Cranford Family papers
Scope and Contents
The Cranford Family Papers span the years of circa 1936-2013, with most of the material dating from 1942-2000. The collection consists of a variety of materials including correspondence, family history and documents, writings, speeches, three scrapbooks and many photographs. The collection also contains notes and documents relating to friends and acquaintances of the Cranfords who were notable Durham community members. Of particular interest in this collection is a series of letters between H.C. Cranford and his wife Lois during his service in World War II. The letters span 1943-1945, with the bulk of the series from 1944. The collection documents the Cranfords’ life and work in the Durham community.
Dates
- circa 1936-2013
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
There are no restrictions on the use of this material except where previously copyrighted material is concerned. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain all permissions.
Biographical / Historical
H. C. Cranford Jr. (1920-2004) and Lois Cranford (1924-2017) were prominent members of the Durham community. Both attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and were active in producing the Carolina Magazine. H. C. Cranford wrote feature articles for many local newspapers and reported for the Durham Sun and the Durham Morning Herald. After his service in the second World War, Cranford became one of the first public relations officers in North Carolina. He worked on the Good Health Campaign in the mid 1940s, then was public relations director and later vice-president for public relations at Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina for 36 years. As a volunteer, he was active in starting the Durham City of Medicine program, which focused on promoting Durham’s status as a center of health and medicine. Lois Cranford wrote feature articles for local newspapers in her hometown of Greenwood, South Carolina, as well as in Durham, and became the first public relations director for Watts Hospital in Durham. Later, she also was the marketing and promotion head for Durham’s Northgate Mall. The collection illuminates the lives of H. C. and Lois Cranford throughout their years of activity in the Durham community.
Extent
8 Linear Feet (15 boxes: 13 document boxes, 2 oversize boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
Arranged in 7 series: Series 1: Family Papers. Series 2: Writings and Articles. Series 3: Community Involvement. Series 4: Papers Concerning Friends and Acquaintances. Series 5: Miscellany. Series 6: WWII and Miscellaneous Letters. Series 7: Photographs and Scrapbooks.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Susan Cranford Ross
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina
- Community life -- North Carolina -- Durham Subject Source: Library Of Congress Subject Headings
- Cranford, H. C. (Henry Clay), 1920-2004
- Durham morning herald Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Durham sun Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Watts Hospital (Durham, N.C.)
- World War, 1939-1945 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- Finding Aid for the Cranford Family Papers
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Edition statement
- Processed by Lindsey Smith
- Gift Agreement
- Digitized content
Repository Details
Part of the North Carolina Collection Archives Repository