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  2. Francis V. O'Connor papers, 1920-2009
  3. Series 3: New Deal Research Files, 1930-2009

Francis V. O'Connor papers, 1920-2009

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Series 3: New Deal Research Files, 1930-2009
5.6 Linear feet
Boxes 11-16

Materials are of New Deal research collected by or sent to O'Connor in the course of his academic career. These include photocopies of original WPA/FAP correspondence and reports; biographical material on WPA administrators; printed material and notes on scholarly conferences and symposia; final reports on the WPA/FAP; drafts and final copies of academic research by fellow scholars; and printed material on WPA/FAP state specific projects. The events subseries also contains a symposium panel discussion on 1 sound cassette.
The series is arranged as 6 subseries. Materials for administrators, scholars, and states are arranged alphabetically by name. Events and reports are arranged chronologically, and research is arranged by document type.
  • 3.1: Administrators, 1940-2009
  • 3.2: Events, 1935-1986
  • 3.3: Reports, 1969
  • 3.4: Scholars, 1967-2002
  • 3.5: States, 1940-1987
  • 3.6: WPA/FAP Research, 1930-1997

3.1

Administrators, 1940-2009
Materials include biographical sketches, curriculum vitae, and photographs documenting the careers of WPA/FAP administrative staff. The subseries also includes original drafts of essays written by Rosalind Browne, Robert Cronbach, Olive Gavert, Jacob Kainen, Marchal Landgren, Audrey McMahon, Lincoln Rothschild, and Joseph Solman, which were gathered by O'Connor for publication in New Deal Art Projects: An Anthology of Memoirs.
Description Container
Baker, Mildred, circa 1967-1999
11
17
Browne, Rosalind, circa 1968-1989
11
18-20
Bruce, Edward, 1968
11
21
Cahill, Holgar, circa 1965-1991
11
22
Carr, Sister Eleanor, 2009
11
23
Cronbach, Robert, circa 1958-1991
11
24-25
Dows, Olin, circa 1966-1981
11
26
Gavert, Olive, circa 1940-1973
11
27-29
Kainen, Jacob, circa 1967-1969
11
30
Landgren, Marchal, circa 1940-1979
11
31-32
Landgren, Marchal, circa 1940-1970
12
1-2
McMahon, Audrey, circa 1965-1989
12
3-5
Miller, Dorothy, circa 1968-2003
12
6-7
Rothschild, Lincoln, circa 1940-1973
12
8-11
Solman, Joseph, circa 1940-1995
12
12-13

3.2

Events, 1935-1986
Printed material and notes for seven scholarly New Deal symposia and conferences attended by O'Connor dating from the 1970s to the 1980s. Materials include correspondence, program guides, newsletters, clippings, planning budgets, and drafts of academic papers.
Description Container
Conferences, General Correspondence, circa 1970-1980
12
14
Conference, Glassboro State College, circa 1974-1975
12
15-16
Conference, 2nd Annual New Deal, circa 1976-1977
12
17
Conference, Columbia University, circa 1984-1986
12
18-19
Lectures, Louisiana and Carolinas, circa 1972-1979
12
20
Symposium, University of Connecticut, 1969
12
21
Symposium, John Jay College, circa 1979-1980
12
22
50th Anniversary Deade, FDR, circa 1935-1985
12
23-27
50th Anniversary Decade, FDR, circa 1982-1983
1 Sound cassette
13
1-3

3.3

Reports, 1969
The subseries consists of three binders of photocopies of original reports drafted by the NY WPA office regarding the Federal Art, Music, Theatre, and Writers Projects, as well as reports on other programs relating to education, exhibitions, and recreation. These comprise weekly and monthly activity records of the four most active WPA arts projects.
Description Container
NY WPA Administration to Washington, D.C. Office, 1969
13
4-6

