Collection inventory

Overview of the Collection
Creator:	Thompson, Dorothy, 1893-1961.
Title:	Dorothy Thompson Collection
Inclusive Dates:	1922-1963
Quantity:	2 linear ft.
Abstract:	Collection of material relating to the American journalist. Contains articles by and about Thompson, photographs, correspondence, political cartoon, miscellaneous printed and published material.
Language:	One book in German, the rest in English.
Repository:	Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Avenue Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center

Biographical History

Dorothy Thompson (1893-1961) was an American broadcast and print journalist, best known for her work as a foreign correspondent and her column "On the Record" that appeared in the New York Herald Tribune from 1936-1941. She graduated from Syracuse University in 1914, where she studied political science and economics, and became one of the few women news commentators on radio during the 1930s. An early and outspoken opponent of Adolf Hitler, she was the first American journalist to be expelled from Nazi Germany in 1934. For a more detailed biography, see the Dorothy Thompson Papers at this repository.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Dorothy Thompson Collection consists of awards/citations, correspondence, photographs, printed material, and writings.

Awards and citations recognize Thompson's work for the War Department and with young people.

Correspondence is primarily personal in nature. The bulk is between Thompson and her first husband, Hungarian author Josef Bard. Spanning the end of their marriage (1922-1927), Thompson's romance with and subsequent marriage to Sinclair Lewis, and the rise of Thompson's career, the letters, although of a personal nature, also trace Thompson's journalistic activities through Europe, Russia, and the United States. Other letters include those to artist Eileen Agar (Bard's second wife) and suffragist leader Gertrude Tone, a friend of Thompson's. There is a also a single letter from Sinclair Lewis to Bard and an incoming letter from Ludwig Lewisohn to Bard and Thompson, and some correspondence with Thompson's college friends Ruth Hoople and Winifred ("Win") Hughes. Formats include letters, telegrams, and empty envelopes.

Photographs, most of which were taken during her marriage to Bard, are of Thompson alone or the two of them as a couple.

Printed material consist of books and clippings. The books are primarily history and economics, many of which have annotations, margin notes, etc. in a hand that appears to be Thompson's. Clippings consist of newspaper and magazine articles about Thompson, including obituaries and biographical sketches published on the occasion of her death.

Writings contains columns, articles, and essays by Thompson, some printed and others in manuscript/typescript form. The bulk of this series are typescripts of her "On the Record" colummns, as submitted to Bell Syndicate, and clippings of her articles for Ladies Home Journal. Topics include politics, economics, and current events.

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Arrangement of the Collection

The collection is arranged alphabetically by type of material.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on this material.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Related Material

See also the Dorothy Thompson Papers .

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Subject Headings

Persons

Subjects

Genres and Forms

Occupations

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Dorothy Thompson Collection,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Various sources, gift and purchase.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: [Summit record]
Date: 27 Feb 1992
Revision history: 3 Mar 2011 - converted to EAD (MRC); 2 May 2018 - remainder processed, finding aid updated (MRC); 17 Jul 2018 - books, erroneously placed in this collection, moved to Dorothy Thompson Papers (MRC)

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Inventory

	Awards and citations
Box 1		New York University, Class of 1941 award "for distinguished service to the youth of America" 1941
Box 1		War Department citation [missing 5/1/18] 1946

	Correspondence
Box 1		Lewis, Sinclair, to Josef Bard 1928
Box 1		Lewisohn, Lewis, to D. Thompson / J. Bard 1926
Box 1		Thompson, Dorothy, to Eileen Agar Bard 1927
Box 1		Thompson, Dorothy, to Josef Bard 1926-1935 (8 folders)
Box 1		Thompson, Dorothy, to Josef Bard / Eileen Agar Bard undated
Box 1		Thompson, Dorothy, to Ruth Hoople 1913, 1915, 1922, 1928, undated - Thompson's college roommate; includes clipping about Hoople and Thompson, photo of Sinclair Lewis and son Michael, 2 sketches of nude woman
			Gift of Ruth Agnes Hoople, 1968.
Box 1		Thompson, Dorothy, to Ruth Hoople undated - includes typescript, "Dorothy Thompson as told by her roommate, Ruth Hoople"
			Transfer from University Archives, 1969.
Box 1		Thompson, Dorothy, to Winifred Hughes 1914, 1937-1940 - all but one letter are photocopies; includes original photograph of 1914 SU women's basketball team (with names), including Thompson and Hughes
			Gift of Winifred Hughes, 1979.
Box 1		Thompson, Dorothy, to Dr. Bernard Pacella 1960 - lengthy letter detailing Thompson's concerns about her son Michael Lewis; includes clipping about incident involving a cutlass
			Transfer from Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center, 2017.
Box 1		Thompson, Dorothy, to Gertrude Tone undated
Box 1		Thompson, Dorothy, to multiple recipients 1956, 1958 - to Agatha, Hilda, Alex, Charlotte, Mike and Benny, Peg and Howard

	Photographs
Box 1		Dorothy Thompson 1922, 1927, undated
			"Dorothy Thompson Budapest 1922"; "Frau Dr. Bard"; Dorothy Thompson (with envelope dated 30 Mar 1927); Dorothy Thompson, signed and inscribed from Thompson to Bard, Jul 1927; Dorothy Thompson in canoe
Box 1		Dorothy Thompson and Josef Bard undated - print, copy negative

	Printed material
		Clippings
Box 2			Clippings about Thompson 1931, 1937-1938, 1940, 1957, 1961, 1963, undated
Box 2			Clippings on Thompson's death 1961
Box 2			Clippings about Michael Lewis (son of Thompson and Sinclair Lewis) 1966

	Writings
Box 2		Articles, Ladies Home Journal 1938-1942, 1960-1961 - clippings (2 folders)
Box 2		Column, "On the Record," Bell Features Syndicate 1938-1939, undated - clippings
Box 2		Column, "On the Record," Bell Features Syndicate 1956 Apr-Dec - typescript, as submitted
Box 2		Column, "On the Record," Bell Features Syndicate 1957 Jan, Mar-Dec - typescript, as submitted (3 folders)
Box 2		Column, "On the Record," Bell Features Syndicate 1958 Jan-Aug - typescript, as submitted (3 folders)
Box 2		Essay [?], The only kind of peace undated - typescript carbon
Box 2		Notebook undated - small spiral-bound with handwritten list of articles
Box 2		Pamphlet, "The Lincoln Papers" undated - limited edition letterpress reprint of one of Thompson's columns; printed by The Pony Barn Press in Warrenville, Illinois

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