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Joseph Bartholomew Mullin Papers

 Collection
Identifier: MSS 0373

Scope and Contents

The Joseph B. Mullin Papers document Mullin's career as a pastor and community activist. Materials in the collection also document his personal life, family, and friends. The collection includes publications and sermons written by Mullin, degrees he received including his 1957 Master's thesis, news clippings, correspondence, and photographs. Highlights of the collection include correspondence and documentation of his mission trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo, a personal memoir titled Remembering, and three folders containing correspondence between Mullin and various friends and family.

Dates

  • 1949 - 2009

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright is retained by the creators of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information. Please see our Sensitive Materials Statement.

Biographical or Historical Information

Joseph B. Mullin was born near the small town of Excelsior Springs, Missouri on March 29, 1924 to Joseph Bartholomew Mullin and Margaret Augusta (Showalter) Mullin. His father worked as the caretaker of a church in Excelsior Springs. Mullin's mother died in 1941 and his father died in 1944.

Mullin married Elizabeth (Betty) Duncan in 1953 and they had three children. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri in 1949 and earned his Master of Divinity from Louisville Presbyterian Seminary in 1952. Following his study in Louisville, Mullin accepted his first pastorate at Glencliff Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee where he stayed until 1954. Between 1959 and 1969 Mullin served as pastor in two other churches: First Presbyterian Church in Paducah, Kentucky, and Harvey Browne Memorial Presbyterian Church in Louisville, Kentucky.

In 1969, Mullin enrolled in Princeton Theological Seminary where he earned a Master of Theology. Following his studies at Princeton and a mission trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mullin moved to Greensboro, North Carolina to become pastor of First Presbyterian Church. Mullin served as First Presbyterian's pastor from 1971 until his retirement in 1988. While serving as pastor and after retirement, Mullin was active in the Greensboro community as a philanthropist, fundraiser, and board member for numerous organizations and colleges.

Extent

2.75 Linear Feet (2 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Joseph Bartholomew Mullin was born in Excelsior Springs, Missouri on March 29, 1924. He was the Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Greensboro, North Carolina from 1971-1988 and was named Pastor Emeritus of the church in 1988. Mullin has also been active in the Greensboro community, serving on the boards of organizations such as the Greensboro Rotary Club, the United Way of Greater Greensboro, Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, the American Heart Association Greensboro Chapter, and Habitat for Humanity. Mullin holds several degrees including a Master of Theology from Princeton, a Doctor of Ministry from Union Theological Seminary, and honorary doctorates from several colleges.

The Joseph B. Mullin Papers date from 1949 to 2009 and contain awards, biographical material, books, clippings, correspondence, degrees, a journal, photographs, postcards, programs, publications, memoirs, sermons, and speeches.

Arrangement Note

This collection is organized chronologically, following the original order created by Dr. Mullin, with the exception of correspondence folders and clippings folders. Within these folders, documents have been rearranged into chronological order. Folder titles and most dates were maintained. Folder dates and titles that appear in brackets were added during processing.

Method of Acquisition

Gift of Joseph B. Mullin in April, 2009.

Offensive Language Statement

The UNC Greensboro University Libraries collects, preserves, and makes accessible unique and historical materials for learning and research. The nature of historical materials is such that some material may represent positions, norms, and values that are offensive and objectionable. These materials represent the opinions and actions of their creators. By providing access to these records in our reading room and through our digital collections, we recognize that archives and rare books can play a vital role in holding those creators accountable and in helping us learn from the past.

Our finding aids and other collection descriptions may occasionally re-use language provided by creators or former holders of the materials, but we strive to place outdated or offensive terminology in context. That said, we recognize that we may not always make the right decision and welcome feedback from all sources so we can learn and adjust our practices. Please contact us at scua@uncg.edu if you encounter problematic language in our finding aids or other collection description. We will review the language and, as appropriate, update it in a way that balances preservation of the original context with our ongoing commitment to describing materials with respectful and inclusive language.

Processing Information

Mendy Ozan, March, 2011

Title
Joseph Bartholomew Mullin Papers
Status
Completed
Author
Mendy Ozan
Date
2011
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
eng

Repository Details

Part of the Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections and University Archives Repository

Contact:
P.O. Box 26170
320 College Ave.
Greensboro NC 27402-6170 US
336-334-5246