Z. Smith Reynolds Library. North Carolina Baptist Historical Collection Records

RG5.3

WFU's North Carolina Baptist Historical Collection (NCBHC) is a repository of records by and about Baptist churches, associations, groups, and people. Resources include books and publications, church records, association minutes, and other items. This collection documents the work of Z. Smith Reynolds Library's NCBHC department. Materials include annual reports, Baptist church anniversary lists, Biblical Recorder and  Biblical Recorder Index materials, holdings statistics, correspondence, financial materials, department forms, meeting materials, memorandums, presentation notes, project proposals, professional association materials, publications, speech notes, reports, subject files, and survey questionnaires.

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Biographical and Historical Note

WFU's North Carolina Baptist Historical Collection (NCBHC) is a repository of records by and about Baptist churches, associations, groups, and people. Resources include books and publications, church records, association minutes, and other items. The primary caretakers of the Baptist Historical Collection were archivist John Woodard (1964-2001) and coordinator Julia Bradford (1992-2011). The Baptist Historical Collection, previously a department in Z. Smith Reynolds (ZSR) Library, now falls under the care of ZSR Library's Special Collections and Archives department.

Collection Overview

This collection documents the work and holdings of Baptist Histoical Collection employees. Materials include annual reports, Baptist church anniversary lists, Biblical Recorder and  Biblical Recorder Index materials, holdings statistics, correspondence, financial materials, department forms, meeting materials, memorandums, presentation notes, project proposals, professional association materials, publications, speech notes, reports, subject files, and survey questionnaires. Research done by Woodard, Bradford, or others is also present, including information about alumni who served in the miliary. Some of the materials relate to Woodard's professional involvement: in archives groups such as the Society of N.C. Archivists, Society of American Archivists, and the N.C. African American Archives Group, and in Baptist-related committees and other groups, especially history ones, across N.C. and the South.

A few abbreviations are used to describe the materials: the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina is abbreivated as both BSCNC and N.C. BSC; the Southern Baptist Historical Commission is SBHC; Southern Baptist Convention is SBC; and WFU's Z. Smith Reynolds Library is ZSR Library.

Due to reappraisal work in 2022, some folders numbered 1-1347 have been removed; they were deaccessioned for lack of research value, or combined with similar materials to improve searchability.

Controlled Access Headings

Subjects

Administrative Information

Publication Information
Processed by: John Woodard; machine-readable finding aid created by Apex, 2005
Revision Description
Revised by Caroline Fahringer and Stephanie Bennett, 2022
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for use. 
Copyright Notice
The nature of the WFU Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The Archives and Special Collections of ZSR Library claims only physical ownership of most materials. The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to the 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. 
Preferred Citation
Z. Smith Reynolds Library. N.C. Baptist Historical Collection Records (RG5.3), Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA. 

Collection Inventory

  • Correspondence files
  • Office files (circa 1952-1963)
  • Office files (1964-1965)
  • Office files (1965-1966)
  • Office files (1966-1967)
  • Office files (1967-1968)
  • Office files (1968-1969)
  • Office files (1969-1970)
  • Office files (1970-1971)
  • Office files (1971-1972)
  • Office files (1972-1973)
  • Office files (1973-1974)
  • Office files (1974-1975)
  • Office files (1975-1976)
  • Office files (1976-1977)
  • Office files (1977-1978)
  • Office files (1978-1979)
  • Office files (1979-1980)
  • Office files (1980-1981)
  • Office files (1981-1982)
  • Office files (1982-1983)
  • Office files (1983-1984)
  • Office files (1984-1985)
  • Office files (1985-1986)
  • Office files (1986-1987)
  • Office files (1987-1988)
    • Speeches and speaking engagements
  • Office files (1988-1989)
  • Office files (1989-1990)
  • Subject files