Z 2285.000 Winter (William F.) and Family Papers
Z 2285.000 S
WINTER (WILLIAM F.) AND FAMILY PAPERS
Restrictions: Boxes 90-92 and 110 are restricted.
Biography/History:
William Forrest Winter was born on February 21, 1923, in Grenada, Grenada County, Mississippi. His father, William A. Winter, was a state senator from Grenada County for twenty-four years, and his mother, Inez Parker, was a school teacher. In 1950, Winter married the former Elise Varner of Senatobia, Desoto County, Mississippi. They have three daughters: Anne, Elise, and Eleanor.
William Winter attended Grenada High School where he was valedictorian of his class. Following graduation, he attended the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) in Oxford. He double-majored in History and Political Science and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1943 and his law degree from the same institution in 1949. While at Ole Miss, he was editor of the student newspaper, the Mississippian, and the Mississippi Law Journal. He was president of Omicron Delta Kappa leadership fraternity and Phi Delta Phi law fraternity. He was also inducted into the student hall of fame and was named outstanding law student by the faculty in 1949.
During the years 1945-46, Winter served as an infantry officer with the 86th Infantry Division stationed in the Philippines. He was recalled to active duty during the Korean War in 1951. He later served in the Mississippi National Guard and is a member of the Infantry School Hall of Fame.
Winter was elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives from Grenada for three terms serving from 1948-1956. In 1956, Governor J. P. Coleman appointed Winter to the position of State Tax Collector to fill the unexpired term of Mrs. Thomas L. Bailey. In 1959, Winter was elected to a full term as State Tax Collector and served from 1960-62. At his request, the office of State Tax Collector was abolished by the state legislature in 1962, and Winter successfully ran for State Treasurer in 1963. He served as State Treasurer from 1964-1967. In 1967, Winter made his first of two failed campaigns for governor. His opponents in this race were Ross Barnett, Jimmy Swann, and John Bell Williams. Although Winter led all candidates after the first primary, he was defeated in the second primary by John Bell Williams, who would go on to become governor. In 1971, Winter ran successfully for Lieutenant Governor, and he served in this post from 1972-1975. In 1975, Winter failed to become governor for the second time. Once again, he led all candidates after the first primary, but lost to the eventual gubernatorial winner, Cliff Finch, in the second primary. In 1979, Winter defeated Evelyn Gandy, Jim Herring, and John Arthur Eaves to become Governor of Mississippi from 1980-1983.
In 1982, Governor Winter called a special session of the Legislature and promoted the passage of the Mississippi Education Reform Act of 1982, the most noted piece of legislation during his administration. The Education Reform Act was credited with building stronger elementary and secondary education systems throughout Mississippi, and the South. Under this act, teachers received pay increases, compulsory school attendance was mandated, teacher and school accreditation became based on school performance, and kindergarten was mandated for public schools in Mississippi.
In 1984, Winter was the unsuccessful Democratic nominee for the United States Senate in Mississippi against Republican nominee Thad Cochran.
Winter has been elected or appointed to many boards of directors. These boards include those of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History from 1957-2007; Belhaven College from 1960-83; the Mississippi Foundation of Independent Colleges in 1972; Columbia Presbyterian Seminary from 1974-86; the Kettering Foundation in 1986; the Mid-South Rail Corporation of Jackson in 1987; Rhodes College in 1987; and the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges in 1988.
Winter held numerous other leadership positions both on the state and national level. These positions include: legislative assistant to Senator John Stennis from 1950-51; President of the Mississippi Historical Society from 1954-55; President of the Mississippi Association for Mental Health from 1961-62; Vice-president of the National Association for Mental Health from 1965-66; President of the Board of Trustees for the Mississippi Department of Archives and History from 1969-2007; Chairman of the Growth Policies Board from 1981-82; Chairman of the Southern Regional Education Board (SERB) from 1982-83; Chairman of the Appalachian Regional Commission in 1983; Chairman of the SERB Commission on Quality in Education from 1983-86; and Chairman of the Commission on the Future of the South in 1986.
In 1997, President Bill Clinton appointed Winter chairman of the Initiative on Race Advisory Board, which was charged with examining the status of race relations in the United States. In 2000, he was appointed by Governor Ronnie Musgrove as chairman of a task force to examine changing the state flag of Mississippi.
