The Department of English was created in 1893 after splitting from the Department of History. Today the department is responsible for the University's undergraduate and graduate curricula in English.

The records of the Department of English contains annual reports, correspondence, memorandums, meeting minutes, newsletters, pamphlets, posters, publications, and an archive of the department's website which document the activities of the department from 1899-2018.

George Pickett Wilson (1889-1972) taught in the English department at Woman's College (now UNCG) from 1927 until his retirement in 1958, specializing in Southern folklore and dialect.

The George Pickett Wilson Papers date from 1937 to 1972 and contain manuscript material, correspondence, clippings, and biographical notes.