Democratic Party National Committee Papers, 1928-1948 | Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum

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Collection Overview

Title: Democratic Party National Committee Papers, 1928-1948

Primary Creator: National Committee of the Democratic Party (1928-1948)

Extent: 261.45 Cubic Feet

Arrangement: This is a collection in 26 series.

Abstract

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) Papers document the political activities, community organizing, campaign strategies, polling and data analysis, and direct public correspondence of the Democratic Party leadership from 1928 to 1948. The collection holds a significant quantity of FDR's direct correspondence with the general public during his 1932 campaign as the Democratic presidential nominee.

Scope and Contents of the Materials

This collection consists of the records of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), 1928-1948. Materials in this collection are related primarily to the nominations, campaigns and elections of Franklin D. Roosevelt as president of the United States in 1932, 1936, 1940 and 1944. The collection contains correspondence exchanged among Franklin D. Roosevelt, many Democratic Party officials, activists and supporters, and the general public; patronage correspondence related to persons seeking positions in the government; campaign research materials and subject files; campaign literature; newsclipping files and scrapbooks; copies of Roosevelt campaign speeches and press releases.

A small amount of material in this collection pertains to Democratic Party activities following Roosevelt's death in 1945 and to the campaign and election of Harry S. Truman as president in 1948.

For political historians these papers present a rich portrait of a time when campaigns began to adopt a more scientific approach to elections that reflected growing voter registration efforts across the country. Almost half the collection consists of individual files on the 48 states. In addition, the human element is very much on display as there are files on dinner speeches, patronage requests, as well as some 30 boxes of clipping and memoribilia. Two individuals that figure heavily into this collection are DNC Chairman James Farley and his associate Emil Hurja. The latter, an influential political statistian and polling specialist, donated papers to the FDR library.

Researchers should also consult the records of the Women's Division of the DNC, a seperate but related collection that also contains a great deal of FDR's 1932 campaign correspondence and many additional records of the Party's political organizing of the New Deal era.

Administrative Information

Repository: Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum

Access Restrictions: This material is subject to copyright restrictions under Title 17 of the U.S. Code.

Acquisition Source: National Committee of the Democratic Party, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, James Farley, and Lela Stiles

Acquisition Method: The papers were donated to the Library by the National Committee of the Democratic Party, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, James Farley, and Lela Mae Stiles.

Related Materials: Numerous collections in the Library including: President's Official, Personal, and Secretary's Files; Women's Division of the Democratic Party National Committee Papers; Mary Dewson Papers; Stephen T. Early Papers; Harry L. Hopkins Papers; Louis M. Howe Papers; Emil Hurja Papers; National Committee of Independent Voters for Roosevelt; Eleanor Roosevelt Papers

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Correspondence, 1928-1933],
[Series 2: Campaign Materials, 1932],
[Series 3: Library and Research Bureau Papers, 1928-1933],
[Series 4: 1932 Campaign File - Newspaper Clippings [by state]],
[Series 5: Newspaper Clippings [by subject], 1931-1932],
[Series 6: 1932 Campaign Literature Files - Newspaper Clippings],
[Series 7: Patronage Correspondence, 1932-1933],
[Series 8: Patron Correspondence and Records, 1933-1940],
[Series 9: Applications for Positions, 1934-1936],
[Series 10: Democratic National Convention, 1936],
[Series 11: Willkie Index - Speeches and Statements],
[Series 12: Correspondence of James A. Farley, Chairman, 1936],
[Series 13: Election Forecasts, October 1936],
[Series 14: Democratic National Committee Campaign Correspondence, 1940],
[Series 15: 1940 Campaign Correspondence - Publicity Suggestions],
[Series 16: Correspondence with State Leaders (Elections and Newspaper Clippings), 1936-1937, 1940-1948],
[Series 17: Correspondence with Prominent Democratic Leaders, 1941-1948],
[Series 18: Presidential and Federal Appointments],
[Series 19: Campaign of 1942],
[Series 20: Miscellaneous Speech Materials and Speech Drafts],
[Series 21: Campaign of 1944 - Democratic National Convention],
[Series 22: Miscellaneous Papers [general subject files], 1932-1948],
[Series 23: Roosevelt - Speeches and Statements (Clippings)],
[Series 24: Roosevelt - Campaign Speeches],
[Series 25: Roosevelt - Miscellaneous Materials, 1929-1945],
[Series 26: Duplicates Unless Otherwise Noted [press releases]],
[All]

