The Kessler papers document Kessler's professional career as a member of the Wisconsin Assembly and as a Circuit and Reserve Circuit Judge. The papers date from approximately 1958 to 1992, with the bulk of documents created in the mid-1960s and 1970s. The collection consists of correspondence, subject files, and working files created during the reapportionment process of the 1970s, and 1990s. The papers are divided into two series: Legislative Records and Judicial Records. The LEGISLATIVE RECORDS series includes four sub-series: Legislative Subject Files, Legislative Correspondence, Reapportionment Files and Legislative Campaign Materials. The JUDICIAL RECORDS series includes two sub-series: Judicial Subject Files and Reapportionment Files. Two photographs of Frederick P. Kessler have been separated to the Visual Materials Archive Name File.
The Legislative Subject Files include four separate sets of records arranged according to legislative session (1960-61, 1965-67, 1968-70, and 1971-72). These files document the varied issues Kessler was concerned with as a state legislator. The collection contains few records from Kessler's first term as an Assemblyman, and so the earliest years are somewhat weakly documented. The two large subject files covering 1960-61 include correspondence, pamphlets, and memoranda from Kessler's first term in office. The materials have no internal arrangement, and are housed in two folders. The remaining subject files, 1965-67, 1968-70, and 1971-72 are arranged alphabetically. The 1968-70 subject files are somewhat fragmentary. Major subjects covered include legislation proposed, supported, or opposed by Kessler, the Democratic Party's platform, Civil Rights subjects, Milwaukee's environment, pollution, energy systems, the oleomargarine ban, abortion, birth control, and reapportionment. This sub-series contains some correspondence. If Kessler received correspondence relating to a subject documented in the subject files, that letter is filed in the subject file, rather than in the correspondence series that follows. Newspaper clippings are scattered throughout the subject files.
The Legislative Correspondence includes three separate sets of correspondence, 1965-66, 1967-68, and 1969-70. These document Kessler's interactions with his colleagues in the Assembly and Senate, with other members of Wisconsin's state government, and his responses to constituent concerns about specific legislation and more general topics he worked with over the course of his career. The 1965-66 correspondence is arranged alphabetically by subject, the 1967-68 and 1969-70 correspondence are arranged alphabetically by correspondent. Newspaper clippings are scattered throughout the correspondence. Significant correspondents include William Proxmire, Edmund S. Muskie, Gaylord Nelson, George Berdes, William J. Johnson, Paul McCormack, Henry S. Reuss, and August C. Backus.
The Reapportionment Files, 1970-72 are working files produced during Kessler's time serving on the Governor's Commission on Reapportionment, created in 1972 to make recommendations to the state legislature about reapportioning Wisconsin's voting districts. The records are organized alphabetically by file name, and are primarily composed of statistical information. They also include information on existing voting districts, new districts, voting patterns by county and district, compromises, and voter party identification.
The Campaign Materials document Kessler's late legislative and early judicial campaigns, primarily his 1970 campaign for state Assembly, and his 1971 campaign for Milwaukee County circuit court judge. The series is a small one, but information about absentee voters, press releases, and campaign fliers belonging to Kessler and his opponents is included. The files are labeled by subject, and filed alphabetically.
The Judicial Subject Files document Kessler's first period as Milwaukee County circuit judge, from 1972 to 1981. They include correspondence, legal decisions, reports, and decision drafts on subjects including Kessler's involvement in Milwaukee County's court-system reorganization in the late-1970s membership on several American Bar Association (ABA) Committees, his involvement with Amnesty International, bail disputes, and judicial campaigns. The files are labeled by subject and filed alphabetically.
The Reapportionment Files, 1989-92 document Kessler's involvement as an advisor in the reapportionment of Wisconsin's voting districts that followed the 1990 census. He was also a Reserve Circuit Judge in Milwaukee County during these years, but that activity is not documented. These records are very similar to those from 1970-72, despite the fact they were created while Kessler was a judge and not a legislator. Information on election wards, gerrymandering, partisan voting by county and district, party identification, press reaction to the committee's work, and input by the Wisconsin Legislative Council are included. The files are labeled by subject and filed alphabetically.
