Summary Information
William H. Baldwin Papers 1886-1980
- Baldwin, William H., 1891-1980
U.S. Mss 24AF; Micro 809; Micro 874
0.4 c.f. (1 archives box) and 20 reels of microfilm (35mm)
Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)
Papers of a public relations specialist also well known for his many social welfare activities. Included are correspondence, financial records, reports, proposals, publications, minutes, writings and speeches, and notes. Approximately half of the collection consists of personal correspondence, the bulk of which relates to operation of the Springfield (Mass.) Republican, a family enterprise. Prominent correspondents include his cousins Roger N. Baldwin and Chester B. Bowles as well as William Benton, James Dombrowski, John Haynes Holmes, Earl Newsom, and H. T. Webster. Other personal papers includes copies of speeches, articles, and miscellaneous writings; a 1962 diary; material used for public relations lectures given at Harvard and New York University; and notes made as a student at the University of Wisconsin, 1912-1913. Relating to public relations work are correspondence, client files, publications, and financial records. The client files contain program proposals and publications prepared, distributed, or collected for various accounts. Many of the files relate to Baldwin's ongoing work regarding tariff legislation. Unfortunately other than the finished proposals, the development of most programs is only fragmentarily represented. Publications include Resolved, a newsletter published by Baldwin's firm for non-profit organizations, and lists of attitudes and opinion leaders abstracted from it. Baldwin's interest in social welfare is documented by files on the American Museum of Immigration, Fisk University, the National Urban League, the Urban League of Southwestern Fairfield County (Conn.), the Southern Education Foundation, and other groups. While the majority of these files consist only of correspondence (and that dates mainly from the mid 1950s through the 1970s), there are minutes, financial records, and publications for the AMI, the Southern Education Foundation, and the Urban League of Southwestern Fairfield County. Vernon E. Jordan, Jr., and Whitney M. Young, Jr., appear as frequent correspondents within the NUL files. Family papers consist of correspondence of Baldwin's father William H. Baldwin, Jr., and his mother Ruth Standish Baldwin and a Baldwin genealogy. William H. Baldwin, Jr.'s files contain a letter from John D. Rockefeller, Jr., a speech, and a review of a book by William B. DuBois; those of Ruth Standish Baldwin mainly contain exchanges with staff members of the Highlander Folk School, Monteagle, Tennessee. English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-us0024af ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
Public relations pioneer William H. Baldwin was born September 17, 1891, in Saginaw, Michigan, and grew up in a family where working for the public welfare was a tradition. His father, William H. Baldwin, Jr. (William H. Baldwin dropped the III after his father's death in 1905), was a close advisor of Booker T. Washington and a trustee of Tuskegee Institute. His mother Ruth Standish (Bowles) Baldwin was a trustee of Smith College and a founder of the National Urban League. Roger N. Baldwin and Chester B. Bowles were two of his cousins. The family tradition of public service was continued by William H. Baldwin who worked actively in behalf of the American Museum of Immigration (member of the board), the National Urban League (trustee and honorary trustee, 1915-1980, and president, 1942-1947), Fisk University (trustee and trustee emeritus, 1923-1980), the Southern Education Foundation (member of the board, 1950-1980), the Foreign Policy Association, and a host of other organizations.
William H. Baldwin's early education was in private schools in New York state and at Andover. With the intention of carrying on the family newspaper tradition, he attended Harvard University and completed his course of study in only three years. During the school year 1912-1913 he attended the University of Wisconsin, returning to graduate from Harvard in 1913. The following year was spent abroad, and in 1914 he went to work as ship news reporter for the New York Evening Post. After three years with the Post Baldwin enlisted in the navy and served as a press censor during World War I in Key West.
Upon the completion of his naval service, Baldwin apprenticed with Thomas F. Woodlock, a public relations specialist with the American International Corporation. In 1922 Baldwin accepted an offer from Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, to devote full time to fundraising, thereby establishing the first million-dollar endowment at a Negro college in the South.
