Contents

Collection Summary

Biographical Note

Scope and Content Note

Organization of the Papers

Selected Search Terms

Correspondence, 1907-1991

Speeches and Writings File, 1939-1996

Miscellany, 1933-1999

Martin Agronsky Papers

A Finding Aid to the Collection in the Library of Congress

Prepared by Donna Ellis with the assistance of Dan Oleksiw

2002

Biographical Note

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Scope and Content Note

The papers of Martin Agronsky (1915-1999) span the years 1907-1999, with the bulk of the material dating from 1940 to 1990. The papers are organized in the following series: Correspondence, Speeches and Writings File, and a Miscellany consisting primarily of appointment books, awards, biographical material, and items related to organizations with which Agronsky was associated.

The Correspondence series contains primarily letters written by colleagues and the public to Agronsky in response to his newscasts. Incoming and outgoing letters and telegrams document communications between Agronsky and his network supervisors regarding news assignments.

The Speeches and Writings File, especially the scripts of Agronsky's newscasts, forms the centerpiece of the papers. The material dates from his career as a foreign correspondent in Europe, Australia, and Asia during World War II and continues through the Cold War years. His coverage of the Adolf Eichmann trial in Israel won him the Alfred I. DuPont Award in 1962. Other scripts include his work on documentary films. The speech file contains correspondence, notes, and texts pertaining to his lectures on political and economic subjects. Research material includes news clippings, notes, and printed matter relating to the subjects on which Agronsky frequently lectured.

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Selected Search Terms

People

• Agronsky, Martin.
• Eichmann, Adolf, 1906-1962--Trials, litigation, etc.

Subjects

• Cold War.
• Economics.
• Foreign correspondents--Asia.
• Foreign correspondents--Australia.
• Foreign correspondents--Europe.
• Politics, Practical.
• Trials--Israel.
• World War, 1939-1945--Journalists.

Occupations

• Journalists.

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Organization of the Papers

The collection is arranged in three series:

• Correspondence, 1907-1991
• Speeches and Writings File, 1939-1996
• Miscellany, 1933-1999

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Container List

Correspondence, 1907-1991

Correspondence and memoranda between Agronsky and his friends, colleagues, and the public relating to professional activities.

Arranged chronologically.

1907, 1939-1942 (7 folders)

1943

Jan.-Apr. (3 folders)

June-Dec.

1944 (5 folders)

1945

Jan.-Apr. (2 folders)

May-Sept. (7 folders)

Oct.-Dec. (4 folders)

1946-1947 (5 folders)

1948-1949 (5 folders)

1950

Jan.-Apr. (2 folders)

May-Dec. (3 folders)

1951 (2 folders)

1952

Jan.-Mar.

Apr.-Dec. (2 folders)

1953 (7 folders)

1954

Jan.-May (7 folders)

June-Dec. (7 folders)

1955

Jan.-Mar. (2 folders)

Apr.-Dec. (7 folders)

1956-1971 (3 folders)

1972-1981 (9 folders)

1982-1991, undated (9 folders)

Speeches and Writings File, 1939-1996

Broadcast and film scripts, magazine articles, research material, and speeches.

Arranged alphabetically by type of material and therein chronologically.

Broadcast scripts

American Broadcasting Co.

“At Issue”

Correspondence and financial records, 1953-1954, undated

Interviews, 1953-1954 (3 folders)

Prospective topics, 1951-1954, undated

Daily news

1943 (3 folders)

circa 1943 (9 folders)(3 folders)

1944

Jan.-May (8 folders)

June-Sept. (9 folders)

Oct.-Dec. (5 folders)

1945

Jan.-Feb. (3 folders)

Mar.-Aug. (6 folders)

Sept.-Dec. (6 folders)

1946

Jan.-Feb. (3 folders)

Mar.-Aug. (8 folders)

Sept.-Dec. (4 folders)

1947

Jan.-Feb. (4 folders)

Mar.-June (7 folders)

July-Nov. (8 folders)

Dec. (3 folders)

1948

Jan.-Mar. (6 folders)

Apr.-Sept. (9 folders)

Oct.-Dec. (6 folders)

1949

Jan.-Feb. (3 folders)

Mar.-June (8 folders)

July-Oct. (7 folders)

Nov.-Dec. (4 folders)

1950

Jan. (2 folders)

Feb.-May (8 folders)

June-Sept. (7 folders)

Oct.

