Don "Ramblin" Rhodes papers
Scope and Contents
This collection contains materials relating to the journalistic career of Don Rhodes. Materials include professional and personal scrapbooks containing early publications and documenting travel; publications and research; newspapers and magazines clippings of his articles; and photographs. His research includes photocopies of historical newspapers and materials relating to a variety of subjects, as well as his own notes and writings. The major subjects of the collection are Augusta history, notable people with connections to Augusta, and notable entertainers, primarily featured in his long running article "Ramlbin' Rhodes". The dates of materials span from 1735 to 2018, with the bulk being between 1964 and 2018.
Dates
- Majority of material found within 1964-2018
- Other: 1735-2018
Creator
- Rhodes, Don "Ramblin'" (Person)
- Don Rhodes (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Standard Federal Copyright Law Applies (U.S. Title 17)
Biographical or Historical Information
Don O. Rhodes was born on December 24, 1945. He started in journalism at the Morris Communications Co. as a crime beat reporter for The Savannah Evening in 1967. After he returned from serving in the Vietnam war, in 1970, he launched his first Ramblin’ Rhodes column. He moved to Augusta a year later, bringing the column with him to The Augusta Chronicle. The column ran for over 50 years and became one of the longest running music entertainment columns in the country. Rhodes participated in local history groups, serving on the board of directors for the Augusta Museum of History, North Augusta Arts & Heritage Center, and the Heritage Council of North Augusta. He was also made an honorable member of the Augusta Genealogical Society and served as a historian in the Jesse C. Lynch Memorial American Legion Post 71 of North Augusta. He passed away at age 77 in North Augusta, SC on June 9th, 2023.
Biographical note written by Isabel Brown
Extent
23 boxes
Language
English
Overview
This collection features the writings and research of Don Rhodes, former editor of the Morris Communications Company. His work features entertainers in the music and acting industries, both local to Augusta and nationally, and history of Georgia and the CSRA.
Arrangement Note
It is unknown when Acc# 2011.03 was initially processed. This portion of the collection contained the bulk of Don Rhodes' research files on entertainment, music, and history. These were organized alphabetically, when additions were processed into the collection in 2025, this order was primarily maintained. It is uncertain whether that order is the original order created by Don Rhodes or by the original processor.
The accruals added to the collection maintained the original order of Don Rhodes, in some cases folder titles were added or altered for clarity. Also, if there were multiple folders on the same topic, they were moved closer together for ease of access.
Method of Acquisition
This material was donated to Reese Library Special Collections, Augusta University by Don Rhodes on 07/15/2011. Acc# 2011.03
Source of Acquisition
An addition of research and scrapbooks was donated by Don Rhodes' sister Lisa Humphreys 8/13/2024. Acc#2024-08
Accruals and Additions
A further addition of 3 binders of research on Juliette Gordon Low was donated and accessioned on 10/31/2017. Acc# 2017.21
Separated Materials
Twenty issues of the The Augusta Futurity were removed from the collection and added to the library catalogue.
Separated Materials
Don Rhodes had retained a run of "Our Town" articles by John Barnes and "Public Affairs" articles written by Margaret Twiggs for the Augusta Chronicle. These articles were separated from the collection to be evaluated for their own collections.
Separated Materials
Copies of North Augusta: the western gateway of South Carolina by Don Rhodes were removed and added to the library catalogue.
- Title
- Inventory of the Don Rhodes research collection
- Author
- Isabel Brown
- Date
- 2025
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- eng
- Sponsor
- Processing of this collection was made possible through grant funds provided by The Porter Fleming Foundation.
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- Box: 12 (Text)
- Box: 13 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 14 (Text)
- Box: 15 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 16 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 17 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 18 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 19 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 20 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 21 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 22 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 23 (Mixed Materials)
Repository Details
Part of the Reese Library Archives Repository