Baldwin established his own public relations firm in 1926, and was joined by Brewster S. Beach in 1937. Maurice Mermey became a partner in 1939, and the firm operated as Baldwin, Beach, and Mermey. From 1942 until 1960 when the firm was dissolved it operated as Baldwin and Mermey. Among Baldwin's clients for varying periods up to 30 years were Coca-Cola, Hershey Corporation, International Nickel, R. N. Macy and Company, the Crusade for Freedom, the National Association of Broadcasters, and Scoville Manufacturing. Baldwin was also counsel to ad hoc committees formed to mobilize public support for three successive extensions of the Trade Agreements Acts and adviser to the federal trustee throughout the reorganization of McKesson & Robbins. Baldwin was a charter member of the National Association of Publicity Directors and chairman of its successor, the National Association of Public Relations Counsel.
Baldwin married Cecilia H. Brewster in 1916. Mrs. Baldwin founded the real estate firm Baldwin and Company, which she operated for more than forty years. The Baldwins were the parents of three sons, William H., Jr., Brewster, and George Lee. William H. Baldwin died May 19, 1980 in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.
Scope and Content Note
The papers represent William H. Baldwin's varied personal and professional interests; unfortunately the documentation is incomplete in many aspects. For example, although Baldwin was a longtime supporter of both the National Urban League and Fisk University substantial material on both associations dates only from the mid-1950's. And while a number of public relations proposals are included, the ideas and concepts which led to their development are only fragmentarily represented. The collection is arranged as personal, professional, social welfare, and family papers and consists of correspondence, financial records, reports, public relations proposals, publications, minutes, writings, and notes.
The PERSONAL PAPERS primarily consist of a general correspondence file, 1906-1977, together with two diaries, 1913-1914 and 1942, drafts and printed copies of speeches, articles and writings that appeared under his name; many drafts of an unpublished book; materials used for public relations seminars conducted at Harvard and New York University; and notes on lectures and readings assigned in the classes of John R. Commons, E. A. Ross, Paul Reinsch and others while a student at the University of Wisconsin. The vast majority of the letters concern the management of the Springfield (Mass.) Republican, a Bowles-Baldwin family enterprise. Prominent correspondents include both of his cousins Roger N. Baldwin and Chester B. Bowles and William Benton, James Dombrowski, John Haynes Holmes, Earl Newsom, and H. T. Webster. Within the writings, the lecture materials and the unpublished public relations manuscript are of considerable interest, for both include many references to his career. The drafts of his unpublished book about his long career in public relations are of particular interest as they contain information regarding his public relations campigns which is not found elsewhere.
PROFESSIONAL PAPERS include financial records, which are most complete for the 1920's and 1930's; correspondence, alphabetically-arranged client files, publications, and miscellany. The client files variously contain proposals and printed matter prepared, distributed, or collected in behalf of clients. Other pamphlets which relate to international trade and the sugar tariff in particular are filed with the miscellany. These pamphlets could not be directly tied to specific clients or promotions. Publications include Resolved, which was issued briefly by Baldwin and Mermey for non-profit organizations, and Footnotes to Public Relations, a newsletter more directly oriented toward their work as public relations counselors. A catalog of attitudes and a list of opinion leaders, both of which were compiled as the result of publishing Resolved are also filed in this section. There is also a scrapbook of articles and promotions prepared by Baldwin, 1927-1930.
SOCIAL WELFARE PAPERS are arranged alphabetically by agency, with those files on the American Museum of Immigration, Fisk, the National Urban League, the Urban League of Southwestern Fairfield County and the Southern Education Foundation being the most extensive. These consist chiefly of correspondence, but for some groups there are also minutes, publications of various kinds, financial records, and for AMI, exhibit and building plans. Within the National Urban League files there are frequent exchanges with Vernon E. Jordan, Jr., and Whitney M. Young, Jr.
FAMILY PAPERS are primarily correspondence of Baldwin's father and mother; the William H. Baldwin, Jr., correspondence consists of letters to his father (WHB Sr.), a letter from John D, Rockefeller, Jr., a speech, and a review of a book by William B. DuBois; the Ruth Standish Baldwin correspondence chiefly consists of exchanges with staff members of the Highlander Folk School, Monteagle, Tennessee.
