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Roy Vincent Harris Papers
Descriptive Summary | |
| Title: Roy Vincent Harris Papers | |
| Creator: Harris, Roy Vincent, 1895-1985 | |
| Inclusive Dates: 1931-1983 | |
| Language(s): English | |
| Extent: 6 box(es) (4.25 linear feet) | |
| Collection Number: RBRL183RVH | |
| Repository: Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies | |
| Abstract: The Roy Vincent Harris Papers consist of the papers of Roy V. Harris from 1931-1983. Includes correspondence, memoranda, news clippings, and photographs reflecting Harris's career as a lawyer, state politician, member of the Board of Regents, and avid segregationist. Contains copies of the conservative civil rights journal The Citizen (1975-1983), which contains articles contributed by Harris. The collection also includes personal scrapbooks (1945-1946; 1956-1969); a videotaped interview with Harris, in which he discusses his service with the state legislature and the Board of Regents, the growth of the Medical College of Georgia, and Augusta politics; and audio taped interviews with Harris in which he discusses Georgia politics, education in Georgia, and his thoughts on Huey Long and Tom Watson. | |
Collection Description
Biographical Note
Roy Vincent Harris was born in Glascock County, Georgia on October 2, 1895. He moved to Wrens Georgia to attend high school. He received an A. B. from The University of Georgia in 1917 where he was active in the Demosthenian Society. His education was interrupted in June 1917 by World War I. Harris progressed rapidly through the ranks of the wartime army. After enlisting he was promoted from private to sergeant to 2nd lieutenant to 1st lieutenant. Following the War, Harris returned to The University of Georgia where he completed his LL.B. in 1919. At age 24 Harris was admitted to the Bar of the State of Georgia. He practiced law in Louisville, Georgia until 1931 when he relocated to Augusta, Georgia where he practiced law for the rest of his career as part of the firm, Harris, McCracken, Pickett & Jackson.
Harris entered politics in Georgia early in his career. In 1921 he was elected to the Georgia state legislature for Jefferson County and retained this position through 1928. During his time in the legislature he served as the chair of the Ways and Means Committee. From 1931 to 1932, Harris served as a member of the Georgia State Senate during which time he was vice-chair of the Rules Committee. From 1933-1946 he served in the Georgia House of Representatives and wielded considerable power and influence as the Speaker of the House, a position he held from 1937-1940 and 1943-1946. In his long career as a Georgia politician Harris developed a reputation as a "kingmaker" among his cohorts. A "master of white only, rural-dominated politics," of the County Unit System, Harris had little trouble pulling in the votes needed for a piece of legislation or a candidate for governor. A popular saying among Georgia politicians from this era became, "What do you need to be elected governor of Georgia? $50, 000 and Roy Harris." During his time as an elected official Harris was at the center of some of Georgia's most controversial political events. He supported the revocation of the poll tax; fought to thwart his political rival Ellis Arnall from amending the state constitution to enable him to succeed himself as governor; and worked behind the scenes to support Herman Talmadge during the infamous two-governor controversy.
As a politician Harris's chief interests centered on upholding segregation and improving Georgia's education system. Upholding his strong support of segregation, in 1945, Harris worked vigorously to protect the all white Democratic primary in Georgia. In 1948 he led the fight for the adoption of a Minimum Foundation Program for Education and supported a sales tax in the next three successive years to fund it.
After Harris left office in 1946, he continued to be an advocate for both segregation and education. He accomplished much of his work to improve Georgia's educational system as a member of the Board of Regents, to which he was first appointed in 1951. In this capacity, Harris's ability to accomplish things behind the scenes made him a valuable advocate for the state's schools. In one example, Harris arranged for The University of Georgia to receive funding to build a new science center with one call to the governor, Marvin Griffin. When Georgia Tech proponents complained, Harris arranged for funding for a comparable center on the Tech campus. Harris served as a Regent until 1973. Although his attitudes towards racial integration were clearly negative, as a member of the Board of Regents he endeavored to uphold his belief in "separate but equal" by working as an advocate for black colleges within the System. If he clearly believed in segregation, he also believed in "equality of accommodation (even if in reality this rarely occurred)." Harris's more virulent attitudes about racial integration found expression in the Citizens Councils of America, an organization dedicated to "State's Rights and Racial Integrity." As the Charter Member and President of the organization's operation in Georgia as well as the President of the whole Citizen's Council in 1966, Harris was one of its most influential and vocal members. During the height of the Civil Rights era, Harris advocated mounting a campaign of harassing phone calls to supporters of integration. He is also credited by many as the galvanizing force behind Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus's intractable opposition to integration of the schools of Little Rock. Another outlet for Harris's vehement opposition to integration and conservative values was The Augusta Courier, a newspaper he edited for 27 1/2 years from 1947 to 1974. Harris was also a regular and featured contributor to The Citizen, the journal published by the Citizens Councils of America.
