Special Collections & Archives is often busier during the spring and summer months as we receive new collection donations and transfers. Donors include university offices, Wake Forest alumni, and community members, and we appreciate them thinking of us as a repository home for their donations. Some of our newer collections are listed below, but please note, they are not yet available for researchers. Later in the fall, I will share more about recent Athletics donations as we gear up for Homecoming.

John P. Arrowood, Sr. (d. 1997): Arrowood graduated from Wake Forest College in 1949 but matriculated there in 1943. He was drafted and served in the US Navy, earned a BS in Science, and went on to teach math. He was later employed by the American Agricultural Chemical Company and then later as VP with Wilson-Covington Construction Co., Inc. in Winston-Salem. His collection includes his WF class notes (notebooks), Sigma Phi fraternity paddle, printed materials, and other memorabilia.

Ray William Benfield (b. 1929): The first pastor of Peace Haven Baptist Church (WS, NC), First Baptist Church (Carthage, NC), and Lindley Park Baptist (Greensboro, NC). His papers document Baptist activities, race relations in NC, and missionary work undertaken by Pastor Benfield and his wife Evelyn.

Harold McKinnish (d. 2013): McKinnish, a native of Henderson County, was known as the “Baptist Bishop of Henderson County.” He served as pastor of nine Baptist churches, including Tuxedo, Fletcher, Ebenezer, East Flat Rock, Refuge in Henderson County, and churches in South Carolina. He preached over 17,000 sermons, officiated over 2,500 funerals, and led numerous revivals across the southern region. The papers include many audio recordings of sermons and original music.

Jesse Martin Page (1877-1953): This collection, 1900s-1920s, includes notebooks filled with sermons, notes, newspapers clippings, and Baptist programs. After attending Wake Forest, Reverend Page held several pastorates and was affiliated with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. Of special interest are his notes and sermons relating to the temperance movement.

Eva Rodtwitt (1924-2020): Eva was born in Oslo, Norway, and received degrees in English (1946), History (1948), and French (1953) from the University of Oslo. She eventually moved to the U.S. and taught at Wake Forest as a lecturer in Romance Languages (1966-1997) where she taught French literature and language. This collection of photograph albums will be added to her collection and date from her childhood in Norway and the Nazi occupation through her career at Wake Forest. The Wake Forest photographs include documentation of many university events and include Professor Rodtwitt’s partner Dr. Elizabeth Phillips and close friend Professor Maya Angelou. Some photographs from 1920-1930s Norway are in the process of being digitized.

Finally, we also received many boxes of papers from Dr. Ed Wilson and the offices of Wake Forest President Nathan O. Hatch and Senator Richard Burr.