Series 20: Miscellaneous Speech Materials and Speech Drafts

This series contains copies of speeches and other speech materials delivered by Democratic Party officials and candidates. Included are speeches by Frank C. Walker, Robert E. Hannegan, Claude G. Bowers, Oscar R. Ewing, Paul V. McNutt, Wright Patman, Henry A. Wallace, Sam Rayburn, Dorothy Thompson, and Helen Gahagan Douglas. Arranged in rough chronological order and thereunder by name of speaker.

Box 570

1943-1944: Frank C. Walker - Acceptance Speech - Chicago, Illinois, January 18, 1943
1943-1944: Ambrose O'Connell - Speech, George Washington Dinner - St. Paul, Minnesota, February 22, 1943
1943-1944: Frank C. Walker - Speech, George Washington Dinner - Detroit, Michigan, February 26, 1943
1943-1944: Ambrose O'Connell - Speech, George Washington Dinner - Milwaukee, Wisconsin, March 6, 1943
1943-1944: Ambrose O'Connell - Speech, Thomas Jefferson Dinner - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, May 13, 1943
1943-1944: Ambrose O'Connell - Speech, Thomas Jefferson Dinner - New York, New York, June 21, 1943
1943-1944: Quentin Reynolds - Speech, Jackson Day Dinner - Washington, D.C., January 22, 1944
1943-1944: Ambrose O'Connell - Speech, Regional Meeting of the Young Democratic Clubs of America - Hot Springs, Arkansas, February 4, 1944
1943-1944: Speech, Boise, Portland, Denver, & Cheyenne, February 8, 1944
1943-1944: Robert E. Hannegan- Speech, George Washington Dinner - Minneapolis, Minnesota, February 22, 1944
1943-1944: Robert E. Hannegan - Speech, Grover Cleveland Dinner - Buffalo, New York, March 18, 1944
1943-1944: Robert E. Hanngen - Speech, Jackson Day dinner - Boston, Massachusetts, March 25, 1944
1943-1944: Hon. Alben W. Barkley - Speech, Democratic Meeting - Brooklyn, New York, April 11, 1944
1943-1944: Robert E. Hannegan - Speech, Jefferson Day Dinner - Detroit, Michigan, April 13, 1944
1943-1944: Frank C. Walker - Speech, Jefferson Day Dinner - Nashville, Tennessee, April 13, 1944
1943-1944: Speech, Democratic Farmer Labor Convention - Minn. Minnesota, April 13, 1944

Box 571

1944-1945: (includes copies of January 31, 1946 Congressional Record): excerpt- Remarks by Hon. Earnest W. McFarland-Robert E. Hannegan-Speech, Jefferson Day Dinner, New York, New York., May 8, 1944
1944-1945: Hon. Oscar R. Ewing (on Dewey) - Radio Address, ABC, October 2, 1944
1944-1945: Hon. Oscar R. Ewing - Address, Syracuse, New York, October 25, 1944
1944-1945: Hon. Oscar R. Ewing - Address, Saratoga, New York, October 26, 1944
1944-1945: Hon. Oscar R. Ewing - Address, Schenectady, New York, October 27, 1944
1944-1945: Hon. Oscar R. Ewing - Address, Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, November 3, 1944
1944-1945: Robert E. Hannegan - Statement to the Press re: Victory of President Roosevelt - Biltmore Hotel, New York, New York, November 7, 1944
1944-1945: Robert E. Hannegan - Statement, Jefferson Day Banquets to be held throughout the country - Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D.C., February 23, 1945
1944-1945: Robert E. Hannegan - Address, St. Patrick's Day Dinner - Rochester, New York - also copies of March 19, 1945 Congressional Record excerpt - Remarks by Hon. Frank P. Brig, March 17, 1945, March 19, 1945
1944-1945: Robert E. Hannegan - Address, Jefferson Day Dinner - William Penn Hotel, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, April 11, 1945
1944-1945: hon. Robert E. Hannigan - Radio Statement, re: Death of President Roosevelt over radio station WMAL, April 12, 1945

