Florida-Thomas, Jerry-Memo from Bill Spell, 1974.

The collection is divided into 20 series, arranged both chronologically and by format type. The content concerns the advertising campaigns run by the Godwin Advertising Agency on behalf of the States’ Rights Democratic Party and a number of state and local politicians in Mississippi between 1948 and 1971, as well as a large group of photographs taken for the Agricultural and Industrial Board to promote the state between 1947 and 1955. The material gives insights into the role of advertising in the politics and economy of Mississippi during the mid-twentieth century.

The first series, Mississippi: States’ Rights, 1944-1952, contains campaign literature, correspondence and organizational materials related to the States’ Rights Democratic Party which was based in Jackson. The series includes campaign materials from 1952, copies of the States’ Righter newspaper from 1948 to 1952, and recordings from the 1952 convention in Jackson.

Series 2, Mississippi: General, 1943-1969, is the first of seven series which include material from the political campaigns undertaken by Godwin from the 1950s to the 1970s. This series has material on James P. Coleman, Hugh White, Ross Barnett and Charles Sullivan between 1951 and 1961, including speeches, campaign materials and background information. There is a handbill from Mike Conner’s campaign in 1943 and a campaign speech from Fielding Wright’s campaign in 1955. The series also contains a folder of photographs and clippings on the Operating Engineers Union picket of the Northside Lake project in Jackson in 1958.

The third series, Mississippi: General, 1962-1967, focuses primarily on the 1963 gubernatorial election, with material on the Democratic Party, Paul B. Johnson, Jr., and Charles Sullivan. Among the campaign materials there is a group promoting Johnson’s platform, including advertising using a Life magazine image of Johnson confronting federal officials and James Meredith at the University of Mississippi in 1962.

Series 4, Mississippi: General, 1964-1972, includes material on Paul Johnson’s term as governor, and the campaign of 1967. Featured politicians are Charles Sullivan, Ross Barnett, John Stennis, James Eastland, Rubel Phillips, William Waller and George Yarbrough.

The fifth series is Mississippi: General, 1968-1972, which includes documents tracking the 1968 elections and the 1969 Jackson elections, also has some Johnson material and correspondence concerning John Stennis.

Series 6, Mississippi: General, 1970-1972, includes some folders of documents concerned with economic issues but most of the material is related to Charles Sullivan’s gubernatorial campaign, including date books, speeches and position statements. There are files on other politicians, including Charles Evers, Edwin Pittman, Jimmy Swan and John Bell Williams.

The seventh series, Mississippi: General, 1971-1973, is also focused on the Sullivan campaign as it progressed through the primaries in 1971. The files include speeches, press releases, and election return data. Intelligence files on William Waller, Roy Adams and Robert Ladner are in the series along with folders revealing the importance of Godwin’s William Spell to the campaign. There is also a folder of material on Grover Allen’s campaign for Jackson city commissioner in 1973.

Mississippi: General, 1950, 1952, 1975 and undated, is series eight and it has a number of folders of documents from Tom Stennis’ campaign for Southern District Highway Commissioner in 1975. There are miscellaneous Sullivan campaign documents and other statistical material, a list of the 1950 Miss Hospitality contestants and a ticket to the 1952 Columbus Pilgrimage with an introduction of the Godwin photographer.

Series 9, National and out of state material, 1960-1976, contains folders on Jerry Thomas’ 1974 Florida gubernatorial campaign, Hugh Morton’s 1972 campaign for governor of North Carolina, and miscellaneous material on Richard Nixon, Louisiana and Alabama.

The tenth series, Photographs, 1940-1973 and undated, is an extensive collection of images taken by Godwin for, and documenting, its campaigns. There is a large group of prints and negatives concerning the Agricultural and Industrial Board’s Miss Hospitality contest between 1947 and 1955, as well as images from the tours of the state held for travel editors from around the country in the late 1940s, promotional exhibits, and the Pilgrimages in Natchez, Columbus and Holly Springs from the same era. The series also includes a large number of images of politicians. The inaugurations of Paul B. Johnson, Sr. in 1940, Fielding Wright in 1948, Hugh White in 1952 and James P. Coleman in 1956 are featured in the series, along with images related to States’ Rights, Hugh White in office and a large group of Charles Sullivan taken during his 1963 and 1971 gubernatorial campaigns. Other images concern economic development and vocational rehabilitation for the blind, and among the Miscellaneous are the Corinth Centennial of 1954, Rosie Scott Day in Madison in 1950, and bond issue rallies in Winona and Bassfield.

The collection includes extensive groups of newspaper clippings used by Godwin to document the activities of political candidates during the campaigns the agency was involved with. Series 11, Newspaper clippings, 1951-1975, includes 2 record cartons of clippings with folders dedicated to individual candidates and races, while the last two record cartons contain clippings from the campaigns of 1971 and 1972.

The twelfth series, Newspaper charts, 1971, contain the handwritten charts recording the date and newspaper of articles published on the major political candidates of the 1971 campaign.

Series 13, Scrapbooks: Clippings, 1958-1962, includes scrapbooks of clippings on the election of 1959 as well as the following individuals: Ross Barnett, James P. Coleman, Paul B. Johnson and Charles Sullivan.

Reel to reel tapes, 1952-1972, is series 14 and it contains 176 tapes made of campaign advertisements, speeches, and radio and television appearances made by political candidates. Most of the content concerns the Mississippi governor's races of 1963 and 1971, and the material is predominantly on Charles Sullivan. Also included are: Ross Barnett, James P. Coleman, William Colmer, Thomas Eagleton, James O. Eastland, Charles Evers, Carroll Gartin, Barry Goldwater, Paul B. Johnson, Jr., Robert Kennedy, Marshall Perry, Edwin Pittman, John C. Stennis, Jimmy Swan, William Waller, John Bell Williams, and Fielding Wright. An inventory can be found in Appendix 1.

Series 15, Cassette tapes, 1963-1968, includes 122 tapes of political speeches and radio and television broadcasts. Most of the content concerns the Mississippi governor's race of 1971 and Charles Sullivan. Also included are: Roy Adams, Charles Evers, Marshall Perry, Edwin Pittman, John C. Stennis, Andrew Sullivan, Jimmy Swan, and William Waller. For an inventory see Appendix 2.

The sixteenth series, Film: Charles Sullivan campaign, 1971, includes 110 films of 30-60 seconds which were used as television spots during the gubernatorial campaign.

Miscellaneous reel to reel tapes, 1970-1975 and undated, is series 17 which contains 3 tapes related to Tom Stennis’ 1975 campaign for Southern District Highway Commissioner, two tapes of Charles Sullivan, and one other unidentified tape.

Series 18, Videotape and film, 1963-1971 and undated, comprises both television station videotape and 16mm film whose subjects include Paul B. Johnson, Jr., John Stennis, Fielding Wright, and Charles Sullivan, as well as recordings of political programs and an exhibit held in New Orleans featuring Latin American nations in 1963.

Publications, 1957-1975, the nineteenth series, includes publications about state and national politicians, a 1975 survey of Mississippi voters, two issues of the Saturday Evening Post containing articles about the South and the Life issue which featured a two page photograph of Lt. Governor Paul B. Johnson, Jr., confronting federal officials attempting to register James Meredith at the University of Mississippi in 1962. The final series, Client Notebooks, 1958-1974, includes 44 notebooks of clippings on political candidates (1970-1971), election returns (1963-1971), lists of media outlets and other subjects related to Godwin’s advertising clients.