In 2000, the Mississippi Legislature voted and Governor Ronnie Musgrove signed the bill renaming the new Mississippi Department of Archives and History Building in Winter’s honor. Other honors obtained by Winter include: honorary law degrees from William Carey College (Hattiesburg, Forrest County, Mississippi) in 1980 and Millsaps College (Jackson, Hinds County, Mississippi) in 1983; his selection as a holder of the Distinguished Fellow Chair at Duke University (Durham, North Carolina) in 1984, which he could not accept due to his candidacy for the United States Senate; his selection as a Fellow of Institute of Politics at Harvard University (Boston, Massachusetts) in 1985; holding the Jamie Lloyd Whitten Chair of Law and Government at the University of Mississippi in 1988; the William Winter Scholarship for educators in 1989. He received the Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial Award from the National Education Association in 2001 and the Governor’s Initiative for Volunteer Service Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002. The Institute for Racial Reconciliation at the University of Mississippi was named in his honor in 2003. In March of 2008, Winter was honored with the “Profile in Courage” award from the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum for his work in advancing education and racial reconciliation.
Winter has co-authored several works: Yesterday’s Constitution Today, 1958; History of Mississippi, 1973; and Mississippi Heroes, 1980. Additionally, Winter has authored numerous articles in the Mississippi Law Journal, Journal of Mississippi History, and various other national publications. In 2006, Andrew P. Mullins, Jr., a former member of the Governor’s staff, compiled and edited a book of Winter’s speeches, The Measure of Our Days. As of 2013, Winter was senior partner in the law firm of Watkins, Ludlam, Winter, and Stennis, Jackson, Mississippi, and residing in Jackson with his wife, Elise.
Scope and Content:
This collection consists of correspondence, campaign files, professional papers, writings, personal papers, memorabilia, and family papers documenting the legal and political careers as well as the personal life of William Forrest Winter.
Series Identification:
- Series 1: Correspondence. 1942-2008.
This series consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence documenting various aspects of Winter’s professional life. General Correspondence includes non-personal business correspondence. Outgoing Correspondence includes all outgoing correspondence identified as “Reading Files.” Speaking Engagements include incoming and outgoing correspondence relating to the arrangement of speaking appearances. Letters of Recommendations include incoming and outgoing correspondence of requests for assistance in job and school placement. Political correspondence includes incoming and outgoing correspondence documenting Winter’s political activities and is divided into Constituent correspondence and Other Political correspondence. Personal correspondence includes incoming and outgoing correspondence maintained in Winter’s office relating to his personal affairs such as farm management and donations.
1.1: General Correspondence. 1942-2008.
This sub-series consists of the incoming and outgoing correspondence documenting William F. Winter’s activities as a lawyer, politician, public official, and sports fan.
Incoming correspondence includes a November 5, 1957, letter from then United States Senator John F. Kennedy (box 19, folder 4); an address given by author David Halberstam at the dedication of the William F. Winter Archives and History building (box 30, folders 3-4); and four letters of author Willie Morris (box 32, folders 18-22). Outgoing correspondence includes letters documenting Winter’s views on such topics as the assassination of United States President John F. Kennedy; the violence following James Meredith’s admission to the University of Mississippi; the need for a moderate voice among Mississippi’s leaders during the Civil Rights Movement; and education as the foundation for economic improvement in Mississippi.
Boxes 19-34
1.2: Outgoing Correspondence. 1986-1999.
This sub-series consists of all outgoing correspondence documenting Winter’s daily professional life for the periods of 1986 to 1992 and 1998 to 1999. Correspondence in this series is identified by the office staff as “Reading Files,” which duplicate and integrate all of Winter’s outgoing correspondence into one central reference file.
Boxes 46-48b
1.3: Speaking Engagements. 1966-2007.
This sub-series consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence documenting Winter’s speaking engagements. The types of engagements range from Commencement addresses to regional conferences for the promotion of a specific report such as Halfway Home & a Long Way to Go, the report on the 1986 Commission on the Future of the South. Topics include education, economic development, public service and racial reconciliation.
Boxes 49-52
Box 53, folders 1-561.4: Letters of Recommendation. 1959-2007.