Box 572

1944 General File (radio broadcasts, spots, and transcriptions; election material)

Box 573

1946 and Undated: Joe Berger - Speech Material, Undated
1946 and Undated: Claude G. Bowers - History of the Democratic Party
1946 and Undated: Robert E. Hannegan , Chairman, Democratic Committee - Biography
1946 and Undated: Short Talks at end of Hennock Radio Broadcast, Undated
1946 and Undated: Joseph P. Kamp
1946 and Undated: Nine Minute Transcriptions (Quotations - Scripts, etc.)
1946 and Undated: Ambrose O'Connell - Speech, Undated
1946 and Undated: Radio Commercials for the Democratic Party - Original Spots
1946 and Undated: Speeches, Miscellaneous
1946 and Undated: Reading Copy, Undated

Box 574

Miscellaneous Speech Materials, 1942-1944: Senator Joseph H. Ball - Radio Address, N.B.C. - Washington, D.C., October 26, 1944
Miscellaneous Speech Materials, 1942-1944: Hon. Alben W. Barkley - Democratic National Convention - Nomination of Franklin D. Roosevelt - Chicago, Illinois, July 20, 1944
Miscellaneous Speech Materials, 1942-1944: Francis Biddle - Address - Maple Heights, Cleveland, Ohio, October 25, 1944
Miscellaneous Speech Materials, 1942-1944: Helen Gahagan Douglas - Address, Democratic National Convention - Chicago, Illinois, July 20, 1944
Miscellaneous Speech Materials, 1942-1944: Hon. Oscar R. Ewing - Address, George Washington Dinner - Neward, New Jersey, other correspondence, February 27, 1943; 1941-1943
Miscellaneous Speech Materials, 1942-1944: Hon. Oscar R. Ewing - Correspondence re: hours polls open and close
Miscellaneous Speech Materials, 1942-1944: Hon. Oscar R. Ewing - Labor Candidates
Miscellaneous Speech Materials, 1942-1944: Hon. Oscar R. Ewing - Minnesota Trip
Miscellaneous Speech Materials, 1942-1944: Hon. Oscar R. Ewing - Speaker Information
Miscellaneous Speech Materials, 1942-1944: Senator Guffney
Miscellaneous Speech Materials, 1942-1944: Chairman Hannegan - Speech, George Washington Dinner - Radisson Hotel, Minneapolis, Minnesota, February 22, 1944
Miscellaneous Speech Materials, 1942-1944: Hon. Robert E. Hannegan - Address, Democratic National Convention - Chicago, Illinois, July 19, 1944
Miscellaneous Speech Materials, 1942-1944: Hon. Robert E. Hannegan - Radio Address, Jackson Day Dinner - Boston, Massachusetts, March 25, 1944
Miscellaneous Speech Materials, 1942-1944: Hon. Samuel D. Jackson - Address, Democratic National Convention - Chicago, Illinois, July 20, 1944
Miscellaneous Speech Materials, 1942-1944: Governor Robert S. Kerr - Address, Democratic National Convention - Chicago, Illinois, July 19, 1944
Miscellaneous Speech Materials, 1942-1944: Hon. John W. McCormack - Radio Address, CBS - Boston, Massachusetts, April 1, 1944
Miscellaneous Speech Materials, 1942-1944: Paul V. McNutt - Speech, Jackson Day Dinner - Des Moines, Iowa, February 26, 1944
Miscellaneous Speech Materials, 1942-1944: Wright Patman - Member of Congress, Publicity Department - CBS, Washington, D.C., March 14, 1944
Miscellaneous Speech Materials, 1942-1944: Hon. Sam rayburn - Speech, Jackson Day Dinner - Los Angeles, California, March 28, 1944