Most of the pamphlets and printed items separated from Baldwin's client files are located in the one box of materials which was not microfilmed.
Administrative/Restriction Information
Presented by William H. Baldwin, New Canaan, Connecticut, 1960-1978, and by William H. Baldwin, Jr., 1980. Accession Number: MCHC 60-18, 62-5, 63-57, 67-125, 72-27, 73-15, 75-70, and 78-6, 80-102.
Processed by Janice O'Connell, 1964, and Carolyn J. Mattern, April 1980; prepared for microfilming by Thomas Pscheidt, May 1981.
Contents List
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Series: Personal Papers
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Micro 874
|
Correspondence
|
|
Reel
1
Frame
1-225
|
1906-1930
|
|
Reel
1
Frame
226-470
|
1931-1938
|
|
Reel
1
Frame
471-702
|
1939-October 1946
|
|
Reel
1
Frame
703-970
|
November 1946-February 1947
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|
Reel
1
Frame
971-1034
|
March 1947
|
|
Reel
2
Frame
1-152
|
April-August 1947
|
|
Reel
2
Frame
153-337
|
September 1947-January 15, 1948
|
|
Reel
2
Frame
338-593
|
January 16-December 1948
|
|
Reel
2
Frame
594-782
|
1949
|
|
Reel
2
Frame
783-944
|
1950-1951
|
|
Reel
2
Frame
945-1136
|
January-March 1952
|
|
Reel
3
Frame
1-177
|
April-June 1952
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|
Reel
3
Frame
178-332
|
July-December 1952
|
|
Reel
3
Frame
333-448
|
1953
|
|
Reel
3
Frame
449-616
|
1954-1955
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|
Reel
3
Frame
617-763
|
1956-April 1958
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|
Reel
3
Frame
764-900
|
May 1958-February 1959
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|
Reel
3
Frame
901-1027
|
March-September 1959
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|
Reel
3
Frame
1028-1122
|
October-December 1959
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|
Reel
4
Frame
1-82
|
January 1960
|
|
Reel
4
Frame
83-233
|
February-May 1960
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|
Reel
4
Frame
234-371
|
June-July 1960
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|
Reel
4
Frame
372-515
|
August-October 1960
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|
Reel
4
Frame
516-672
|
November-December 1960
|
|
Reel
4
Frame
673-811
|
January-February 1961
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|
Reel
4
Frame
812-916
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March-May 1961
|
|
Reel
4
Frame
917-1089
|
June-August 1961
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|
Reel
5
Frame
1-52
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September 1961
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|
Reel
5
Frame
53-251
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October-December 1961
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Reel
5
Frame
252-302
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1961, n.d.
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|
Reel
5
Frame
303-454
|
January-March 1962
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|
Reel
5
Frame
455-650
|
April-July 1962
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|
Reel
5
Frame
651-867
|
August-December 1962
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|
Reel
5
Frame
868-1056
|
1963
|
|
Reel
6
Frame
1-155
|
1964
|
|
Reel
6
Frame
156-283
|
1965-June 1966
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|
Reel
6
Frame
284-539
|
July 1966-1969
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|
Reel
6
Frame
540-864
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1970-1974
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|
Reel
6
Frame
865-1075
|
1975-1979, n.d.
|
|
Reel
7
Frame
1-625
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Diaries, 1913-1914; 1962
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|
|
Writings and Speeches
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|
Reel
7
Frame
626-794
|
General, 1927-1947
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|
Reel
7
Frame
795-1017
|
General, 1948-1960's
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|
Reel
7
Frame
1018-1106
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“For Whites Only,” n.d.
|
|
Reel
8
Frame
1-108
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Public Relations Manuscript, 1963
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|
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Book Manuscript
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Reel
8
Frame
109-157
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Early Draft, n.d.