This sub-series consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence documenting requests for assistance in obtaining employment, scholarships and school admissions. Employment requests range from positions in the Clinton administration to summer jobs and include federal and state positions as well as careers in private business. Also included are student requests for recommendations for college, graduate school, medical school, and law school admission.
Boxes 44-45
1.5: Political Correspondence. 1948-2007.
This sub-series consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence as well as other papers and records documenting Winter’s political career.
1.5.1: Constituent Correspondence. 1956-1975.
The constituent correspondence is arranged by county for the time periods coinciding with William F. Winter’s service in public office as State Tax Collector and State Treasurer (1956-1968) and Lieutenant Governor (1972-1976). The incoming correspondence documents invitations to speak at events, request for patronage, support in campaign endeavors, and miscellaneous subjects. The outgoing correspondence documents follow up letters thanking individuals for gifts, hospitality and support as well as requests for advice and political support. Included is incoming and outgoing correspondence with Governor of Mississippi James P. Coleman during and following his gubernatorial campaign in 1963. Within the county files, items are arranged in reverse chronological order, and may contain letters from one or more correspondents.
Boxes 35-39
Box 40, folders 1-601.5.2: Other Political Correspondence. 1942-2006.
This sub-series consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence documenting Winter’s political activities and relationships. Included are letters from United States President William J. Clinton; United States Vice Presidents Walter F. Mondale and Albert A. Gore, Jr.; Governor Adlai E. Stevenson; and United States Senators Albert A. Gore, Sr., James O. Eastland, John C. Stennis, and Frank E. Smith as well as with various members of the state and national Democratic parties. Included in this correspondence is documentation of Winter’s involvement on the state level in the presidential campaigns of Governors William J. Clinton in 1996 and Michael S. Dukakis in 1987. Of interest is Winter’s letter of August 21, 1956, to Lawrence E. Noble, Jr. describing his observations as a delegate to the 1956 National Convention of the Democratic Party in which Adlai Stevenson was nominated for President and Estes Kefauver for Vice President (box 40, folder 69).
The correspondence between Winter and United States President William J. Clinton documents a personal and professional relationship. Included are Winter’s letters of encouragement, advice and support of Clinton’s political aspirations prior to his election and his continued support during Clinton’s presidency. Also included are papers and documents describing Winter’s activities during the Clinton impeachment proceedings; included are a survey and official statement by the governors that had worked with Clinton and Winter (box 42, folders 61-71).
Box 40, folders 61-77
Boxes 41-431.6: Personal Correspondence. 1940-2007.
This sub-series consist of incoming and outgoing correspondence documenting Winter’s service in the military, and farming in Grenada, Mississippi. Also included are cards received by Winter on his eightieth birthday (folder 19) as well as miscellaneous holiday cards from political figures such as William J. and Hillary Rodham Clinton, Albert, Jr., and Tipper Gore (folder 36) and George C. Wallace.
Of interest are a letter of Eudora Welty expressing her appreciation of Winter’s service as governor and their personal friendship (folder 5), and a folder entitled, “Meridith.” This contains incoming correspondence documenting personal experiences of two of Winter’s friends at the University of Mississippi in October and November of 1962; and the address of J. D. Williams (Chancellor of the University of Mississippi) address to the parents of out-of-state students concerning the events following the admission of James Meredith to the University of Mississippi (folder 9).
Also included are a letter from the President of the United States Jimmy Carter (folder 23) and a poem by actor Gerald McRaney written and given to Winter at a dinner at Monmouth Plantation in Natchez, Mississippi, in February 2001 (folder 22). Of particular note is a letter to the Winters' dog, Fritz, from Willie Morris’ cat, Spit McGee (folder 47).
Box 53, folders 57-81
Box 54 - Series 2: Political Career.
This series consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence and other papers documenting Winter's political campaigns and terms in office. Winter’s political career encompasses eleven campaigns and four political offices: representative of Grenada County (1948-1956); Mississippi State Tax Collector (1956-1964); Mississippi State Treasurer (1964-1968), lieutenant governor (1972-1976); and governor (1980-1984) of Mississippi.
2.1: Campaign Files. ca. 1947-ca. 1985
This sub-series consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence and other papers and records of eight successful and three unsuccessful political campaigns. Incoming correspondence from political supporters documents news of local political developments, encouragement, congratulations or condolences, and inquiries on issues such as segregation, civil rights, and education. Also included are campaign literature, posters, buttons, and bumper stickers.
