The Papers are divided into four main series: I. Personal Papers (1942-1961), II. Legislative and Mayoral Papers (1951-1961), III. The Joe Must Go Club of Wisconsin, Inc. (1954-1955), and IV. The John F. Kennedy Wisconsin Presidential Campaign (1959-1960).
I. Personal Papers
These papers consist of records relating to Nestingen's Army career and his education, Personal Data Sheets which give a detailed listing of his membership on various governmental boards and committees, and a folder titled, Certificates of Election, Appointments and Honors, which provides records of his governmental activities and of his recognition by civic and professional groups. This series is arranged by type of record and chronologically within each type.
II. Legislative and Mayoral Papers
These papers cover Nestingen's career as a municipal and state legislator and as mayor, and are largely composed of correspondence, speeches, statements and news releases, papers relating to his participation in special committees and conferences, and records about the 1959 mayoral campaign and Democratic politics (1958-60).
The Correspondence, both incoming and outgoing, covers mainly Nestingen's career as mayor and is more personal than official in nature. There are letters discussing political issues, such as the Monona Terrace Auditorium, as well as many letters documenting political relationships: with Senator Carey Estes Kefauver, Governor Gaylord A. Nelson, Senator William Proxmire, and Congressman Robert W. Kastenmeier. In addition, there are polite exchanges between Nestingen and Senator Hubert H. Humphrey, Governor Adlai E. Stevenson, Mayor Richard J. Daley and Eleanor Roosevelt (Mrs. Franklin D.).
The Speech File is composed of speeches, many in note form, related correspondence, and a few reference materials, covering the issues and problems of municipal government. There are speeches to youth groups, churches, and civic organizations, as well as some official speeches.
The Statements and News Releases are primarily from the 1956 mayoral campaign and give Nestingen's views on Monona Terrace Auditorium, fiscal policy and other local issues.
The file entitled 1959 Mayoral Campaign contains mainly correspondence and records concerning financial support and the circulation of petitions.
The file on Special Committees and Conferences contains correspondence and working papers from Nestingen's involvement with the Special Committee on Human Rights of the Madison Common Council (1951-1953); the Wisconsin Fair Tax Committee (1958); the Wisconsin Democratic Party's Committee on Urban Growth and Problems, a subcommittee of the Wisconsin Democratic Party's Tax Advisory Committee, a subcommittee of the Wisconsin Democratic Party's Platform Committee (1959, 1960); and the Kennedy Conference on Urban Affairs (1960).
The papers from the Special Committee on Human Rights are the most extensive and document well the Committee's investigations into racial discrimination in Madison, and the debate surrounding a proposed ordinance. Of special interest from the Committee on Urban Growth and Problems are several letters from state politicians and businessmen analyzing urban problems.
The Legislative and Mayoral Papers are arranged by type of record and chronologically thereunder. Correspondence is in reverse chronological order within each folder.
III. Joe Must Go Club of Wisconsin, Inc.
These papers include correspondence, corporate, financial and legal records.
In the Corporate Records the minutes of various meetings of the Club provide good documentation of the recall effort. The Financial Records consist mainly of records of contributions to the Club and to the Leroy Gore Defense Fund, a legal defense fund for the Club, but there are also some tax records and a 1954 audit. The bulk of the papers is Correspondence, much of it Nestingen's personal accounts of the Club's activities and legal battles, but there is also some correspondence with citizens' groups and members of the Club. The file entitled Legal Proceedings contains briefs, proceedings and working papers resulting from legal action taken against the Club and its officers (1954-1955) by the pro-McCarthy District Attorney, Harlan Kelly, of Sauk County.
The arrangement is by type of record and chronological within each type. The Correspondence is chronological by folder, but in reverse chronological order within each folder.
IV. The John F. Kennedy Wisconsin Presidential Campaign.
The papers in this series are divided into three sub-series: the Kennedy for President Club of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Delegation to the Democratic National Convention, and the Citizens for Kennedy Committee of Wisconsin.
The Kennedy for President Club of Wisconsin
This is the largest sub-series and is composed mainly of Correspondence and Organizational Records, but there are also some Financial Records and a Reference File, as well as a film of a television spot.
The General Correspondence, both incoming and outgoing, consists mainly of letters dealing with routine financial matters and with various organizational and campaign problems. There are, however, several letters to columnists of various periodicals, and correspondence with a political scientist, Lucius J. Barker of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, who did a case study of the Wisconsin Primary. The Chairman's Correspondence contains many letters with Kennedy discussing the campaign, as well as letters from Congressman Clement Zablocki, Senator William Proxmire, and Congressman Chester Bowles, Chairman of the National Democratic Party's Platform Committee, discussing the political situation. The remainder of the correspondence involves the campaign at the county level and letters with voters. A small file contains letters to the editor of the Capital Times concerning Kennedy's candidacy, apparently written by Nestingen but signed under anonymous designations such as “A Kennedy Backer.”
The bulk of the Financial Records is purchase orders, bills, receipts and invoices, but there are two budgets and an incomplete file of monthly expenses for Nestingen and Jerry Bruno, the executive director.
The Reference File contains materials on the major contenders and issues in the 1960 Presidential campaign, as well as a file of Kennedy's speeches and position papers. The File did contain large numbers of news clippings, but these were not retained (see attached list).
The Organizational Records consist largely of various lists of people, at all levels, involved in the campaign, including a large file of petitions signed by kennedy supporters. This section also contains a folder on Campaign Strategy and Procedures with analyses of the campaign and the Club's activities, and a plan for the use of various types of advertising.
The general arrangement of the Kennedy for President Club is by type of record. The Correspondence is arranged chronologically by folder, but in reverse chronological order within each folder. The Financial and Organizational Records are chronological or by county where applicable.
The Wisconsin Delegation to the Democratic National Convention (1960)
These papers are composed of Nestingen's correspondence and notes as chairman of the delegation. The bulk of the papers is Correspondence concerning arrangements for lodging, etc., but there are also letters about the relationship of the Kennedy and Humphrey delegations, the choice of alternates, and committee positions, and a letter from Senator Lyndon B. Johnson (6/21/60) asking for Nestingen's cooperation at the Convention. The Miscellaneous Papers include lists of delegates and notes on Wisconsin District Conventions.
The general arrangement is by type of record. The Correspondence is chronological by folder, but within each folder in reverse chronological order.
The Citizens for Kennedy Committee of Wisconsin
These papers contain folders of Correspondence, Memos on Counties, News Releases and other campaign materials. The Correspondence is predominantly about organizing efforts, and lacks letters of political analysis and letters with political figures. A file on Committees contains lists of officers at the county level and their reports. The Memos on Counties contain analytical reports and campaign strategies for the individual counties. A folder on Donations consists mainly of contribution acknowledgements with some letters about fund raising.
The files provide much less documentation of the campaign and campaign strategy than do the papers of The Kennedy for President Club, and are much more limited in quantity and scope. This was due to the fact that most of the campaign after the Convention was run by the Democratic Party. The Citizens for Kennedy Committee was created only to organize Republicans and Independents for Kennedy.
The general arrangement is by type of record. The Correspondence is chronological by folder, but within each folder in reverse chronological order. The files on Committees and Memos on Counties are arranged alphabetically by county, while the News Releases and Donations files are chronological.
