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Robert E. McNair Papers

Robert Evander McNair represented Allendale County in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1951 until his election as Lieutenant Governor in 1962. He served under Governor Donald Russell until 1965, when the death of U.S. Senator Olin Johnston left a vacancy in South Carolina's congressional delegation. McNair succeeded Russell as governor and appointed Russell to serve in the senate until such time as a special election could be held. McNair was elected to a full term as governor in 1966 and served until January 1971.

McNair, Robert E. (1923-2007)

Papers, 1953-2010, 135 ft.

Following his public service, McNair resumed his career as an attorney and founded a new firm with Governor's Office colleagues James Konduros and Wayne Corley, which has since evolved into the McNair Law Firm.

Collection Finding Aid
The bulk of the collection consists of the official papers of McNair's term as Governor, which are subdivided into nine series: General, Appointments, Executive Orders, Extraditions, Invitations, Messages, Receipts for Acts, Staff Files, and Topical. Personal papers include materials relating to McNair's campaigns and the Democratic Party.  There are also extensive speeches and audiovisual materials.

Robert McNair: In His Own Words (a digitized collection of documents from the McNair Papers)

Oral History Transcript (20 pages)
Former Governor and Mrs. McNair discuss life in the Governor’s Mansion from 1966 to 1971.

Robert E. McNair: A Governor of the New South (digital exhibit)

Compassionate Leadership: The Robert E. McNair Papers Project (Article, 2000)

 

Related Collection:
Gubernatorial Records (S.C. Department of Archives & History)

 

Related Links:
Memory Hold the Door (USC Law School)

SC Governors (at "SCIway")

 

Related Oral Histories:
This multi-part interview is one of a series in an oral history project which grew out of former Governor McNair's concern that his official gubernatorial papers would not adequately document the tragic confrontation at Orangeburg in 1968, and the desire of a group of his associates to more thoroughly document his administration. The SC Department of Archives and History administered the project; Dr. Cole Blease Graham of the University of South Carolina conducted the interviews. SCDAH has allowed SCPC to mount the interviews here. For transcripts and a full description of the project, please contact us.

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