2.1.1: State Legislature. 1947.
This sub-series consist of one folder containing campaign posters of Winter for Representative of Grenada County and two telegrams congratulating him on his election to the House of Representatives.
Box 1, folder 1
2.1.2: State Tax Collector. 1959.
This sub-series consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence and other papers documenting Winter’s successful campaign for state tax collector. This sub-series includes a campaign budget; invoices for campaign expenditures; a questionnaire and instructions for a survey of voter opinions; press releases; form letters; newsclippings; and photographs.
Of interest are the press releases and clippings documenting Winter’s interest in education. Also of interest is the questionnaire used in a voter opinion survey, which focuses on voter impressions of the poll tax and the office of state tax collector (folder 10).Box 1, folders 2-22
2.1.3: State Treasurer. 1963.
This sub-series consists of three folders of incoming and outgoing correspondence, as well as other papers documenting Winter’s successful campaign for State Treasurer of Mississippi. This sub-series includes invoices; invitations; an AFL-CIO questionnaire and responses (folder 23); campaign announcement; and an official affidavit for candidacy.
Box 1, folders 23-25
2.1.4: Governor. 1967-1968.
This sub-series consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence and other papers documenting Winter’s first unsuccessful campaign for governor of Mississippi. This sub-series includes a campaign plan book; campaign plans (the "Winter Plans"); a list of individuals by county; financial statements; lists of contributions; speeches; opinion survey; an issue of the Southern Review and publicity photographs.
Included as a major plank in Winter’s campaign platform is The Winter Plan for Better Schools documenting an assessment of Mississippi’s educational system and plans for addressing its problems. Of interest are county lists of individuals with notes as to their political affiliations; a prayer by Emett H. Barfield, Jr., at the prayer breakfast opening Winter’s campaign (folder 26); and an assessment of the campaign by Paul Pittman, Editor and Publisher of the Tylertown Times (folder 68).
Like material is arranged together in a folder. File arrangement for county files is alphabetical, and within each file in reverse chronological order; files may contain one or more letters from correspondents.
Box 1, folders 26-82
2.1.5: Lieutenant Governor. 1971-1972.
This sub-series consists incoming and outgoing correspondence and other papers documenting Winter’s successful campaign for lieutenant governor of Mississippi. This sub-series includes campaign financial information, campaign organizational materials, press releases, speeches, handouts, and brochures.
Included are financial records such as advertising budget and invoices; analyses of income and expense statements; analyses of budgetary controls; contribution lists; expenses; invoices; and vouchers. Also included are campaign organizational records such as county files and a campaign manual.
Box 2
Box 3, folders 1-602.1.6: Governor. 1974-1975.
This sub-series consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence and other papers documenting Winter’s second unsuccessful campaign for Governor of Mississippi. Also included are organizational and financial papers; speeches; sample letters; news releases; survey and statistical material; platform statement; ephemera and subject files.
Organizational materials of interest: a plan for the campaign; lists of staff and county leaders and organizations lists; contact sheets; lists of volunteers; files of district leaders containing lists of volunteers and contributions; and an organization chart. Also of interest are survey materials including polling instructions, schedules for training, survey questions, lists of workers, and survey results. Of special interest are the two notebooks of condolence letters following the election; correspondence and research concerning section 109 of the Mississippi Constitution relating to the bond controversy introduced in the campaign; and a publication by the Democratic National Committee entitled Campaign Consultation Program – In House Polling.
Box 3, folders 61-82
Boxes 4-7
Box 8, folders 1-25
Boxes 111-1132.1.7: Governor. 1979-1980.
This sub-series consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence and the papers documenting Winter’s successful campaign for governor of Mississippi. Also included are organizational and financial records, speeches, press releases, survey report, ephemera, form letters and subject files.
Of interest are county files including incoming letters of support and congratulations. Financial records such as contribution letters by county; lists of contributions; deposits; receipts; paid bills and political committee contribution reports are included. Also of interest are the campaign organizational materials consisting of contact names and telephone numbers and steering committee lists. Congratulation letters from United States Senator Edward Kennedy and governor of Alabama George Wallace are included (folder 32).