3.4

Scholars, 1967-2002
General correspondence and draft copies of scholarly essays sent to O'Connor from fellow New Deal researchers, including Penny Liebman's research on Art Front. The subseries also includes three original completed manuscripts: Greta Berman's doctoral dissertation on New Deal murals in New York; Laurance Hurlburt's Mexican Muralists in the United States; and William McDonald's Federal Relief Administration and the Arts.
Description Container
General Correspondence, circa 1967-1997
13
7-11
General Correspondence, Media/Film, circa 1985-2002
13
12
Berman, Greta, 1975
14
1
Freeman, Elizabeth, 1967
14
2
Hall, Daniel, 1972-1975
14
3
Hurlburt, Laurance, 1983
14
4
Liebman, Penny, 1996
Includes editors' list for Art Front.
14
5
Mathews, Jane de Hart, circa 1972-1973
14
6
McDonald, William F., 1969
14
7-8
McKinzie, Richard, circa 1967-1972
14
9
Monroe, Gerald, 1971-1979
14
10
Rubenstein, Erica Beckh, circa 1988
14
11

3.5

States, 1940-1987
Includes printed material, correspondence, and general information gathered by O'Connor that relate to New Deal arts projects in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming.
Description Container
Arizona, circa 1969-1971
14
12
California, circa 1940-1975
14
13-16
California, circa 1953-1971
15
1
Connecticut, 1985
15
2
Illinois, 1987
15
3
Maryland, 1969-1970
15
4
Minnesota, circa 1971-1975
15
5
New Mexico, 1979-1986
15
6
Ohio, circa 1971-1972
15
7
Oklahoma, circa 1975-1978
15
8-9
Oregon, circa 1958-1976
15
10-12
Texas, circa 1961-1971
15
13
Washington, circa 1966-1969
15
14
Wyoming, circa 1946-1975
15
15

3.6

WPA/FAP Research, 1930-1997
Includes miscellaneous printed material on New Deal programs; WPA/FAP lists, reports, and photocopies of original documents; and inventories of collection material held at research institutions.
Description Container
Collections List, New Deal, circa 1981-1982
15
16
Collections List, New Deal Murals, circa 1988-1991
15
17
Institution, Archives of American Art, 1966
15
18
Institution, Art Commission of the City of New York, circa 1989-1992
15
19
Institution, College Art Association, 1967-1968
15
20
Institution, FDR Library, 1968
15
21
Institution, Federal Record Centers, 1967
15
22
Institution, General Services Administration, circa 1966-1970
15
23-25
Institution, Library of Congress, circa 1949-1971
15
26
Institution, MoMA, circa 1966
15
27
Institution, National Archives, circa 1946-1967
15
28-29
Institution, National Collection of Fine Arts, circa 1969-1986
16
1-2
Printed Material, Clippings - 1930s New Deal, undated, circa 1974-1987
16
3
Printed Material, Clippings - 1930s New Deal, 1988-2000
16
4
Printed Material, Clippings - NY Times, US News, and World Reports, 1930-1971
16
5
Printed Material, Periodicals, 1936-1945
16
6
Printed Material, Miscellaneous, circa 1950-1997
16
7-9
WPA/FAP Administration - Chronology, circa 1965
16
10
WPA/FAP Administration - Staff and Cahill Files, circa 1938
16
11
WPA/FAP Administration - Destruction of Artwork, Liquidation Project, circa 1940-1944
16
12
WPA/FAP Allocations, circa 1939-1972
16
13-16
WPA/FAP Building Art, circa 1938-1972
16
17-19
WPA/FAP Community Art Centers, circa 1937-1965
16
20
WPA/FAP FERA, circa 1970
16
21
WPA/FAP PWAP, circa 1933-1971
16
22-30
WPA/FAP Section, circa 1935-1975
16
31-35
WPA/FAP TRAP, circa 1940-1970
16
36

Make a Request

  • To request an appointment to view materials, make your selections using the checkboxes and click the "Reading Room" button. Please note, you will receive the full box.
  • To request reproductions, make your selections using the checkboxes and click the "Reproduction" button.