Special Collections

Finding Aid for the Caroll Gartin Collection
(MUM00198)

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Finding Aid for the Caroll Gartin Collection

Administrative Information

Acquisition Information

Carroll Gartin’s widow, Jane Gartin, donated her husband’s papers to the University
of Mississippi in 1967. Materials were accessioned as number 76-22.

Processing Information

Leigh McWhite, Political Papers Archivist, completed the introductory notes to the
finding aid in 2007. Student worker David Steele and intern Pamela Williamson organized
the files. Pamela Williamson, Ellie Campbell, and Courtney Metz created the box and
folder listing in 2006-2007. Although the original file titles were preserved, curators
imposed organization upon a haphazard arrangement of files and boxes.

In 2010-2011, a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services enabled the
archive to preserve and digitize all the recordings in the Gartin Collection. Any
views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed as part of this project
do not necessarily represent those of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Additions

No further additions are expected to this collection.

Subject Terms

Formats

Biographical Note

Born on 4 September 1913 in Poplar Springs, Mississippi, Carroll Gartin attended Meridian
High School, Jones Junior College, and the University of Mississippi. After graduating
with a law degree from the Jackson School of Law in 1935 and passing the bar a year
later, Gartin opened a law practice in Laurel and soon became an acting city judge.
In 1941, he served as secretary-manager of the South Mississippi Fair, promoting agriculture
and community development. That same year Gartin enlisted in the U.S. Army and spent
twenty months overseas during World War II. In 1942, he married Janie Elizabeth Gavin
of Stafford Springs, Mississippi.

Upon returning to his hometown after the war in 1945, the young veteran ran without
opposition in a Laurel mayoral campaign to fill an unexpired term. He won a second
term in 1948, again without opposition. In 1951, Gartin entered state politics as
a Democrat and defeated Jimmy Arrington in a run-off to become Lieutenant Governor.
Serving under the administration of Governor Hugh White (1952-1956), Gartin announced
his candidacy for the seat of U.S. Senator James O. Eastland after the incumbent had
publicly expressed a desire to retire. Gartin opted to continue his 1953 campaign
despite the senator’s decision to enter the race. Strongly condemning the recent Supreme
Court Brown decision in favor of desegregation, Eastland won the bitter primary and
the election. Voters reelected Gartin to the lieutenant governorship in 1955 where
he served under Governor J.P. Coleman’s administration from 1956 to 1960. In 1959,
Gartin lost the race against Ross Barnett for the state’s highest office, but he returned
to his familiar lieutenant governor post after defeating Evelyn Gandy in a 1963 run-off.

Gartin died from a heart attack on 19 December 1966 while serving under the administration
of Governor Paul B. Johnson Jr. He had announced his candidacy for the next gubernatorial
election and was expected to be a strong contender against Ross Barnett and Bill Waller.
Gartin’s body lay in state under the State Capitol Rotunda and the governor issued
a proclamation setting ten days of mourning across the state. The funeral service
took place at Highland Baptist Church in Laurel where Gartin had served as deacon.
Members of the legislature were honorary pallbearers, and burial occurred at Lake
Park Cemetery. Gartin was survived by his wife, a daughter (Patricia Gartin Blair
of Columbus), and a son (William Carroll Gartin Jr. of Jackson).

Gartin was a member of the Masons, the Shriners, the O.E.S., the Knights of Pythias,
the Odd Fellows, the Rebeltah Lodge, the Exchange Club, the American Legion, the Veterans
of Foreign Wars, and the 40 and 8. In addition, he served as permanent chairman of
the Mississippi Democratic Convention from 1956 to 1964. Gartin was a member of the
Board of Trustees of State Mental Hospitals from 1947 through 1952 and a member of
the State Building Commission from 1956 through 1960. From 1952 through 1964, Gartin
acted as vice-chairman of the Agricultural & Industrial Board.

Gartin possessed a keen sense of humor and a warm smile. By virtue of his office as
lieutenant governor, he also acted as president of the state senate where he demonstrated
fairness and an ability to keep legislative business rolling. Gartin championed industrial
development and educational improvements. In fact, he played a key role in legislative
passage of teacher salary raises in both 1964 and 1966. Although a segregationist,
Gartin never adopted demagogue tactics, a restraint which observers claim lost Gartin
elections for higher office. In his last election campaign, Gartin promised to “work
for unity rather than division, for peace among our people rather than agitation,”
also stating that “[t]here is no place in the society of Mississippians for either
black power or white bullying.”

Scope and Content Note

Boxes 1 through 10 contain files related to campaigns dating from 1950 through 1966.
Arrangement is largely chronological by year, and includes both county files and general
subject files. Boxes 11 through 15 hold correspondence files from 1948 through 1966.
The alphabetized subject files fill Boxes 16 through 26, and also contain a number
of campaign-related files. Box 27 holds folders related to Gartin’s schedule, mostly
invitations accepted and regretted. Boxes 28 through 30 contain scrapbooks and clippings
dating from 1952 through 1966. Box 30 also includes photocopies of photographs (originals
removed to separate storage). The Carroll Gartin Collection also includes forty-two
audio reel-to-reels, two 16-inch 78 rpm discs, and two film reels.