Box 8, folders 26-53
Boxes 9-11
Box 12, folders 1-442.1.8: United States Senate. 1983-1985.
This sub-series consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence and other papers documenting Winter’s unsuccessful campaign for the United States Senate. This sub-series also includes organizational and financial records, speeches, sample letters, press releases, survey materials, ephemera, form letters and subject files.
Survey materials include anonymous responses to topics such as abortion, tax cuts, social security and unemployment benefits (box 13, folders 1-47) and a “Survey of Voters Attitudes” by Peter J. Hart. Financial information includes lists of contributors, receipts of contributions and financial summary receipts reports. Correspondence files consist of incoming and outgoing letters by county as well as correspondence from members of Congress, invitations, and out-of-state follow-up letters.
Of interest are the subject files of Guy P. Land, campaign director, on topics such as defense spending, education, environment, energy, food stamps, health, Israel, and the Middle East; as well as a group position file including position papers from the following groups: the American Psychiatric Association; the National Federation of Federal Employees; National Association of Postmasters of the United States and others. Another file of interest contains questionnaires submitted to political candidates by such organizations as the United States Defense Committee; the National Small Business Association; The Woman Activist, Inc.; the Campaign for World Government, Inc.; the Nuclear Weapons Freeze Campaign; and the National Rifle Association of America as well as others.
Box 12, folders 45-56
Boxes 13-18
Box 110, folders 1-22 (restricted)2.2: Political Papers. 1948; 1952-1956; 1965; 1970-1984; n.d.
This sub-series contains incoming and outgoing correspondence, reports, programs, and literature documenting the activities of Winter during his terms in political office. Papers of interest during Winter’s terms in the House of Representatives include a handbook of the Mississippi legislature for the regular session 1948. Of particular interest in the series is the April 1, 1955, House Concurrent Resolution No. 31 relative to an article entitled, “A Wave of Terror Threatens the South,” which appeared in the March 22, 1955, issue of Look magazine; a news clipping of an April 3, 1955, article by Hodding Carter in the Delta Democrat Times written in response to the resolution and the magazine article (folders 2-3).
An item of interest during Winter’s term in office as lieutenant governor is his 1972 “Legislative Notebook.” The notebook contains biographical information of each senator as well as their committee assignments and voting records. Papers from his term as governor include papers documenting his appointments; departmental accomplishments during his term; and details of the 1980 inaugural parade. Of special interest are the papers documenting the campaign employed by Winter during his term as governor to promote his education reform plan (folders 14-26; 37-43). These papers and records include telephone bank procedures, contact sheets, county committee assignments and the legislative education package.
Box 104
- Series 3: Professional Papers. 1938-2008.
This series consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence and other papers and records documenting Winter’s professional career as an attorney. This series is restricted due to privacy concerns.
- Series 4: University of Mississippi Papers. 1959-2008.
- Series 5: Academic Positions Papers. 1984-2007.
This series consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence and other papers documenting Winter’s academic positions including: a fellow at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Institute of Politics, Harvard University (folders 1-15); adjunct professor at Mississippi Valley State (folders 25-28); first holder of the Jamie Lloyd Whitten Chair of Law and Government at the University of Mississippi School of Law (folders 29-34); and Eudora Welty Professor of Southern Studies at Millsaps College. Other papers include syllabi, exams, study group topics and reading lists. Of special interest are Winter’s analysis of his fellowship at the Institute of Politics, Harvard University, and the transcripts of his lectures at Millsaps.
Box 82
- Series 6: Education Appointments, Boards, Commissions, and Foundations Papers. 1963-2007.
This series consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence and other papers documenting Winter’s positions on college or university boards such as Belhaven College; Mary Holmes College; Universities Center at Jackson State University; Mississippi University for Women; and education foundations such as the Mississippi Community and Junior College Economic Development Foundation, Mississippi Foundation of Independent Colleges, and the Southern Education Foundation; as well as education association boards such as the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, Southern Center for International Studies, and the Southern Regional Education Board. Other papers include minutes, bylaws, budgets, program materials, publications, newsletters, invitations and newsclippings.
Papers documenting Winter’s board membership at Belhaven College provide an insight into the issues of college administration such as curriculum development; fund raising; faculty development; and student enrollment. Of special interest is the management of internal dissent. These records document a doctrinal crisis in 1959 on the definition of Calvinism and a Calvinistic higher education and the manner in which the Board resolved the crisis.