Box 575

Miscellaneous Speech Materials, 1944: Quentin Reynolds - Address - St. Louis, Missouri, October 25, 1944
Miscellaneous Speech Materials, 1944: Dorothy Thompson - Radio Speech - Detroit, Michigan, October 20, 1944
Miscellaneous Speech Materials, 1944: Hon. Henry A. Wallace - Address - San Francisco, California, February 7, 1944
Miscellaneous Speech Materials, 1944: Hon. Claude R. Wickard - Address - Salina, Kansas, October 12, 1944
Miscellaneous Speech Materials, 1944: Campaign Speeches, Miscellaneous (1)
Miscellaneous Speech Materials, 1944: Campaign Speeches, Miscellaneous (2)
Miscellaneous Speech Materials, 1944: Speeches, Additional - Newspaper Clippings
Miscellaneous Speech Materials, 1944: Bureaucrats
Miscellaneous Speech Materials, 1944: Data of Potential Voters (by State)

Box 576

Miscellaneous Speeches, Music and Dewey Documentation, 1944: Hon. Frank C. Walker - Radio Address, C.B.S. - re: "Elections in Wartime" - Washington, D.C., November 30, 1943
Miscellaneous Speeches, Music and Dewey Documentation, 1944: Hon. Frank C. Walker - Address, Bond Rally Dinner - St. Paul, Minnesota, March 9, 1943
Miscellaneous Speeches, Music and Dewey Documentation, 1944: Hon. Frank C. Walker - Address - Seattle, Washington, March 15, 1943
Miscellaneous Speeches, Music and Dewey Documentation, 1944: Hon. Frank C. Walker - Address, Democratic National Committee Meeting - Washington, D.C., January 22, 1944
Miscellaneous Speeches, Music and Dewey Documentation, 1944: Hon. Frank C. Walker - Address, Jackson Day Dinner - Syracuse, New York, January 15, 1944
Miscellaneous Speeches, Music and Dewey Documentation, 1944: Speeches: Originals - Dorothy Vredenburgh - Washington, D.C., March 10, 1944
Miscellaneous Speeches, Music and Dewey Documentation, 1944: Speeches: Originals - Hon. Frank C. Walker - Chicago, Illinois, January 18, 1943
Miscellaneous Speeches, Music and Dewey Documentation, 1944: Speeches: Originals - Hon. Frank C. Walker - Washington, D.C., January 22, 1944
Miscellaneous Speeches, Music and Dewey Documentation, 1944: Speeches: Originals - Hon. Ambrose O'Connell - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, May 13, 1944
Miscellaneous Speeches, Music and Dewey Documentation, 1944: Speeches: Originals - Hon. Ambrose O'Connell, March 6, 1943
Miscellaneous Speeches, Music and Dewey Documentation, 1944: Speeches: Originals - Hon. Frank C. Walker - Address, Jackson Day Dinner - Syracuse, NY, January 15, 1944
Miscellaneous Speeches, Music and Dewey Documentation, 1944: Music
Miscellaneous Speeches, Music and Dewey Documentation, 1944: Dewey Documentation (1)
Miscellaneous Speeches, Music and Dewey Documentation, 1944: Dewey Documentation (2)

Box 577

Miscellaneous Papers on Lucas's "Soldier's Vote" Bill and "voting Hours" Bill, 1943-1944
Michael Mann for Congress, A Proposal of Independent Voters of Illinois