Guide to the Leo G. Blackstock Papers, 1929-1979

Historical Background

Colonel Leo G. Blackstock was born in Whitt, Texas on November 1, 1899. In 1923, Blackstock earned his B.A. in Economics from The University of Texas at Austin, going on to earn his M.B.A. and J.D. from the university in 1925 and 1933, respectively. During his career as an educator, he taught at Trinity University in Waxahachie (1924), Sam Houston State University in Huntsville (1925-1927), and at his alma mater, The University of Texas (1927-1971). He took two extended leaves of absence during his teaching career. The first was to serve as Chief Examiner of the Gas Utilities Division of the Railroad Commission of Texas (1937-1939), and the second to serve in the U.S. Army (1940-1948).

Blackstock was commissioned the rank of Captain in 1936 as reserve officer, and was on active duty from 1940 to 1946. He served as Assistant Judge Advocate and was promoted to the rank of Major in 1942 and Lieutenant Colonel in 1944, serving in the Pacific Theater for the remainder of World War II. After the war ended in 1945, Blackstock was assigned to the Chief of the Prosecution Division position in Tokyo, Japan, and promoted to the rank of Colonel in 1946. After his release from active duty that year, he remained in Japan as a civilian attached to the army and continued his work in the prosecution of war criminals until 1948.

Blackstock resumed his teaching career at the University of Texas at Austin a decorated veteran: he was awarded Bronze Star Medal and Award, World War II Victory Medal, and American Defense Ribbon, among other honors. He taught military law and business law at the College of Business Administration and the School of Law until 1971, briefly leaving the university in the early 1950s to teach military law at the Army Reserves’ Judge Advocate General’s Office. Leo G. Blackstock, author of works on military and business law, retired Army officer, and distinguished professor, died in 1972.

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Contents of the Collection

The collection contains printed materials, correspondence, reports, and photographs that document the professional and personal life of Colonel Leo G. Blackstock. The papers are arranged into three series, representing Colonel Blackstock’s military career, civilian career, and personal life.

Materials relating to Blackstock’s military career (1936-1956) compose the bulk of the collection, and are organized in the following subseries: command and general school (1934-1954), Assistant Judge Advocate General Corps (1940-1955), Japanese War Criminal Trial cases (1928-1952), and Army Reserves teaching (1951-1954). The command and general school papers are correspondence and materials related to United States Army Reserves extension courses offered through the Judge Advocate General Corps (JAGC). The JAGC papers pre-date Colonel Blackstock’s World War II service, concerning his move from Fort Sam Houston to Camp Beauregard in South Carolina to Fort Leavenworth in Kansas. The Japanese War Criminal Trial cases contain extensive coverage of over eighty case reviews, from June 1947 to July 1948. Included also are papers pertaining to war crime procedures, military regulations, and the status reports of Colonel Blackstock’s prosecution division. The final series in Colonel Blackstock’s military papers contain reserves materials on case studies, examinations, and extension courses on military affairs, civil affairs, military justice, and administrative law.

Colonel Blackstock’s civilian materials primarily reflect his teaching career at The University of Texas at Austin (1946-1955). Included is correspondence between Blackstock and UT Austin officials, particularly regarding the discussions about his leave of absence in order to continue his work with the Japanese War Crimes Tribunal. Printed materials include course outlines, exams for courses on business law, and administrative general faculty ephemera.

The third and final series in Leo G. Blackstock’s papers contain materials relating to his personal life, as well as miscellany, including correspondence, photographs, scrapbook materials, and assorted newsprint and pamphlets (1944-1972). Correspondence includes communication to family and friends about Blackstock’s military service, as well as minor business transactions. The photographs documents Colonel Blackstock’s participation in various conferences, including the United States Army Reserves Conference in Charlottesville, Virginia. Scrapbook materials include Colonel Blackstock’s identification badges from 1970-1972 and travel brochures acquired during various conferences he attended. Newsprint includes copies of the Austin American Statesman from 1954 and the pamphlets cover a variety of topics, including military newsletters and legal education.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

None.

Use Restrictions

The collection and any reproductions of the collection are made available for the purposes of private study, scholarship, and research only.

Tarlton Law Library does not hold the copyright to the materials, unless it has been transferred to the library by the creator. It is the researcher's responsibility to determine the copyright status and to obtain permission from the copyright holder before publishing any materials from the collection.

Some collections may contain sensitive or confidential information protected under federal and state privacy laws. The researchers are encouraged to report any such information to staff.

The University of Texas at Austin is not responsible for violations of intellectual property rights and any other laws or for liability to any person for defamation or invasion of privacy that result from unauthorized use of the collection by the researcher.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Leo G. Blackstock Papers, Tarlton Law Library, The University of Texas at Austin.

Acquisition Information

Information of acquisition method not available.

Processing Information

Processing revisions by Katy Telling, 2017.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

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