Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech
Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries (0434)560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061
Business Number: 540-231-6308
specref@vt.edu
URL: http://spec.lib.vt.edu
John M. Jackson, Archivist
Administrative Information
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.
Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction . Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication . Please contact Special Collections and University Archives ( specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Charles Walls Collection, Ms2011-001, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.
Source of Acquisition
The Charles Walls Collection was donated to Special Collections and University Archives in 2006.
Processing Information
The processing, arrangement, and description of the Charles Walls Collections was completed in January 2011.
Biographical Note
Charles Sebastian Walls III, a resident of Blacksburg, Virginia, and an American Civil War enthusiast, was born in Oceanside, New York, on October 15, 1934. A master gardener and retired truck driver, Walls died on December 17, 2008.
Scope and Content
This collection contains photocopies and other reproductions of American Civil War-related magazine articles and other sources compiled by Charles Walls, a resident of Blacksburg, Virginia, and a Civil War enthusiast. The collection, which contains only a few original items, reveals a general interest in the Civil War and its various aspects. The collection's most significant contents, perhaps, are several files on the Ku Klux Klan and related organizations, with articles tracing the Klan's origin and history as well as its activities through the 1990s. The collection also includes a number of articles relating to African-American history and the Civil Rights movement. Other files relate to the preservation of Confederate heritage and include articles surrounding the Confederate battle flag and other controversial issues. Many of these items seem not to have been gathered firsthand by Walls but given to him by another party. The collection also emphasizes the Civil War as it related to Long Island, New York, with articles on military units, events, and individuals.
Arrangement
The collection essentially retains its original order and is arranged alphabetically by subject.
Separated Material
The following books were removed from the collection and cataloged for the Rare Book Collection:
Subjects and Indexing Terms
- Civil War
- Ku Klux Klan (1915-)
- Ku Klux Klan (19th century)
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
Rights Statement for Archival Description
The guide to the Charles Walls Collection by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 ( https://creativecommons.org/share-your- work/public-domain/cc0/ ).