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|
Reel
8
Frame
158-173
|
Portions, August 1963
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|
Reel
8
Frame
174-253
|
Full Draft, 1963
|
|
Reel
8
Frame
254-365
|
Full Draft, 1967
|
|
Reel
8
Frame
366-408
|
Portions, c. 1966-1967
|
|
Reel
8
Frame
409-559
|
Full Draft, 1967
|
|
Reel
8
Frame
560-619
|
Portions, February 1971
|
|
Reel
8
Frame
620-877
|
Portions, c. April-May 1971
|
|
Reel
8
Frame
682-877
|
Full Draft, 1972
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|
Reel
8
Frame
878-1047
|
Full Draft, c. 1973-1974
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|
Reel
8
Frame
1048-1058
|
Prefaces, April; October 1974
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|
Reel
9
Frame
1-174
|
April 1975
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|
Reel
9
Frame
175-348
|
Harvard Lecture Notes, 1947-1948
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|
Reel
9
Frame
349-456
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New York University Lecture Notes, 1950-1951
|
|
Reel
9
Frame
457-694
|
Forrest Thesis and Miscellaneous Biographical Material, 1962-1968; Obituaries, , 1980
|
|
Micro 809
Reel
1
Frame
1-875
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University of Wisconsin Class Notes, 1912-1913
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|
|
Series: Professional Papers
|
|
|
Financial Records
|
|
|
Ledger
|
|
Reel
1
Frame
876-940
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1926-1929
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|
Reel
1
Frame
941-991
|
1926-1930
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|
Reel
1
Frame
992-1046
|
1929-1930
|
|
Reel
1
Frame
1047-1130
|
, 1930-1937 (Cash Book)
|
|
Reel
1
Frame
1131-1210
|
, 1930-1937 (Journal)
|
|
Reel
1
Frame
1211-1238
|
1931-1932
|
|
Reel
1
Frame
1239
|
Loose Sheets, 1927-1960
|
|
Micro 874
|
Correspondence
|
|
Reel
9
Frame
695-817
|
1943-1950
|
|
Reel
9
Frame
818-976
|
1952-September 1958
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|
Reel
9
Frame
977-1120
|
October 1958-1959
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|
Reel
10
Frame
1-149
|
1960
|
|
Reel
10
Frame
150-452
|
1961-1966
|
|
Reel
10
Frame
453-517
|
1967-1969
|
|
|
Client Files
|
|
Reel
10
Frame
518-529
|
Allis-Chalmers, 1944
|
|
Reel
10
Frame
530-585
|
American Bottlers of Carbonated Beverages, 1929-1953
|
|
Reel
10
Frame
586-594
|
American Chambers of Commerce of Cuba, 1941-1948
|
|
Reel
10
Frame
595-645
|
Automobile Manufacturers' Association Sales Managers Committee, 1946
|
|
Reel
10
Frame
646-656
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Belgium and Belgian Congo, n.d.
|
|
Reel
10
Frame
657-697
|
Bennington College, n.d.
|
|
Reel
10
Frame
698-838
|
Bituminous Coal Institute, Bi-centennial, 1944-1945
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|
Reel
10
Frame
839-854
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Briggs Clarifier Company, ca. 1945
|
|
Reel
10
Frame
855-1049
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British-American Chamber of Commerce, 1959-1962
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|
Reel
10
Frame
1050-1061
|
Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, 1953-1954
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|
Reel
10
Frame
1062-1161
|
Citizens Committee for Reciprocal World Trade, 1943-1949
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|
Reel
11
Frame
1-53
|
Citizens Committee for Reciprocal World Trade Pamphlets
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|
Reel
11
Frame
54-184
|
Coca-Cola, News Manual, ca. 1940
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|
Reel
11
Frame
185-193
|
Committee for International Economic Policy, 1944
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|
Reel
11
Frame
194-214
|
Cotton Textile Institute, 1941
|
|
|
Crusade for Freedom, 1950
|
|
Reel
11
Frame
215-281
|
Proposals
|
|
Reel
11
Frame
282-353
|
Press Releases
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|
Reel
11
Frame
354-535
|
Other Printed Matter
|
|
Reel
11
Frame
536-573
|
Cuban Tourism, 1941
|
|
|
Economics of Mobilization Conference, 1951
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|
Reel
11
Frame
574-802
|
Press Transcript
|
|
Reel
11
Frame
803-995
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Report
|
|
Reel
11
Frame
996-1001
|
“European Common Market and its Melting Pot,” 1960(?)