Of special interest is a journal written by United States Senator John C. Stennis during his European trip in August of 1958. This journal is a part of Winter’s records of the Stennis Center for Public Service, Mississippi.
Box 59, folders 58-62
Box 69, folders 55-63
Box 70, folders 8-15
Box 71, folders 56, 64-65
Box 72, folders 42-43
Box 74, folders 1-2
Box 75, folders 22-52
Box 77, folders 43-73
Box 79, folders 10-21, 78
Boxes 83-86 - Series 7: Appointments, Boards, Commissions, and Foundations Papers. 1959-2007.
This series consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence and other papers documenting Winter’s public positions as a member of President Clinton’s Advisory Board on Race; chairman of the Kettering Foundation; the founder of the Foundation for the Mid South; the chairman of the National Civic League; the chairman of the National Commission on State and Local Public Service; and chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Mississippi Department of Archives and History as well as numerous other boards, commissions and appointments. Other papers include agendas, minutes, bylaws, budgets, program materials, publications, newsclippings, and reports.
Included are letters from President Clinton as well as other dignitaries such as United States Senator Strom Thurmond, Governor Michael S. Dukakis and Vice President Albert A. Gore, Jr. Of interest are letters documenting Winter’s participation in the L. Q. C. Lamar Society. Included in this correspondence is a letter of Winter to Dr. Frank A. Rose, Executive Director of the L. Q. C. Lamar Society, describing Winter's viewpoint of his 1975 gubernatorial defeat. Other items of interest are a January 24, 1997, letter of Winter to President Clinton proposing an initiative on race to be modeled after President John F. Kennedy’s Council on Physical Fitness.
The papers and records of Winter’s long association with the Mississippi Department of Archives and History include interesting material on such topics as the Natchez National Park Proposal; the Sovereignty Commission records; the Governor’s mansion renovation; the Natchez Parkway completion; and the Eudora Welty foundation.
Boxes 55-58
Box 59, folders 1-57, 63-67
Box 129 - Series 8: Writings. 1937-2007.
This series consists of the writings of William F. Winter including speeches, interviews, speech resource materials, manuscripts and publications.
8.1: Speeches. 1937-2007.
This sub-series consists of the speeches given by William F. Winter, interviews (box 148) of Winter and reference materials (boxes 94; 148) used in the writing of his speeches. Historical speeches include a 1961 speech on “The Restoration of the Old Capitol”; the 1979 speech “Mike Connor and the Sales Tax”; the June 3, 1983 address at the dedication ceremonies of the Mississippi State Capitol Restoration and Renovation; and the 1995 speech “A Veteran’s View of the End of World War II”. Political speeches include Winter’s inaugural addresses as lieutenant governor and governor of Mississippi as well as messages to joint sessions of the Mississippi Legislature. Interviews of Winter by Guy Gillespie, Jess White and Orley B. Cudill are included. The arrangement of this series follows the original file arrangement of chronological order by date of speech.
Boxes 94-95
Boxes 147-1488.2: Manuscripts. 1957-2000.
This sub-series consists of the manuscripts and published articles of William F. Winter. Manuscripts included are “Charting a Course for the Rural South,” “Piney Woods Politics and Politicians,” and “Judging the Judges-The Techniques of Judicial Discipline.” Publications include articles in such journals as Mississippi Library News, Forum for Applied Research and Public Policy, Mississippi Law Journal, and Southern Magazine. A possibly unpublished manuscript entitled “Winter Book-1985” is of special interest.
Box 93
Box 146 - Series 9: Personal Papers. 1939; 1943-2006.
This series consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence and other papers concerning Winter’s personal and family life.
9.1: Correspondence with William A. and Inez Winter. 1939; 1943-1951.
This sub-series consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence between Winter and his parents, William A. and Inez Winter, documenting his service activities during World War II, attendance at the University of Mississippi Law School, first term in the Mississippi House of Representatives, and internship with United States Senator John C. Stennis. The incoming correspondence from Winter’s parents document farm activities, his father’s political activities and personal business, and news of family and friends.