Nov.-Dec. (4 folders)

1951

Jan.-Feb. (4 folders)

Mar.-June (8 folders)

July-Oct. (7 folders)

Nov.-Dec. (4 folders)

1952

Jan.-Feb. (4 folders)

Mar.-May (6 folders)

June-Nov. (9 folders)

Dec. (2 folders)

1953

Jan.-May (9 folders)

June-Dec. (8 folders)

1954

Jan.

Feb.-July (9 folders)

Aug.-Dec. (7 folders)

1955

Jan.-Feb. (3 folders)

Mar.-Aug. (11 folders)

Sept.-Nov. (8 folders)

Dec. (3 folders)

1956

Jan. (3 folders)

Feb.

Mar.-Apr. (6 folders)

May-June (6 folders)

July

Aug.-Nov. (7 folders)

Dec. (4 folders)

1957

Jan.-May (6 folders)

Program sponsors

Cancellations, 1946-1956 (7 folders)

Correspondence, 1950-1955

Expenses, 1943-1953

Lists, 1945-1954, undated (3 folders)

Miscellany, 1947-1955, undated

Radio station affiliates, 1950-1955

Sales, 1946-1956 (6 folders)

Sponsor identifications, 1953-1955 (2 folders)

National Broadcasting Co.

Daily news

1939-1940 (4 folders)

1941

Jan.-July (6 folders)

Aug.-Oct. (3 folders)

1942 (6 folders)

1957-1968 (7 folders)

“Emphasis,” 1960-1964, undated

“Look Here”

Correspondence, 1957-1958, 1996, undated

Interviews

1957 (2 folders)

1958, undated (3 folders)

“The Trial of Adolf Eichmann”

Production material, 1961

Scripts, 1961

Unidentified scripts, undated

Miscellany

Films

American Workmanship, 1976

And One to Grow On, 1979-1980, undated

Coal slurry pipeline, 1980

Communications Workers of America, 1982, undated

CSX-Richmond Corp., 1984

First Monday in October, 1980

Hadassah Medical Organization, 1985

It's Child's Play, 1961

A Matter of Commitment, 1983

The National Financial Planning Quiz, 1981

Nazareth to Bethlehem travelog, 1961

Magazine articles

“I Will Be Back,” undated

Life project on Iran, 1947, undated

“Iran--Urgent,” undated

Miscellaneous, 1943-1952, undated

“The Partition of Palestine,” 1937

“The Public and the Act,” 1970

“The Voice of the Supreme Court,” 1955-1956

Radio and television guest appearances, 1968, 1979-1988

Research material

Abortion, 1964, 1974, undated

American Jewish Congress, 1963-1964 (2 folders)

Atomic energy, 1947-1950, undated

Automotive advertising, 1956

Battery additive material, 1949-1953, undated

Bernstein, Leonard, 1976

Bomb shelters, 1961, undated

Burch, Dean, 1964, undated

Burrows, Abe, undated

Carter, Jimmy, 1977, undated

Censorship, 1952

Central America, 1985

Central Intelligence Agency, 1965-1966, 1974-1977, 1985, undated

Civil liberties, 1949-1955, undated (2 folders)

Communism, 1948-1955, 1963, 1973, undated

Condon, Edward U., 1948-1949, undated

Crossfield, Scott, 1955-1958, undated (2 folders)

Cuban missile crisis, 1963, undated

Democratic Party, 1944, 1952, 1981

Disarmament, 1983-1986, undated

Dulles, John Foster, 1952-1957, undated

Eastern Europe, 1940-1942, undated

Economics, 1952-1955, 1977-1978, undated

Education, 1952-1954, 1963, undated

Eichmann, Adolf, trial of

Court documents, 1961 (5 folders)(2 folders)

Fact sheets and news releases, 1960-1961, undated (2 folders)

Memoranda and notes, 1960-1961, undated (3 folders)

Printed matter, 1947-1961, undated (6 folders)