User Information

Prefered Citation

Caroll Gartin Collection, Archives and Special Collections, J.D. Williams Library,
The University of Mississippi

Access Restrictions

The Caroll Gartin Collection is open for research. This collection is stored at an off-site facility. Researchers interested in using
this collection must contact Archives and Special Collections at least two business days in advance of their planned visit.

For preservation reasons, access to original recordings is restricted; however, digital
counterparts are available to researchers in the Carroll Gartin Digital Collection
at https://clio.lib.olemiss.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/gartin. Although descriptions for all of the collection’s recordings are available to anyone
on the internet, only some of the recordings are accessible on the web due to copyright.
Researchers may review restricted recordings via onsite computer terminals in the
J.D. Williams Library.

Copyright Restrictions

Publication rights are reserved for Jane Gartin and her children, Patricia Gartin
Blair and William Carroll Gartin Jr.

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the
making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under
certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized
to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions
is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other
than private study, scholarship or research.” If a user makes a request for,
or
later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use”,
that user may be liable for copyright infringement.

Related Material

Resources at the University of Mississippi

For additional political holdings at the University of Mississippi Department of Archives
& Special Collections, see the Politics & Government subject guide.

Roane Fleming Byrnes Collection. This collection contains Gartin campaign material.
Finding aid available: http://purl.oclc.org/umarchives/MUM00057/

The Carroll Gartin Story [Carroll Gartin Campaign Committee, 1954]. Call number: E748 G28 C37 1954.

James O. Eastland Collection. Eastland won a bitter race against Gartin in 1953 to
retain his seat in the U.S. Senate, and the collection contains campaign files. Finding
aid available: http://purl.oclc.org/umarchives/MUM00117/

University Archives Photograph Collection. Examination of the index to this collection will uncover images of Gartin.

University Small Manuscripts. Among these files is material on Gartin.

Vertical Files / Clippings Collection. This collection contains a file of Gartin clippings.
Finding aid available: http://purl.oclc.org/umarchives/MUM00459/

Separated Material

Original photographs are located in Modern Political Archives Photographs Box 5.
Stored in an off-site cold facility, the original images require two business days
advance notice to acclimate and transfer to Special Collections. Scans of the original
photographs are available online at https://clio.lib.olemiss.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/gartin.

Original recordings are stored in climate-controlled facility and access is restricted.
See the “Access Restrictions” note for a link to their digital counterparts.

Brown, Robert S. History of the Mississippi School for the Deaf, Jackson, Mississippi, with an Appendix,
1854-1954, 100 Years of Service. Meridian, MS: Gower Printing & Office Supply, 1954. Signed by author. Presentation
copy to Carroll Gartin dated 27 February 1958. Cataloged: HV2561.M7 B7

Directory of Mississippi Elective Officials: State, State Districts, County and County
Districts. Jackson, MS: Secretary of State, 1956. Cataloged: JK4630 .A277

Directory of Mississippi Elective Officials: State, State Districts, County and County
Districts 1960-1964. Jackson, MS: Secretary of State, 1960. Cataloged: JK4630 .A277

Gun Shots (An Organ of Information for Masonite Employees, Published Monthly by Masonite
Corporation, Laurel, Mississippi) 19 (February 1952). Cataloged: TA401 .G86

Laurel Diamond Jubilee: Commemorating 75 Years of Progress, A Presentation to the
Citizens of Laurel, Mississippi. Meridian, MS: Gower Printing, 1957. Cataloged: F349 .L3

Local and Private Laws of the State of Mississippi Passed Regular Session of 1966. Published by Authority, 1966. Cataloged: KFM6606

Lota Hoffman & Paul Robertson. My Old Mississippi Home. Hattiesburg, MS: Paulmond Music Company, 1964. Cataloged: M1658.M6 M9 1964

Mississippi Educational Advance 57 (January 1966). Cataloged: L11 .M5

Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol, Jackson, Mississippi. N.p., n.p., 1965. Cataloged: HV7571.M7 M55 1965

Mississippi Magazine 5 (Summer 1965). Cataloged: LH1.M7 U5mm

Mississippi Municipal Officers. [Jackson, MS]: Secretary of State, 1961. Cataloged: JK2023.M7 D57

Mississippi Official and Statistical Register. [Jackson, MS]: Secretary of State, 1949-1951. Cataloged: J87 .M74a

Mississippi Traveler Vol. 10, No. 2 (August 1953). Cataloged: G155.U6 .M58

Conrad F. Nordham. Mississippi: The Magnolia State. Hattiesburg, MS: Paulmond Music Company, 1964.

PAY Day (Official Publication of Patriotic American Youth, A Mississippi Organization) 4 (April 1965). Cataloged: HQ799.2.P6 P39

The 1957 Reveille. State College, MS: Mississippi State College, 1957. Cataloged: LD3381.M65 R4

State of Mississippi Department of Public Safety: Laws & Regulations of the Mississippi
Highway Safety Patrol. [Jackson, MS]: n.p., 1962.

“Mississippi, The Magnolia State”/ “My Old Mississippi Home” sung by The Katydids
on Spectator label (45 rpm). Cataloged: M1658.M6 K3 1964

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in 7 series.

Container List