Title: Robert E. Lee Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1953-1981

Creator:

• Lee, Robert E., 1912-1993

Call Number: Mss 814; PH 3982; PH 3983; AC 589; VBB 316; Tape 1258A

Quantity: 13.2 c.f. (28 archives boxes and 2 record center cartons), 3 tape recordings, 10 photographs, 45 transparencies, 1 film, and 1 videorecording

Repository:

Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

Abstract:

Papers of Robert E. Lee, an FCC commissioner (1953-1981) and governmental official. Included are speeches and articles, correspondence, and dockets and subject files concerning obscenity in broadcasting, the development of UHF broadcasting, the Committee for the Full Development of All-Channel Television, congressional relations, the Catholic Apostolate of Mass Media which Lee helped found, and other topics. Photographs include images of Lee; a slide show concerns UHF broadcasting in New York City; a film contains interviews with Lee.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mss00814

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Robert Emmett Lee was born in Chicago on March 31, 1912, the son of Delia and Patrick Lee. Perhaps influenced by the fact that his father was a policeman, after graduation from DePaul University (1935) Robert Lee also pursued a career in criminal justice by becoming a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. From 1939 to 1947 he served as the fiscal assistant to J. Edgar Hoover. In 1947 the FBI loaned his services to the House Appropriations Committee because of his well-known budget cutting ability. Although still technically on loan, in 1950 Lee became director of the committee's surveys and investigations staff.

In 1953 Lee was appointed to the Federal Communications Commission by President Eisenhower. He was reappointed to three more terms by Presidents Eisenhower, Johnson, and Nixon, eventually becoming the longest serving member of any federal regulatory commission.

Robert E. Lee served as vice chairman of the FCC and a member of its telephone and telegraph committee. During the early months of 1981 he was the acting chairman. Throughout his long career Lee was well known for his support of UHF, which he saw as a way of bringing expanded programming to the public. He organized and chaired the FCC's Committee for the Full Development of All-Channel Television and in subsequent years worked hard to make UHF a viable television service. Lee was also active in support of educational broadcasting and FM radio.

Lee retired from the Commission in 1981. In 1984 he became president of the Broadcast Pioneers Educational Fund.

A devout Catholic, Robert E. Lee was a member of the Cardinal's Committee to the Laity in Washington and a founder of the Catholic Apostolate of Mass Media. He received honorary degrees from Notre Dame and St. John's University.

The Lee Papers are arranged as BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIAL, SPEECHES AND WRITINGS, DOCKET FILES, CORRESPONDENCE, ADVISORY COMMITTEE RECORDS, and SUBJECT FILES.

The papers document the full extent of Robert Lee's service on the Federal Communications Commission, although the documentation for the period 1953 to 1970 is incomplete. There is no material here on either his earlier government service with the FBI or his association with Broadcast Pioneers after retiring from the FCC. The papers also fail to include a copy of the oral history interview conducted for Columbia University by UW Professor James Baughman or the personal memoirs and typed notes on conversations with prominent individuals referred to by Lee in his early correspondence with the Historical Society. There are also no personal papers in the collection.

The Lee Papers were extensively weeded in the Archives and material that duplicated records held by the National Archives (such as dockets, governmental publications and reports, and stenographic transcriptions of committee meetings) were removed.

Most notable in the collection is the large group of speeches and writings documenting Lee's active involvement with communications and broadcasting organizations; correspondence with legislators on numerous subjects related to the FCC regulatory responsibility, information about his advocacy of UHF, and his leadership in the Catholic Apostolate of Mass Media.

The collection includes a small quantity of BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIAL, primarily scattered clippings about Lee's career removed from other portions of the collection (rather than the clipping scrapbooks compiled by many FCC commissioners) and several film clips of Lee being interviewed on various topics related to mass communications and broadcasting.

The SPEECHES AND WRITINGS series provides good coverage of that prominent aspect of Lee's career, although documentation about statements and dissenting opinions presented at formal meetings of the commission is incomplete. The files are subdivided into speeches and writings, with each category then arranged chronologically. Correspondence pertaining to arrangements for these speaking assignments has been extensively weeded and is filed with the SUBJECT FILES.

The numerically-arranged DOCKET FILES consist of correspondence and notes. Except for a few topics in which Lee appears to have been personally interested, most individual files are small.

Lee's office filed his CORRESPONDENCE in several ways which changed and overlapped during his tenure on the commission. Unfortunately, none of the file categories were received by the Archives in their entirety, and some correspondence was received in great disorder. Where possible, the original order was reconstructed or approximated.