In 1982 Harris returned to public office once again. This time Roy accepted an appointment to serve as the city attorney for Ed McIntyre, the first black mayor in Augusta, Georgia. Although still a proponent of segregation, Roy Harris found McIntyre, a man he had known personally for several years, to be a better candidate than his opponent, a white businessman.
Harris was a member of the Georgia Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the American Judicative Society, the American Legion; Woodmen of the World, the Masons, and the B. P. O. Elks. He served as a steward at his church, St. James Methodist.
Roy Vincent Harris passed away in 1985. He was 90 years of age.
Scope and Content
The Roy Vincent Harris Papers consist of materials pertaining to his career in the Georgia General Assembly and on the Board of Regents of The University System of Georgia; his unofficial role as a behind-the-scenes political "kingmaker"; and his activities associated with the Citizens Council of America. Harris's public career as an elected official in the Georgia legislature and as a member of the Board of Regents in the University System of Georgia is reflected in clippings located in scrapbooks covering the mid 1940s, late 1950s, and 1960-1969. His career is also described in a series of oral history interviews and monologues that are available in audiocassette and transcript formats. As a member of the Board of Regents for the University System of Georgia for many years and as an alumnus of The University of Georgia, Harris also carried considerable weight with educational institutions in Georgia. This status is reflected in Harris's correspondence by numerous letters he wrote to recommend individuals for admission to various colleges and universities in Georgia.
Correspondence generated during the later years of Harris's life while he still practiced law in Augusta offer some reflections about his public career from his old cohorts from the Georgia legislature including his rival and friend, Ellis Arnall. However, the majority of Harris's correspondence represents the wide reaching informal network of friends and colleagues--many of them national figures such as Sam Nunn--who had over the years found Harris a powerful behind the scenes political ally. Much of the correspondence includes letters of appreciation from this network for Harris's assistance in legal matters, political advice, and letters of introduction and recommendation. There are letters to Harris from such noted national and state politicians as Ellis Arnall, Sam Nunn, and Zell Miller. Harris's unofficial role as "kingmaker" is further revealed in the scrapbook material and in the oral histories described above.
Roy V. Harris's vehement opposition to racial integration and Civil Rights initiatives of the 1950s and 1960s and his distrust and dissatisfaction with liberal politicians and their policies is well represented in the collection. Scrapbooks from 1956 to1969 focus on Harris's efforts as a member of the Board of Regents to prevent integration of the University System, particularly his alma mater, The University of Georgia. Harris's central role in the activities of the Citizens Council of America, an organization dedicated to "States' Rights & Racial Integrity," is detailed in scrapbook materials, correspondence, oral history material, and photographs. Of special interest in this regard is a complete collection of The Citizen, the publishing organ of the Citizens Council of America, for the years 1975-1983. Also of interest are clippings in the General Series, which explicate Harris's position on his support of Ed McIntyre, a black man for mayor of the city of Augusta. Oral histories offer Harris's own recollections of his attitudes and actions during the Civil Rights era. Harris's dissatisfaction with Jimmy Carter and many of the policies of Carter's presidential administration are mentioned in correspondence.
Harris's personal life--his family, his school years, and his military career-- is well represented by the oral history materials and by the clippings from the late 1970s which sum up Harris's long career in Georgia politics.
Materials represented include correspondence, newspaper clippings (individual items and items mounted chronologically in scrapbooks), printed materials, audiocassettes and videotapes, transcripts, certificates and commendations, and photographs.
Organization and Arrangement
The the Roy V. Harris Papers are arranged into five series: I. General Files, II. The Citizen, III. Scrapbooks, IV. Photographs, and V. Audiovisual materials. Series arrangement is chronological. Scrapbooks have been microfilmed.
All audiocassette interviews have accompanying transcripts. Subject analyses for most interviews follow this finding aid. Videotape of several hours of interview with Harris conducted by WAGT-TV of Augusta is available for viewing. A release form is required for any use of the videotape material.
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions
Completion of a release form is required for any use of the WAGT-TV videotape material.
Preferred Citation
Roy Vincent Harris Papers, Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies, University of Georgia Libraries, Athens, Georgia.
Processing Notes
In most cases, loose newsprint materials have been replaced with photocopies and/or housed in lignin-free enclosures. Scrapbook material has been microfilmed. All photographs have been relocated to the photographs file.
User Restrictions
Library acts as "fair use" reproduction agent.
Copyright Information
Before material from collections at the Richard B. Russell Library may be quoted in print, or otherwise reproduced, in whole or in part, in any publication, permission must be obtained from (1) the owner of the physical property, and (2) the holder of the copyright. It is the particular responsibility of the researcher to obtain both sets of permissions. Persons wishing to quote from materials in the Russell Library collection should consult the Director. Reproduction of any item must contain a complete citation to the original.
Finding Aid Publication
Finding aid prepared on: 2000.
Related Materials and Subjects
Subject Terms
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