Collection inventory

Overview of the Collection
Creator:	Tebbel, John William, 1912-2004
Title:	John Tebbel Papers
Inclusive Dates:	1936-1966
Quantity:	3.5 linear ft.
Abstract:	Papers of the American author, journalist, and professor of journalism at New York University, including correspondence and writings.
Language:	English
Repository:	Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Ave., Suite 600 Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center/university-archives

Biographical History

John Tebbel (1912-2004) was an American journalist, editor, educator and media historian. Among other achievements he is know for his A History of Book Publishing in the United States, a 20-year effort published in four volumes from 1972 to 1980.

Born in Boyne City,Michigan, on November 16, 1912, Tebbel graduated from Central Michigan College of Education in 1935 and began his career as a writer and newspaperman, serving as city editor for the Isabella County, Michigan, Times-News. He also worked on a master's degree at Columbia University, which he received in 1937. He wrote for Newsweek magazine and worked as a reporter for the Detroit Free Press. In 1939 he became a writer for the Providence Journal; in 1941 he became managing editor of the American Mercury. Two years later, he joined the Sunday staff of the New York Times, became an associate editor of the publishing firm E.P. Dutton & Co., and acted as an associate in journalism at Columbia. He served as chairman of the Journalism Department at New York University, and in 1958 was named the first director of their Graduate Institute of Book Publishing.

Tebbel was the author of numerous books, including A History of Book Publishing in the United States, a biography of William Randolph Hearst, and two novels. He was also a regular contributor to the Saturday Review and other magazines.

Tebbel married the former Kathryn Carl with whom he had one daughter.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The John Tebbel Papers consist of biographical material, correspondence, subject files, manuscripts, and published material.

Biographical material is a single item, a press release providing biographical details.

Correspondence is almost entirely incoming. A few outgoing items, and letters to and from third parties, are filed at the end of the series. Many of the letters are in connection with the research for Tebbel's book on George H. Lorimer. Notable correspondents include Carl W. Ackerman, Nelson Algren, Henry Steele Commager, Thomas B. Costain, Marshall Field, Herbert Hoover, Henry B. Hough, Harold L. Ickes, Alfred C. Kinsey, Alfred A. Knopf, John P. Marquand, Mary Margaret McBride, Mary Roberts Rinehart, Kenneth Roberts, Lawrence E. Spivak, and Wesley W. Stout.

Subject files consist of bills and statements, a calling card of Jospeh Pulitzer, a legal agreement, and research material for Tebbel's book From Raqs to Riches.

Manuscripts consists mostly of typescript drafts, manuscripts, and galley proofs for Tebbel's books. There are also a play and a few unidentified items.

Published material includes a parody newspaper, newspaper clippings about others, and assorted other printed items.

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Arrangement of the Collection

Incoming correspondence is arranged alphabetically by sender. Outgoing correspondence is arranged in chronological order. Subject files are arranged alphabetically by type/topic. Manuscripts are subdivided alphabetically by type (e.g. books, plays) and within each type, alphabetically by title. Published material is arranged alphabetically by type.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

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

Special Collections Research Center has the papers of many journalists and publishers; please refer to the SCRC Subject Index or for a complete listing.

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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:

John Tebbel Papers
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Finding Aid Information

Created by: -
Date: Mar 1967
Revision history: 20 Aug 2009 - converted to EAD (MRC)

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Inventory

	Biographical material
Box 1		Press release

	Correspondence
		Incoming
Box 1			Ackerman, Carl W.
Box 1			Algren, Nelson
Box 1			Anspach, Charles
Box 1			B
Box 1			C
Box 1			Coe, Charles Richard
Box 1			Coffin, Paris
Box 1			Commager, Henry Steele
Box 1			Costain, Thomas
Box 1			D
Box 1			Davies, Margaret P.
Box 1			E
Box 1			F
Box 1			Field, Marshall
Box 1			Field, Marshall Jr.
Box 1			Firestone, Harvey S.
Box 1			Firestone, Harvey S. Company
Box 1			G
Box 1			Gould, Ben and Beatrice
Box 1			H
Box 1			Hearst, William R., Jr.
Box 1			Hearst Metrotone News, Inc.
Box 1			Hoover, Herbert
Box 1			Hough, Henry B.
Box 1			Ickes, Harold L.
Box 1			J
Box 1			Kahler, Hugh M.
Box 1			Kinsey, Alfred C.
Box 1			Knopf, Alfred A. and Blanche
Box 1			L
Box 1			Lorimore, George B.
Box 1			Lorimore, Graeme
Box 1			M
Box 1			Macrae, Elliot B.
Box 1			Marquand, John P.
Box 1			McBain, Hughston M.
Box 1			McBride, Mary Margaret
Box 1			N
Box 1			Neall, Adelaide W.
Box 1			Patterson, Alicia
Box 1			R
Box 1			Rinehart, Mary Roberts
Box 1			Roberts, Kenneth
Box 1			S
Box 1			Spivak, Lawrence E.
Box 1			Stout, Wesley W.
Box 1			U-V
Box 1			Visual Enterprises, Inc.
Box 1			Winchell, Walter
Box 1			Z
Box 1			Unidentified
		Outgoing
Box 1			1947, undated
		To and from others
Box 1			Miscellaneous

	Subject files
Box 2		Bills and statements
Box 2		Calling card, Joseph Pulitzer
Box 2		Legal agreement
Box 2		Research material for book, From rags to riches

	Manuscripts
		Books
Box 2			The American Indian Wars, with Keith Jennison - draft (5 folders)
Box 2			Compact history of the American Indian Wars - draft (5 folders)
Box 3			Compact history of the American newspaper - draft (5 folders)
Box 3			From rags to riches: Horatio Alger, Jr. and the American dream - final, including bibliography and index (6 folders)
Box 4			George Washington: Man and myth - draft (4 folders)
Box 4			George Washington: Man and myth - copy (4 folders)
Box 4			The media in America - draft, to p. 175 (4 folders)
Box 5			The media in America - draft, p. 176 to end (9 folders)
Box 5			The press and the presidency - draft, to p. 240 (4 folders)
Box 6			The press and the presidency - draft, p. 241 to end (13 folders)
Box 7			The press and the presidency - proof, including index (9 folders)
Box 7			[Untitled book about David Sarnoff] - draft (2 folders)
		Plays
Box 7			North of Utopia, with Maggie Smith - final, carbon, draft, and notes (incomplete?)
		Unidentified
Box 7			Paperback books: A pocket history 1964 - a short history of Pocket Books, Inc.
Box 7			Miscellaneous

	Published material
Box 47		Booklet, "A friend of the family: The story of the Ladies Home Journal" 1936
Box 7		Calendar, New York University Sep 1954
Box 7		Clippings about others 1946, undated
Box 7		Newspaper 1946 - Yale parody issue of New York Daily News
Box 7		Poster with poem 1933

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