Griffin B. Bell Papers

Collection

Identifier: MU-PP-0168

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Griffin B. Bell Collection contains correspondence, speeches, publications, legal documents, official papers, photographs, audio-visual materials, plaques, and posters.

Dates

Creation: 1939-1989

Conditions Governing Access

Unrestricted access. All requests subject to limitations noted in departmental policies on reproduction.

Conditions Governing Use

To quote in print, or otherwise reproduce in whole or in part in any publication, including on the World Wide Web, any material from this collection, the researcher must obtain permission from (1) the owner of the physical property and (2) the holder of the copyright. Persons wishing to quote from this collection should consult the reference archivist to determine copyright holders for information in this collection. Reproduction of any item must contain the complete citation to the original.

Biographical / Historical

Griffin Boyette Bell was born on October 31, 1918, and grew up in Americus, Georgia. He earned his law degree from Mercer University in 1948. He worked more than 40 years at King & Spalding, an Atlanta law firm, and sat 15 years on the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. In 1977, he left his law practice to become the 72nd Attorney General of the United States under President Jimmy Carter and served two years before returning to the Atlanta firm.

In 1983, Bell was named Mercer’s first Distinguished University Professor and was a frequent lecturer and panelist at the Walter F. George School of Law. He helped raise more than half a billion dollars in gifts to the university. He also served six terms on the Board of Trustees and was chair of the board from 1991 to 1995. In 2007, he was elected a life trustee—only the sixth person at that time to be named to the office.

He died on January 5, 2009. (Adapted from death announcement in Baptist News Global)

Extent

92.8 Linear Feet (57 records center boxes, 10 oversized boxes, and 3 unboxed oversized framed and rolled items) : Paper materials, photographs, videocassettes, audiotapes, calendars, artifacts, drawings, and publications. Items are in mostly good condition.