The Reading File, which was internally referred to as the “R” correspondence file, is one of the most useful portions of the collection, as it provides the best overview of Lee's interests and views. This section consists of chronologically-arranged copies of outgoing correspondence, as well as memoranda issued by Lee's office, which were then circulated to Lee staffers Bud Weston and Sid Goldman for their information.

General correspondence only incompletely covers Lee's career. One file of this type covers the period 1953 to 1955. Another distinct file, internally designated the “P” correspondence file, covers only the period 1970 to 1973. Beginning in 1974 the general correspondence appears to have been arranged alphabetically by name. Also here is a file for the year 1981 which was designated for unknown reasons by Lee's office as “the business file.”

The ADVISORY COMMITTEE RECORDS, which are arranged alphabetically by committee name and which document the involvement of industry leaders in FCC concerns, include some of the most important documentation in the collection. The extensive records of the Committee for Full Development of All-Channel Television, which Lee organized and headed during the early 1960's, consist of correspondence, minutes, and reports of the committee and its various subcommittees.

The SUBJECT FILES consist of correspondence and informational material on a host of topics related to communications and broadcasting. Most useful here are files on Lee's congressional correspondence dating from 1954 to 1981, information on the experiment in UHF broadcasting carried out at WUHF in New York City under FCC sponsorship, and the correspondence pertaining to the activities of the Catholic Apostolate of Mass Media, of which Lee was a founder. Other files included here such as invitations, memoranda on legal cases, papers prepared by summer interns, and replies to FOIA requests relate more to the internal operations of the office.

Use Restrictions

Copyright was transferred to the Historical Society by the deed of gift.

Acquisition Information

Presented by Robert E. Lee, Washington, D.C., 1967-1981; deed of gift signed April 21, 1992. Accession Number: MCHC67-101, MCHC68-131, MCHC79-7, MCHC81-75

Processing Information

Processed by Carolyn Mattern, 1992.

