Jack Gunter civil rights photographs, 1957-1968
(Document/manuscript/pamphlet/archival material)

Arrangement:chronological with undated photographs at the end.

Materials housed in Special Collections Division of the Main Library, Nashville Public Library.

Note: The identification numbers used for each photograph in the physical collection do not presently (May 2019) match ID numbers used by Image Reproduction. Any requests from the public for duplication should be aware of this discrepancy, and should work directly with the Special Collections Photo Specialist to ensure that the desired photograph is reproduced.

In library use only. Available by appointment.

Scope and content:The Jack Gunter Civil Rights Photographs feature 87 original black and white photographs taken by Nashville Banner newspaper photographer Jack Gunter from 1957 to 1968. The photographs are arranged chronologically. Undated photographs follow at the end. The bulk of the collection is from 1963 and depicts civil rights demonstrations in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. Also included in the collection are single photographs of visiting Presidents and well known national figures, two photographs of sites for urban renewal and two Vietnam War protest photographs. Some of the photographs are mounted on foam board and were possibly used for two exhibits that Gunter participated in, Cheekwood's "Life Through the Sixties" in 1990 or the Tennessee State Museum's "Witness to the Light: the Civil Rights Struggle in Nashville an Exhibition of 48 Photographs by Nashville Banner Photographers from 1957-1964" held in 1993.

Box One highlights include:1957-School desegregation Nashville, TN ; 1960-Dr. Martin L. King, Jr.'s visit; Civil Rights demonstrations, marches, sit-ins ; 1963-Nashville demonstrations and sit-ins; bus to Washington, D.C.

Box Two highlights include: 1963-Demonstrations and marches in downtown Nashville, Pres. Kennedy's visit; 1964-Marches and demonstrations in Nashville, TN ; 1967-Stokely Carmichael's visit to Vanderbilt University, court appearances, William Kunstler in court, Pres. Johnson's visit, Allen Ginsberg's appearance.

Box Three highlights include: 1968-William F. Buckley and Julian Bond's appearance at Vanderbilt Univ.; Police arrests; Undated: downtown shanties, demonstrations, Dr. Martin L. King, Jr.'s visit; National Guardsmen and tank.

Box Four highlights include: Undated: Hubert Humphrey's visit to Nashville; National Guard patrol; downtown shanties; Mayor Beverly Briley pictured; Dr. Martin L. King pictured with Alexander Looby; marches and demonstrations.

Cite as:[photograph number], Jack Gunter Civil Rights Photographs, Special Collections Division, Nashville Public Library

Copyright deeded to the Nashville Public Library at the time of acquisition.

Jack Gunter;,Gift;,2008.,Acc. 2008.013

Related Materials: Nashville Banner Archives, Special Collections Division, Nashville Public Library.

Harold Parks (Jack) Gunter was born to Vivian Wilton Cole and Frank Leonard Gunter on March 29, 1929 in Nashville, Tennessee. Jack began his career at the Banner newspaper as a teenage errand boy while attending East Nashville High School. He became a staff photographer in 1948. At the age of 21, he was drafted to serve as a combat photographer for the 45th Infantry Division in Korea. Upon his return in 1953, he resumed his work at the Banner and married Bettye Jean Hailey. They had two children, Kelly and Kyle. Jack Gunter became an award winning photographer and was a member of the National Press Photographers Association. During his almost 50 year career at the Banner he would become the head the photography department, assistant to the publisher and later general manager of the newspaper before retiring 1995. In his retirement, he began a second career as a court officer. Jack died in April of 2014 at the age of 85.

In English.

process;,2018;,Beth Odle

catalog;,2019;,Karen Piper

No further accruals are expected.