The papers of A.E.S. Stephens center around his unsuccessful campaign for Governor of Virginia from December 1960, until his loss to Albertis Harrison in the Democratic Party primary in July 1961. The majority of the papers prior to the 1960-1961 primary race focus on the issue of Massive Resistance to racial integration in Virginia schools.
The papers are divided into eight series: Series I: Correspondence; Series II: Photographs; Series III: Biographical Data; Series IV: Newspaper Clippings; Series V: Campaign Records; Series VI: Speeches; Series VII: Statements; and Series VIII: Reference Material.
Collection is open to researchers without restrictions.
Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, and the holder of the copyright, if not Old Dominion University Libraries.
Mrs. Anna Delk Stephens and Mr. Rodham T. Delk
Gift. Accession #A77-36
[Identification of item], Box [insert number], Folder [insert number and title], A. E. S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
Allie Edward Stakes Stephens was born November 4, 1900, in Wicomico Church, Virginia. Stephens began practicing law in the Isle of Wight County, Virginia, on September 15, 1923. It was in Isle of Wight County in 1927 that Stephens experienced a violent initiation into politics. An incident occurred in which a fourteen year old white girl was allegedly brutally murdered by a black man. At a time in Virginia history when lynchings still occurred, a mob formed and demanded the death of the defendant. The Isle of Wight Commonwealth's Attorney, however, succeeded in transporting the black man safely to Petersburg. Stephens was asked by angry Isle of Wight residents to run for Commonwealth's Attorney as an independent candidate, but Stephens made it absolutely clear that he would neither run, nor accept the office if elected. Stephens, in fact, won the election, but as he had promised he refused to accept the office despite the attempted intimidation of the Ku Klux Klan. Stephens formally began his political career when he was elected as a Democrat to the House of Delegates in 1929. He served as a Delegate for twelve years. In 1941 Stephens was elected to the Virginia Senate where he served until 1952. After the death of Lieutenant Governor Lewis Preston Collins on September 20, 1952, Stephens announced his candidacy for the unexpired portion of Collins' term. His candidacy was successful and in November 1953, he was elected to a full four-year term. Stephens was re-elected Lieutenant Governor in 1957, and served in that capacity until his resignation after an unsuccessful candidacy for the Governorship in 1961.Throughout his political career, Stephens remained a member of the Democratic Party and until the late 1950s he aligned himself with the powerful Byrd Organization. Stephens split with the Byrd Machine in 1959 when he withdrew his support from the Organization's policy of Massive Resistance to public school desegregation. Stephens' private life was filled with important and varied positions and accomplishments. He married Anna Spratley Delk in 1928, and had three children, including the first girl in the Stephens family in four generations. Stephens was a founder and, at his death, President and a member of the Board of the Directors of Historic St. Luke's Restoration. He was a member of the Smithfield Ruritan Club, Virginia Bar Association and an honorary member of the Smithfield Rotary Club, which he twice served as president. He was Town Attorney for the Town of Smithfield for many years until his retirement on December 3, 1971. Stephens served as a member of the Board of Visitors of Old Dominion University from 1968 to 1972. He died, after a short illness, at Riverside Hospital, Newport News, Virginia on June 9, 1973.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 1, Correspondence, 1949 February, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 2, Correspondence, 1950 October, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 3, Correspondence, 1951 January, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 4, Correspondence, 1952, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 5, Correspondence, 1954, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 6, Correspondence, 1955 January-April, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 7, Correspondence, 1955 May-December, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 8, Correspondence, 1956, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 9, Correspondence, 1957, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 10, Correspondence, 1959, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 11, Correspondence, 1960 January, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 12, Correspondence, 1960 March, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 13, Correspondence, 1960 September, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 14, Correspondence, 1960 November 1-15, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 15, Correspondence, 1960 November 16-21, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 16, Correspondence, 1960 November 22-30, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 17, Correspondence, 1960 December 1-7, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 18, Correspondence, 1960 December 8-15, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 19, Correspondence, 1960 December 16-22, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 20, Correspondence, 1960 December 23-31, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 1, Correspondence, 1961 January 1-15, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 2, Correspondence, 1961 January 16-21, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 3, Correspondence, 1961 January 22-31, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 4, Correspondence, 1961 February 1-12, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 5, Correspondence, 1961 February 13-28, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 6, Correspondence, 1961 March 1-15, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 7, Correspondence, 1961 March 16-20, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 8, Correspondence, 1961 March 21-25, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 9, Correspondence, 1961 March 26-31, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 10, Correspondence, 1961 April 1-7, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 11, Correspondence, 1961 April 8-15, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 12, Correspondence, 1961 April 16-23, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 13, Correspondence, 1961 April 24-30, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 1, Correspondence, 1961 May 1-7, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 2, Correspondence, 1961 May 8-15, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 3, Correspondence, 1961 May 16-23, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 4, Correspondence, 1961 May 24-31, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 5, Correspondence, 1961 June 1-7, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 6, Correspondence, 1961 June 8-15, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 7, Correspondence, 1961 June 16-30, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 8, Correspondence, 1961 July 1-11, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 9, Correspondence, 1961 July 12, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 10, Correspondence, 1961 July 13-15, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 11, Correspondence, 1961 July 17, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 12, Correspondence, 1961 July 18-23, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 13, Correspondence, 1961 July 24-31, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 14, Correspondence, 1961 August, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 15, Correspondence, 1961 September-December, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 16, Correspondence, undated, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 4, Folder 1, Photographs, undated, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 4, Folder 2, Biographical Data, undated, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 4, Folder 3, Newspaper Clippings, 1954-1959, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 4, Folder 4, Newspaper Clippings, 1959-1961, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 4, Folder 5, Campaign Records, 1960-1961, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 4, Folder 6, Speeches, 1952, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 4, Folder 7, Speeches, 1953, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 4, Folder 8, Speeches, 1954, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 4, Folder 9, Speeches, 1955, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 4, Folder 10, Speeches, 1956, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 4, Folder 11, Speeches, 1957, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 4, Folder 12, Speeches, 1958, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 4, Folder 13, Speeches, 1959, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 4, Folder 14, Speeches, 1960 January-June, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 4, Folder 15, Speeches, 1960 July-December, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 4, Folder 16, Speeches, 1961 January, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 4, Folder 17, Speeches, 1961 April, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 4, Folder 18, Speeches, 1961 May 1-25, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 4, Folder 19, Speeches, 1961 May 26-31, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 5, Folder 1, Speeches, 1961 June 1-10, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 5, Folder 2, Speeches, 1961 June 11-20, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 5, Folder 3, Speeches, 1961 June 21-25, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 5, Folder 4, Speeches, 1961 June 26-30, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 5, Folder 5, Speeches, 1961 July, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 5, Folder 6-9, Speeches, undated, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 5, Folder 11, Speech Outlines, 1954-1961, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 6, Folder 1, Proposed Platform, 1961 April 5, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 6, Folder 2, Statements, 1961 March-June, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 6, Folder 3, Statements, 1961 July, undated, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 6, Folder 4, Reference Material, 1949-1953, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 6, Folder 5, Reference Material, 1954 January-July, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 6, Folder 6, Reference Material, 1954 August-December, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 6, Folder 7, Reference Material, 1955-1959, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 6, Folder 8, Reference Material, 1960, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 6, Folder 9, Reference Material, 1961 January-March, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 6, Folder 10, Reference Material, 1961 April, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 6, Folder 11, Reference Material, 1961 May-July, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 6, Folder 12, Reference Material, undated, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 6, Folder 13, Reference Material, undated, A.E.S. Stephens Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.