J. Carlyle Sitterson (1911-1995) was born in Kinston, N.C. He received his B.A. from the University of North Carolina in 1931 and began teaching history at UNC in 1935 while completing his Ph. D. In 1955, Sitterson became dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, and, in 1965, he was appointed vice-chancellor. Serving as chancellor from 1966 to 1971, he steered the University through major desegregation efforts, anti- Vietnamese War protests, and general campus unrest while reorganizing the administration to reflect the needs of a modern university.Through all of his administrative work, Sitterson continued to teach history, moving from his specialty in United States economic history to 20th-century United States history; he retired as William Rand Kenan Professor of History in 1981. Sitterson married Nancy Howard in 1944; the couple had three children: Joseph Carlyle, Jr.; Mary Howard, who married Eric Calhoun; and Curtis Howard. Sitterson died 19 May 1995. Papers, 1930s-1990s, reflecting Sitterson's activities at the University of North Carolina, his professional activities within the community of historians, and work with other groups. Included are general office files containing correspondence, publications, calendars, and other materials and several boxes of notes and other items relating to classes that Sitterson taught.Also included are a considerable number of documents relating to Sitterson's work with other groups, particularly the Research Triangle Institute and the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT), for which he served as board chair. NCCAT was organized in 1984 to promote excellence in teaching by offering outstanding teachers opportunities to study advanced topics in the sciences, arts, and humanities.Family papers include 19th-century correspondence and court and legal records from Sitterson's ancestors in Williamson, N.C., as well as Sitterson's own family correspondence and personal papers.
