This collection is the first accession of the Frank Nikolay Papers. It relates both to his career in the Wisconsin Legislature and the Democratic Party and is comprised of correspondence, memoranda, reports, speeches, press releases, clippings, committee files, and printed matter.
It may help the researcher to know that these papers were reviewed and prepared for shipment by the donor, not by Society staff. Thus, it is not clear the degree to which the files received by the Society reflected their original arrangement and contents. At the time the collection was processed additional materials were still being reviewed by Nikolay for presentation to the Society. Appreciation of the collection's provenance will help the researcher to understand the miscellaneous nature of the files and the somewhat fragmentary documentation they provide of Nikolay's career. It is anticipated that this will not be the case after all materials are received.
Among the best files are those pertaining to various committees on which Nikolay served: the Building Commission, the Interstate Cooperation Committee, the Judiciary Committee, and the Special Committee on Town Government Incorporation. Such files include agendas, summary proceedings, memoranda, and correspondence. Pertaining to committee work for the Democratic Party are good files on the Legislative Campaign Committee during the 1960's and the 1960 Humphrey delegation to the national convention.
For the years 1965-1966 there is a chronological file of constituent correspondence primarily regarding proposed or pending legislation.