	Series: Biographical Material
Mss 814 Box   1 Folder   1A	Miscellaneous clippings
AC 589	Miscellaneous film and television interview footage
PH 3982	Photographs of Lee
Mss 814	Series: Speeches and Writings	⇧
	Speeches
Box   1	1954-1963
Box   2	1964-1974, General
Box   3 Folder   1	1974, October 8
Box   3 Folder   2	1974, November 13
Box   3 Folder   3-12	1975-1981
Box   4 Folder   1	Undated speeches
Box   4 Folder   2	Empty folder Note: Contents removed by REL.
	Articles
Box   4 Folder   3	1956, 1962, 1968-1971
Box   4 Folder   4-8	1973-1981
	Series: Docket Files	⇧
Box   4 Folder   9	6741 (Clear Channel)
Box   4 Folder   10-18	15083-18262
Box   4 Folder   19	18397 (Cable rules memos)
Box   4 Folder   20-27	18449-19142
Box   5 Folder   1	19417 (Sports cable)
Box   5 Folder   2-3	19521, 19544
Box   5 Folder   4	19622 (Prime time access)
Box   5 Folder   5	19789 (Joint sales practices)
Box   5 Folder   6	19886
Box   5 Folder   7	19995 (Non duplication of cable signals)
Box   5 Folder   8-14	20003-20376
Box   5 Folder   15	20418 (drop in of UHF frequencies)
Box   5 Folder   16-34	20487-21263, 64
Box   5 Folder   35	78-53
Box   5 Folder   36	BC 78-181
Box   5 Folder   37	Gen 78-205
Box   5 Folder   38	BC 78-335
Box   5 Folder   39	PR 79-336
	Series: Correspondence	⇧
	Reading File
Box   6	1962-1971
Box   7	1972-1981
Box   8 Folder   1-2	, 1953-1955 file
	“P” File
Box   8 Folder   3-7	1970-1971, January-June Part I
Box   9	1971, January-June Part II - , 1972, June-August Part I
Box   10	1972, June-August Part II - , 1973, September-December
	Alphabetical file, 1974-1981
Box   11	A-V
Box   12 Folder   1-2	W-Z
Box   12 Folder   3	, 1981 “Business file”
	Series: Advisory Committee Records	⇧
	All-Channel Television, Committee for Full
Box   12 Folder   4-5	Correspondence, 1963-1967
Box   12 Folder   6	Executive Committee, 1963-1964
Box   12 Folder   7	Committee I, 1963-1965 (Technical)
Box   13 Folder   1	Committee I, continued
Box   13 Folder   2	Reports
Box   13 Folder   3	Subcommittee 1.1 (Receivers)
Box   13 Folder   4	Subcommittee 1.2 (Antennas)
Box   13 Folder   5	Subcommittee 1.3 (Translators, satellites, and boosters)
Box   13 Folder   6	Subcommittee 1.4 (Transmitting antennas)
Box   13 Folder   7-8	Subcommittee 1.5 (Propagation curves and coverage prediction)
Box   14 Folder   1	Committee 2, 1963-1967 (UHF station)
Box   14 Folder   2	Subcommittee 2.1 (Availability of)
Box   14 Folder   3	Subcommittee 2.2 (Network affiliation problems)
Box   14 Folder   4	Subcommittee 2.3
Box   14 Folder   5	Subcommittee 2.4 (CATV and UHF station relationships)
Box   14 Folder   6	Committee 3, 1963 (Consumer information)
Box   14 Folder   9-10	Correspondence, 1972
Box   15 Folder   1-3	Correspondence, continued
Box   15 Folder   4-5	Reports
PH 3983	Slide show
Tape 1258A No.   2-3	Audio presentation
Mss 814 Box   14 Folder   7	Speech material
Box   14 Folder   8	Thank you letters
	Dialer and Answering Devices Advisory Committee
Box   15 Folder   6-7	Correspondence, 1972
Box   16 Folder   1	Correspondence, continued
Box   16 Folder   2	Reports
	Series: Subject Files	⇧
Box   16 Folder   3	ABC, 1972-1977
Box   16 Folder   4	AT&T, 1964-1972
Box   16 Folder   5	Advertising, 1962-1963, 1978-1979
Box   16 Folder   6	Abe Lincoln Awards, 1975-1979
Box   16 Folder   7	Advisory committee operations, 1975
Box   16 Folder   8	All-channel receivers, 1962-1974
Box   16 Folder   9	Allocations, 1956-1973, undated
Box   16 Folder   10	American Research Bureau, 1970-1971
Box   16 Folder   11	Anti-trust, 1958-1961, 1975
Box   17 Folder   1	Bicentennial, 1975-1978
Box   17 Folder   2	Brandywine-Main Line case (Christian Anti-Defamation League), 1973
Box   17 Folder   3	Broadcast Bureau reorganization, 1979-1980
Box   17 Folder   4	CBS, 1961-1977
Box   17 Folder   5	CEPT/USA/Teleglobe, 1979-1981
Box   17 Folder   6-8	Cable television, 1965-1980
Box   17 Folder   9	Sid Goldman file
Box   17 Folder   10	Rules, 1971-1972
VBB 316	Captioned news for the deaf demonstration film
Mss 814 Box   18 Folder   3-5	Catholic Apostolate of Mass Media, 1962-1969
Box   17 Folder   11	Children's advertising, 1976-1978
Box   18 Folder   1	Children's television, 1975-1980
Box   18 Folder   2	China trip notes, 1980
Box   18 Folder   6	Closed captioning, 1977
Box   18 Folder   7	Commercials, 1962-1965
Box   18 Folder   8	Commercials, Program length, 1973
Box   18 Folder   9	Common carriers, 1976, 1980
Box   18 Folder   10	Communication legislation, 1971-1978
Box   18 Folder   11	Communications News, 1974
Box   18 Folder   12	Computers, 1967, 1976
Box   18 Folder   13	Conglomerates, 1972
	Congressional inquiries and correspondence
Box   19	1954-1963, 1968-1981, March
Box   20 Folder   1-2	1981, April-May
Box   20 Folder   3	Copyright, 1970-1980