Letters from Winter include detailed descriptions of basic training in Camp Blanding, Florida; Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia; and his training officer assignment at Fort McClellan, Alabama. Also included are descriptions of the living conditions and political situation in the Philippines immediately following the war with Winter's observations of the inauguration of the new president of the Philippines Manual Roxas and Philippine Independence Day, July 4, 1946. Some interesting notes in this correspondence concern Winter’s various trips around the islands, a Japanese wrestling match, an his observations about life in the service. Of special interest is a sketch by Winter of his approximate ship route to the Philippines.
Letters during Winter’s law school years document his political plans, law school activities including his work as editor of the Law Review Journal and football games. Of special interest is a letter of December 5, 1948, in which Winter describes his attendance at the Ninth General Assembly of the States, held by the Council of State Governments. A program autographed by Sir Oliver Franks, British Ambassador to the United States is attached. Letters written during Winter's time in Washington D.C. working with Stennis document concerns of the United States Senate at that time, including Alaskan statehood; communism; an assassination attempt against President Harry Truman, and possible military action in Korea.
The letters of William A. and Inez Winter document their daily activities including social, political and family interactions. Subjects such as the impact of the atomic bomb in the future, the Workman’s Compensation Bill, and the Black Market Tax, are also mentioned in the letters.
Box 96
9.2: Private Correspondence William F. and Elise V. Winter. 1967-1999.
This sub-series consists of incoming correspondence to William F. Winter and Elise V. Winter from other family members and personal friends. Of special interest is a poem entitled “The Journey” by John Crews, which was written for Winter at the time of his gubernatorial election (folder 17).
Box 101, folders 17-38
9.3: Biographical Material. 1945-2006.
This sub-series contains biographical outlines of Winter prepared for various purposes and articles profiling his life and career. Also included are Winter's service records from 1945 to 1946 (Box 97, folders 41-51). Some of the published articles include “The Architect of Education Reform,” Helping Build Mississippi, summer, 1991; “The Governors and the New Federalism” by Marshall Kaplan and Sue O'Brian (Box 97, folder 36); and “A Tax on Lawbreakers Only,” Reporter, Vol. 2, No. 3, Summer 1972 (Box 97, folder 12). Of interest is the December 29. 1986, Southern Growth Policies Board newsletter accompanied by a letter from President William J. Clinton (box 97, folder 5).
Box 97, folders 1-51
Box 101, 39-42 - Series 12: Memorabilia. 1936-2004; n.d.
12.1: Certificates, Awards, Plaques. 1936-2005.
This sub-series consists of certificates, awards and plaques presented to Winter. Of special interest are the April 1, 1936 Palmer Method Penmanship certificate; the 1940 complimentary subscription to The Readers Digest he received as Valedictorian of the Class of 1940 Grenada High School; the June 8, 1990, Post Rider Natchez Trace Parkway certificate; the April 3, 2000, statement from President Clinton in honor of Winter’s receipt of the Millennium Civic Change Award; and the April 1, 2005, Medger Evers Humanitarian Award.
Box 97, folders 52-73
12.2: Programs. 1940-2004.
This sub-series consists of isolated programs with no attachments including the commencement program, The Pillars of Democracy, presented by the senior class of 1940; Grenada High School, Valedictorian – William F. Winter; an address by Hugh White, governor of Mississippi at a Luncheon for New England Industrialist, March 16, 1953; an Institute of Southern Literature, University of Mississippi – Millsaps College Center, February to June 1952 with lecturers Robert Penn Warren, David L. Cohn, Hodding Carter and Katherine Anne Porter; Mississippi’s Sesqui-Centennial Statehood Stamp, First Day of Issue ceremony, Monday December 11, 1967; and the National Peace Foundation 15th Anniversary dinner, September 8, 1997 honoring the Most Reverend Archbishop Desmond Tutu and attorney general of the United States Janet Reno.
Box 98, folders 1-31
12.3: Church Bulletins. 1950-2000.
This sub-series consists of isolated church bulletins with no attachments. Included are bulletins from the First Presbyterian Church in Grenada, Mississippi, from 1950 to 1985; various other Presbyterian churches in Mississippi; the First Baptist Church in Moss Point, Mississippi, with Winter as guest speaker; a service of Thanksgiving for Victory granted in the Battle of Britain 1940 at Westminster Abbey, September 18, 1983; and from St Paul’s Cathedral, September 20, 1987, annotated.