|
|
Reel
11
Frame
1002-1013
|
Hawaiian Tourism, 1946
|
|
Reel
11
Frame
1014-1098
|
Hershey Corporation, 1922-1942
|
|
Reel
12
Frame
1-140
|
International Nickel, Scripts, 1953-1960
|
|
Reel
12
Frame
141-202
|
McKesson and Robbins, n.d.
|
|
Reel
12
Frame
203-229
|
Negro in American Industry Exposition, 1948
|
|
Reel
12
Frame
230-238
|
New York Cancer Committee, 1929-1939
|
|
Reel
12
Frame
239-244
|
North American Trade Bureau, 1959(?)
|
|
Reel
12
Frame
245-257
|
Oscar Bach Originales, 1948
|
|
Reel
12
Frame
258-283
|
Phelps-Stokes, 1925
|
|
Reel
12
Frame
284-316
|
Philippines, n.d.
|
|
Reel
12
Frame
317-462
|
Scovill, 1950(?), 1954
|
|
Reel
12
Frame
463-471
|
Socony-Vacuum, 1944
|
|
Reel
12
Frame
472-495
|
Sterling Products, 1945
|
|
Reel
12
Frame
496-527
|
Swiss Watchmakers Federation, 1954
|
|
Reel
12
Frame
528-544
|
Trade Agreement Act Extension Memoranda, 1958
|
|
Reel
12
Frame
545-572
|
U.S. Council, International Chamber of Commerce, 1952
|
|
Reel
12
Frame
573-586
|
“War Bonds for Babies,” 1944
|
|
Reel
12
Frame
587-1017
|
World Trade Federation, Poll, 1946
|
|
Reel
12
Frame
1018-1030
|
Your Happy Birthday (Radio program), 1941
|
|
|
Publications
|
|
Reel
13
Frame
1-160
|
Footnotes to Public Relations, 1945-1949
|
|
Reel
13
Frame
161-266
|
Resolved, 1947-1949
|
|
Reel
13
Frame
267-355
|
Resolved Supplements, 1947-1948
|
|
Reel
13
Frame
356-670
|
Resolved “Catalog of Attitudes,” 1947-1949
|
|
Reel
13
Frame
671-746
|
Resolved List of Opinion Leaders, ca. 1947-1949
|
|
Reel
13
Frame
747-854
|
Miscellany, 1950-1960
|
|
Reel
13
Frame
855-897
|
Sugar Pamphlets, n.d.
|
|
Reel
13
Frame
898-1086
|
Tariff Pamphlets, n.d.
|
|
Reel
14
Frame
1-161
|
Tariff Pamphlets, continued
|
|
Reel
14
Frame
162-232
|
Scrapbook, 1927-1930
|
|
|
Series: Social Welfare Papers
|
|
|
American Museum of Immigration
|
|
Reel
14
Frame
233-545
|
Scrapbook, 1955
|
|
|
Correspondence
|
|
Reel
14
Frame
546-705
|
1951-June 1955
|
|
Reel
14
Frame
706-857
|
July-December 1955
|
|
Reel
14
Frame
858-966
|
1956-June 1957
|
|
Reel
14
Frame
967-1046
|
July-December 1958
|
|
Reel
15
Frame
1-182
|
1959-1961
|
|
Reel
15
Frame
183-305
|
1962-1963
|
|
Reel
15
Frame
306-440
|
1964-1966
|
|
Reel
15
Frame
441-567
|
1967-1971
|
|
Reel
15
Frame
568-686
|
1972-1975
|
|
Reel
15
Frame
687-768
|
1976-1980
|
|
Reel
15
Frame
769-983
|
Minutes, 1955-1978
|
|
Reel
15
Frame
984-1077
|
Exhibit Plans, n.d.
|
|
Reel
16
Frame
1-122
|
Building Plans, n.d.
|
|
Reel
16
Frame
123-294
|
Publications, n.d.