Box   20 Folder   4	Cuellar, Oscar, 1981
Box   20 Folder   5	Dana, Margaret, 1964-1965
Box   20 Folder   6	Deregulation, 1979
Box   20 Folder   7	Distant signals (statistics)
Box   20 Folder   8	Donations (by REL), 1974, 1975, undated
Box   20 Folder   9	“Drop-ins,” 1977-1980, undated
Box   20 Folder   10	Drug lyrics, 1970-1971
Tape 1258A No.   1	“Magic in the Music,” Scope and Content Note: A public service radio program produced by Metro Media Radio concerning the FCC order against glorification of drug lyrics in popular music and the industry response to it. Comments by REL are included.
Mss 814 Box   20 Folder   11	Education, 1961-1967
Box   20 Folder   12	Electronic fund transfers, 1975-1978
Box   20 Folder   13	Emergency medical communications, undated
Box   20 Folder   14	Equal employment in broadcasting, 1976
Box   20 Folder   15	Ex parte decisions, 1975-1978
Box   20 Folder   16	Fairness doctrine, 1972-1979
Box   20 Folder   17	Federal Aviation Agency, 1959-1961
Box   20 Folder   18	Federal Trade Commission, 1956, 1969
Box   20 Folder   19-20	Freedom of Information requests, 1975, 1978-1981
Box   21 Folder   1	Goldman miscellany
Box   21 Folder   2	Interconnection, 1972-1975
Box   21 Folder   3	International conference fees, 1980
Box   21 Folder   4	International facilities, 1977
Box   21 Folder   5	International Telecommunications Union, 1970-1972, 1980
Box   21 Folder   6-9	Interns and intern papers, 1974-1978, undated
Box   21 Folder   10-13	Invitations (weeded), 1969-1980
Box   22 Folder   1	Land mobile radio, 1970-1980
Box   22 Folder   2	Legal cases against FCC, 1976, 1977
Box   22 Folder   3	Legal decision memos of Marjorie S. Reed, 1975-1976
Box   22 Folder   4-6	Licenses, 1971-1977
Box   22 Folder   7	Local hearings
Box   22 Folder   8	Lotteries, 1971-1972
Box   22 Folder   9	Miscellany
Box   22 Folder   11	NBC
Box   22 Folder   10	National Association of Broadcasters, 1971-1976
Box   22 Folder   12	National Cultural Center, 1963
Box   22 Folder   13	Network affiliations, 1966-1968
Box   22 Folder   14	North Atlantic facilities planning, undated
Box   22 Folder   15	Obscenity, 1969-1980
Box   22 Folder   16	Open committee meetings, 1975
Box   22 Folder   17	Oversight hearings, 1975-19976
Box   22 Folder   18	PABX systems, 1972-1973
Box   22 Folder   19	PBS, 1975-1976
Box   22 Folder   20	Pacifica, 1970
Box   22 Folder   21	Personnel, 1976-1978, undated
Box   22 Folder   22	Pole attachment, 1974-1975
Box   22 Folder   23	Prime time access, 1972-1975
Box   23 Folder   1	Pro Deo
Box   23 Folder   2	Programming, 1974-1979, undated
Box   23 Folder   3	Public access, 1973, 1978
Box   23 Folder   4	Public participation workshops, 1981
Box   23 Folder   5	Quiz show reform, program labelling, 1959
Box   23 Folder   6	Radiating devices (Lee bill), 1958-19?
Box   23 Folder   7	Radio astronomy, 1973
Box   23 Folder   8	Radio Technical Committee for Aeronautics, 1974
Box   23 Folder   9	Rate regulation, 1975
Box   23 Folder   10	Ratings, 1964-1976
Box   23 Folder   11	Ratings services, 1972-1976
Box   23 Folder   12	Reappointments, 1967, 1974
Box   23 Folder   13	Regulatory commissioners, Meeting at White House
Box   23 Folder   14	Regulation reform, undated
Box   23 Folder   15	Religious programming, 1964-1980
Box   23 Folder   16	Reorganization plan (Waple memo), undated
Box   23 Folder   17	Reruns, 1974-1975
Box   24 Folder   1	St. John's University Communication Arts Advisory Council, 1971-1973
Box   24 Folder   2-3	Satellites, 1966-1977, undated
Box   24 Folder   4	Sears Tower, 1971-1974
Box   24 Folder   5	Small Business Administration, 1977
Box   24 Folder   6	Spanish International Network, 1972-1973
Box   24 Folder   7	Speech correspondence, 1954-1961, 1970-1981
Box   24 Folder   8	Technology ideas
Box   24 Folder   9	Telecommunications Office (White House), 1970-1978
Box   24 Folder   10	Television census, 1966-1974
	UHF
Box   24 Folder   11-12	General correspondence, 1974-1979
Box   25 Folder   1	Booklet, 1964
Box   25 Folder   2	Idle licenses, 1964-1965
Box   25 Folder   3-5	New York project, 1960-1963
Box   25 Folder   6	Clippings and information
Box   25 Folder   7	Committees and meetings
Box   25 Folder   8-10	Reports
Box   26 Folder   1	Receivers, 1963-1971
Box   26 Folder   2	Removal to VHF, 1959
Box   26 Folder   3	Research for congressional testimony, 1962
Box   26 Folder   4	Weston miscellany
Box   26 Folder   5	VHF Allocation report for REL, undated
Box   26 Folder   6	Veterans of Foreign Wars, 1978-1979
Box   26 Folder   7	Violence on television, 1975
Box   26 Folder   8	WDCA-TV, 1979
Box   26 Folder   9	WLFI-TV, 1972-1973
Box   26 Folder   10	WNDT, 1975
Box   26 Folder   11	Western Union, 1975
Box   26 Folder   12	Weston retirement, 1975
Box   26 Folder   13	World Trade Center, 1970-1974