Box 101, folders 7-16
12.4: Postcards (blank). n.d.
This sub-series consists of isolated, blank postcards with no attachments; baseball postcards from the “Diamonds Are Forever: Artists and Writers on Baseball” organized by the New York State Museum (folder 1); several postcards of historic locations in Mississippi from A Deep South Card; postcards of various locations such as Goat Rock Dam, Harris County, Georgia; the Chapel in Fort Benning, Georgia, and the First Presbyterian Church in Grenada, Mississippi, (folder 3); and “Moscow Kremlin” box set (folder 4).
Box 101, folders 1-6
12.5: Other Memorabilia. 1926-2003.
This sub-series consists of memorabilia including invitations, tickets, name tags, business cards, matchbook covers and blank greeting cards. Some items of interest are a 1941 the University of Mississippi Student Handbook; Confederate money; copper etched scenes of Utah “Center of Scenic America”; and graded papers of Winter.
Box 97, folders 74-94
- Series 13: Family Papers. 1946-2007.
13.1: Elise Varner Winter and Family. 1946-2007; n.d.
This sub-series consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence and other papers of Elise Varner Winter and daughters Anne, Elise, and Eleanor Winter. Included are the papers documenting public positions held by Mrs. Winter in organizations such as the PTA, YWCA, and Mississippi Women’s Club. Elise Winter’s involvement with her husband’s campaigns is documented with campaign schedules for 1967, 1975, and 1979; and a 1979 telephone list. Other items of interest are a speech (folder 44); an article on historic preservation by Anne Winter (folder 43); a publication, Northcentral Mississippi Electric Power Association “First 35 Years” annotated (folder 68); and a publication entitled Mansion Trivia (folder 71).
Box 101, folders 43-70
- Series 15: Photographs. 1924–2004.
This series consists of photographs and negatives. Of interest are photographs of Winter with presidents of the United States William J. Clinton (folder 39), Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan (folder 63); photographs taken by Winter of the Philippines Independence Day celebration and Mt. Mayon (Philippines) Volcano (folder 62); photographs of Elise V. Winter and her parents (folder 56); and one photograph of the 1952 Mississippi State Senate (folder 57).
Box 98, folders 32-65
4.1: the University of Mississippi Correspondence. 1961-2008.
This sub-series consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence with faculty, students and administration as well as other papers documenting Winter’s long affiliation with the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). Other papers and records include committee minutes, agenda, plans and bylaws from Winter’s advisory positions with the Engineering School Advisory Board, the Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, the Barksdale Reading Institute Advocacy Council (folder 29).
Of special interest is correspondence from 1962 to 1963 (folders 1-10) documenting the admission of James Meredith to the University of Mississippi. Letters from faculty discuss the campus atmosphere prior to and following Meredith’s admission and provide a first hand account of the experience. Winter’s correspondence with specific faculty members and with J. D. Williams, Chancellor of the University of Mississippi, documents his view point. Also included are newspaper articles, a copy of Williams’s speech regarding integration of universities in the South, and other materials relating to this event.
Also of interest is correspondence from 1983 and 1984 (folders 23-27) documenting the recruitment of Winter for the position of Chancellor of the University of Mississippi. Included are incoming letters of support and opposition and outgoing correspondence that documents Winter’s point of view and decision.
Box 87
4.2: William F. Winter Institute of Racial Reconciliation. 1999-2008.
This sub-series consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence and other papers documenting the development and operation of the William F. Winter Institute of Racial Reconciliation. Other papers include organizational materials such as bylaws, strategic plans, resource development plans, program materials, minutes of board meetings as well as public relations items.
Box 88
Box 89, folders 1-3
4.3: Alumni Papers. 1959-2007.
This sub-series consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence and other papers documenting Winter’s participation in the following University of Mississippi Alumni activities: Alumni Association, Law Alumni (Box 89, folders 19-27) Alumni Association Inter-Alumni Council, the the University of Mississippi Loyalty Foundation, and the University of Mississippi Hall of Fame (Box 89, folders 69-74). Other papers and records include foundation bylaws, annual reports and financial reports. Of note are two folders (Box 89, folders 4-5) documenting the Watkins, Ludlam, Winter, and Stennis Scholarship at the University of Mississippi Law School.
Box 89, folders 4-74
Box 138