|
|
Reel
16
Frame
295-407
|
Press Releases, 1954-1972
|
|
|
Financial Records
|
|
Reel
16
Frame
408-516
|
1954-1957, 1960, 1978
|
|
Reel
16
Frame
517-604
|
Annual Accounting Reports, 1955-1978
|
|
Reel
16
Frame
605-687
|
Clippings, 1956-1976
|
|
Reel
16
Frame
688-957
|
Fisk University, Correspondence, 1957-1980
|
|
|
Foreign Policy Association, Correspondence
|
|
Reel
16
Frame
958-1042
|
1963-1966
|
|
Reel
17
Frame
1-101
|
1966-1972
|
|
|
National Urban League
|
|
|
Correspondence
|
|
Reel
17
Frame
102-118
|
1934-1935, 1944
|
|
Reel
17
Frame
119-189
|
1955-1962
|
|
Reel
17
Frame
190-310
|
1963-1964
|
|
Reel
17
Frame
311-437
|
1965-1966
|
|
Reel
17
Frame
438-572
|
1967-1969
|
|
Reel
17
Frame
573-682
|
1970-1972
|
|
Reel
17
Frame
683-849
|
1973-1979
|
|
Reel
17
Frame
850-899
|
Public Relations Committee Minutes, 1964-1969
|
|
|
Urban League of Southwestern Fairfield County
|
|
Reel
17
Frame
900-911
|
Bylaws, 1977
|
|
Reel
17
Frame
912-996
|
Administrative Papers, 1969-1975
|
|
Reel
17
Frame
997-1042
|
Annual Reports, 1969-1975
|
|
|
Board of Directors Minutes
|
|
Reel
17
Frame
1043-1087
|
1969
|
|
Reel
18
Frame
1-91
|
1970
|
|
Reel
18
Frame
92-196
|
1971-1972
|
|
Reel
18
Frame
197-300
|
1972-1977
|
|
Reel
18
Frame
301-331
|
Correspondence, 1969-1976
|
|
Reel
18
Frame
332-401
|
Committees, 1969-1977
|
|
Reel
18
Frame
402-440
|
Financial Records, 1970-1976
|
|
Reel
18
Frame
441-472
|
Membership, Board of Directors, and Officers Lists, 1969-1970
|
|
|
Memoranda
|
|
Reel
18
Frame
473-587
|
1970-1972
|
|
Reel
18
Frame
588-651
|
1972-1976
|
|
Reel
18
Frame
652-707
|
Notices, 1969-1975
|
|
Reel
18
Frame
708-732
|
Newspaper Clippings, 1969-1974
|
|
Reel
18
Frame
733-739
|
Press Releases, 1971-1974
|
|
Reel
18
Frame
740-766
|
Programs, 1970
|
|
Reel
18
Frame
767-809
|
Statements of Position, 1970-1972
|
|
|
Public Affairs Committee, Correspondence
|
|
Reel
18
Frame
810-929
|
1964-1970
|
|
Reel
18
Frame
930-1094
|
1971-1972
|
|
|
Southern Education Foundation
|
|
|
Correspondence
|
|
Reel
19
Frame
1-142
|
1960-1968
|
|
Reel
19
Frame
143-287
|
1969-June 1970
|
|
Reel
19
Frame
288-356
|
July 1970-1977
|
|
Reel
19
Frame
357-530
|
Minutes and Bylaws, 1964-1977
|
|
|
Budgets
|
|
Reel
19
Frame
531-583
|
1965-1969
|
|
Reel
19
Frame
584-695
|
1970-1971
|
|
Reel
19
Frame
696-746
|
United Defense Fund, 1955
|
|
Reel
19
Frame
747-812
|
Youth Consultation Services, 1960
|
|
|
Series: Family Papers
|
|
Reel
19
Frame
813-944
|
Baldwin, William, Jr., 1886-1904
|
|
Reel
19
Frame
945-1228
|
Baldwin, Ruth Standish, 1922-1934
|
|
Reel
19
Frame
1229-1262
|
Baldwin Genealogy, 1953
|
|
U.S. Mss 24AF
Box
1
|
Pamphlets and Printed Materials Separated from Client Files
|
|
|