Governor's Office Materials, 1815-2003

The Governor's Office Materials Series contains correspondence to and from Alabama Governor James (“Big Jim”) E. Folsom--or from Ralph Hammond as Folsom's secretary--including personal correspondence, items about personnel and legislative issues, and many letters from citizens throughout the United States and worldwide reacting to news regarding race relations in Alabama in the 1950s. The series also contains administrative and publicity files related to Folsom’s terms as governor, including legislative documents, memos, correspondence, speeches, and clippings covering the administration, the Folsom family, and Folsom’s death in 1987. Many materials focus on the development of travel, road building, and waterways in Alabama, such as highway maps and items about the port of Mobile; and there are a number of items documenting Folsom's campaigns in 1946, 1954, and 1962, including bumper stickers and thimbles bearing Folsom’s campaign slogan, “Y’all Come.” The series also contains photographs of Folsom’s family, childhood, campaign rallies, and various official events; postcards; a box of negatives recording campaign-related stops throughout Alabama; and stereotype molds. Audiovisual materials in this series include vinyl records with songs recorded for Folsom’s campaigns; a reel of microfilm; a cassette tape; and reels of audiotape and 16mm film, some of which relates to Folsom’s second inauguration.