Elections

1948

1950-1964, 1980-1988, undated (7 folders)

Fast, Howard, 1957, undated

Finance

1945-1954 (3 folders)

1957, 1969, undated

Foreign policy, 1950-1955, 1963-1967, 1978, 1984-1986, undated

Fulbright, J. William, 1959-1965, undated

Germany, 1949-1954, 1961-1964, undated

Goldwater, Barry, 1964, undated

Humphrey, Hubert H., 1963-1968, undated (4 folders)

International languages, 1951-1954, undated

Israel, 1958-1988, undated (5 folders)

Kennedy, John F., assassination investigation, 1970

King, Martin Luther, Jr., 1956-1957, undated

Labor organizations, 1952-1964, 1977, undated

Lattimore, Owen, 1953-1954, undated

League of Nations, 1937, 1974

Leopold, Nathan F., 1957, undated

McCarthy, Joseph R., 1954, 1962, undated

Miscellaneous

Notes, undated (4 folders)

Printed matter

1948-1955 (3 folders)

1956-1980, 1986, undated (3 folders)

National Endowment for the Arts, 1976, undated

Nicaragua, 1985

Nuclear weapons, 1946-1955, 1964, 1978, undated

Pearson, Lester Bowles, 1954-1961, undated

Perkins, Anthony, 1958, undated

Post World War II economy, 1949-1954, undated

Public broadcasting, 1954, 1973, undated

Racial discrimination, 1954, 1963-1968, undated

Rayburn, Sam, 1961, undated

Republic of the Congo, 1961-1962

Scientists and national security, 1948-1954, undated

Southeast Asia, 1950-1953, 1961-1971, undated (3 folders)

Stanley, Kim, undated

Stevenson, Adlai E. (1900-1965), 1952, undated

Summit meetings, 1960, 1986, undated (2 folders)

Taft, Robert A. (1889-1953), undated

Tennessee Valley Authority, 1954

USSR, 1953, 1961-1964, 1979-1980, undated

U.S. Senate, 1952, 1964-1966, undated

U.S. Supreme Court

1947-1955 (2 folders)

1956, 1968, 1974-1977, undated

Violence and television, 1969-1977, undated

Von Braun, Wernher, 1957

Voskovec, George, immigration case, 1950

Webb, Jack, undated

Weil, Joseph, 1946-1954

Welfare, 1945

Women's liberation, 1975-1977, undated

World War II, 1943-1944, undated

Yates, Sidney R., 1957, 1978

Yugoslavia, 1955

Speech file

1942, 1947-1975 (12 folders)

1976-1980 (10 folders)

1981

Jan.-Apr. (5 folders)

May-Dec. (5 folders)

1982

Jan.-Sept. (13 folders)

Oct.-Dec. (2 folders)

1983-1985 (11 folders)

1986-1990, undated (20 folders)

Miscellany, 1933-1999

Appointment books, awards, biographical material, lawsuits, and correspondence relating to organizations and television programs.

Arranged alphabetically by type of material.

Arranged alphabetically by type of material and therein chronologically.

Appointment books

1982-1986 (3 folders)

1987

Awards

Alfred I. DuPont Award, 1961

George Foster Peabody Award, 1952-1953, undated

Hall of Distinguished Alumni, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J., 1995

Heywood Broun Award, 1948-1949

Miscellaneous, 1952-1953, 1984, undated

National Headliners Club, 1948

Sigma Delta Chi Radio Award, 1949

Biographical material

1933, 1939-1944, 1950-1959 (2 folders)

1960-1991, 1999, undated (6 folders)

Jerusalem Post, 1945-1953

Lawsuits

Alexander v. Agronsky, 1981-1982

Reed v. Agronsky, circa 1944

Organizations

National Theatre Corp., 1980-1986, undated (4 folders)

Radio Correspondents Association, 1948-1953, undated

Photographs, 1939, 1950-1983, undated

Telephone messages, 1980-1981

Television programs

“Agronsky and Company,” 1974-1987, undated (2 folders)

“Evening Edition,” 1971-1976, undated (2 folders)

“Hindsight,” undated

Proposals, 1963, 1988