues. There are also a few photographs and a number of alumni publications, as well as course outlines, syllabi, reading lists, exams, class rolls, grade rolls, research and oral report topics, student exams, and term papers from Noblin's classes. Also included are material documenting Noblin's work for the Raleigh Institute of Religion and the United Church of Christ regarding race relations in Raleigh, and papers related to Noblin's participation in the North Carolina Chess Association (NCCA).
This collection is organized into two series. The first series, Professional, is further divided into nine subseries: Writings, Letters Received, Book Reviews, Applications, Research Files, Colleagues' Papers, Photographs, Newsletters, and Mementos. The second series, North Carolina Chess Assoication, is divided into two subseries: Correspondence and Administrative Information.
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], Stuart Mcguire Noblin Papers, MC 00051, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
Material donated by Evelyn Blanchard Noblin in 1978 (Accession no. 1978-0003).
Processed by Michael Watts, 2005 May
Encoded by Michael Watts, 2005 May; Updated by Cate Putirskis, February 2008
The collection is organized into two principal series:
This series contains items related to Noblin's work in the Departments of History and Political Science at NC State. Materials are arranged chronologically within each subseries.
3 archival boxes
This series contains the correspondence and other administrative information collected by Noblin while he was a member of the North Carolina Chess Associtaion. Materials are arranged chronologically within each subseries.
3 archival boxes, 1 legal sized archival box
This collection is open for research; access requires at least 48 hours advance notice. Because of the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access to digital files may require additional advanced notice.
For more information contact us via mail, phone, or our web form.
Mailing address:
Special Collections Research Center
Box 7111
Raleigh, NC, 27695-7111
Phone: (919) 515-2273
[Identification of item], Stuart Mcguire Noblin Papers, MC 00051, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
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.