Collection inventory

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Beth Ann Johnson Family Papers

An inventory of the papers at the Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives at Syracuse University

Summary

Creator: Johnson Family.
Title: Beth Ann Johnson Family Papers
Dates: 1986-2011
Size: 6.2 linear feet
Abstract: Clippings, journals, scrapbooks, and other materials related to Beth Ann Johnson, a victim of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland
Language: English
Repository: Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives
Syracuse University Libraries
222 Waverly Ave., Suite 600
Syracuse, NY 13244-2010
https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center/pan-am-103

Biography

Photograph of Beth Ann Johnson

Beth Ann Johnson (1967-1988) was among the 270 victims of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland on December 21, 1988. She was a senior at Seton Hill in Greensburg, Pennsylvania majoring in psychology with related studies in music and drama. Beth had been studying at Regent's College in London, England. She was survived by her parents, Glenn and Carole Johnson; and two brothers, Glenn P. III and Gene Alan.


Beth had been elected to Who's Who Among College Students at Seton Hill, and was the president of Seton Hill's psychology club. She was also a member of the Alpha Lambda Delta National Honor Society and Psi-Chi National Honors Society. In addition to her academic achievements, Beth was a talented musician and actress. She belonged to the chamber singers, the concert and handbell choirs, the Westmoreland Symphonic Winds, was an organist at Assumption Hall, and a member of the American Federation of Musicians Local 339. She also regularly participated in theatrical productions at Seton Hill and at the Apple Hill Playhouse. While studying in London, Beth served as a Resident Advisor for one of the dormitories at Regent's College. She also took the opportunity during her semester abroad to travel throughout Europe, visiting Ireland, the Swiss Alps, and Germany.


In the years following the tragedy, Beth's parents, Glenn and Carole, became extensively involved with Pan Am 103 victims' groups, and in lobbying for and drafting improvements to aviation security.

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Scope and Content Note

The Beth Ann Johnson Family Papers contain clippings, journals, scrapbooks, and other materials related to Beth Ann Johnson, a victim of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland on December 21, 1988. Also included are materials related to her family's work for improvements to aviation security, and files pertaining to the various legal actions surrounding the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103. The collection has been divided into series as follows:

The Beth Ann Johnson journals series contains Beth's appointment diary, daily journals, and travel journals from her semester abroad. These journals were scanned while on loan from the Johnson family. A large portion of the collection consists of clippings and clippings scrapbooks collected by Glenn and Carole Johnson, Beth's parents, in the days, months, and years following the bombing.

Items in the Clippings series date from December 22, 1988, the day after the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, through October 2011.

Correspondence contains primarily incoming correspondence from members of Pan Am Flight 103 victims' groups, and legal advisors and representatives of the Pan Am Flight 103 families. Incoming correspondence from the law firm of Kreindler and Kreindler, the firm that represented families in several legal actions related to the tragedy, comprises the bulk of this series.

The Subject files series contains files pertaining to various organizations and projects related to Pan Am Flight 103 and civil aviation security with which the Johnson family has been involved; as well as materials pertaining to subjects or incidents relevant to Pan Am 103, other aviation disasters, or the prosecution of Abdel Basset al-Megrahi and Lamen Khalifah Fhimah. The Aviation security subsection encompasses reports, conference materials, and legislation pertaining to aviation security, generally, as well as to Glenn Johnson's involvement with the Aviation Security Advisory Committee (ASAC), specifically.

Finally, the Writings series contains one item, a poem titled "Beth, see also Library Co-Worker Friend" written in memorial of Beth.

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Alternative Formats

Selected materials from this collection have been digitized. Please contact the archivist for further information on accessing the materials.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

Some materials in the Beth Ann Johnson Family Papers are restricted. Folders containing restricted material are noted in the inventory below. Please contact the archivist for further information regarding access to these materials.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from the Pan Am Flight 103 Archives and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Related Material

TruthQuest newsletters and other materials related to the Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, Inc. have been separated, and placed in the Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, Inc. Collection. Materials related to Families of Pan Am 103/Lockerbie have been separated, and placed in the Families of Pan Am 103/Lockerbie Collection.

The Pan Am Flight 103 Archives contains additional materials and information related to the Beth Ann Johnson Family Papers. Related collections include:

Alexia Foundation for World Peace and Cultural Understanding Collection

Thomas Joseph Ammerman Family Papers

Francis J. Duggan Collection

On Eagles' Wings Collection

Pan Am Flight 103 Publications Collection

Pan Am 103 Individuals Collection

Pan Am 103 Memorials Collection

Fredda Weiss Collection

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Selected Search Terms

Names

Johnson family.
Johnson, Beth Ann.
Syracuse University -- History.
Syracuse University.

Subjects

Pan Am Flight 103 Bombing Incident, 1988.
Terrorism -- Government Policy -- United States -- Case Studies.
Terrorism -- Government Policy -- United States -- History.
Terrorism -- Government Policy -- United States.
Terrorism -- History -- 20th Century.
Lockerbie (Scotland)

Types of material

Clippings files.
Diaries.
Pens (drawing and writing implements)
Scrapbooks.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Beth Ann Johnson Family Papers,
Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of Glenn and Carole Johnson between 2009, 2013, and 2024. Items in the Beth Ann Johnson Journals series were scanned while on loan from the Johnson family in 2013.

Processing Information

Materials were rehoused into acid free folders and boxes.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: Vanessa L. St.Oegger-Menn
Date: March 2015
Revision history: Jun 2016 - Inventory added (VSOM); April 2024 - Box 10 added, stylistic changes (SS)

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Arrangement

The Beth Ann Johnson Family Papers are arranged chronologically or alphabetically within respective series.

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Location of Originals

Items in the Beth Ann Johnson journals series were scanned while on loan from the Johnson family in 2013. Originals remain with donor.

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Inventory

Beth Ann Johnson journals
Items in this series were scanned while on loan from the Johnson family in 2013.
Box 1 Journal August 30, 1987-August 21, 1988
Box 1 Journal August 23, 1988-October 26, 1988
Box 1 "Beth's travels" August 24, 1988-November 25, 1988
Box 1 "The end" October 27, 1988-December 20, 1988
Box 1 Appointment diary 1988
Clippings
Box 1 General May 1989-February 2011
Clippings scrapbooks
Box 2 Introductory letter undated
Box 2 Vol. 1 December 22, 1988-March 1989
Box 2 Vol. 2 March 1989-August 1989
Box 3 Vol. 3 September 1989-January 1990
Box 3 Vol. 4 January 1990-March 1992
Box 4 Vol. 5 November 1990-March 1992
Box 4 Vol. 6 March 1992-December 1993
Box 5 Vol. 7 February 1994-November 1996
Box 5 Vol. 8 January 1997-December 1998
Box 5 Vol. 9 January 1999-October 2011
Correspondence
Box 6 Alexia Foundation for World Peace March 1990
Box 6 Ammerman, Bert July 1990
Box 6 Duggan, Frank January 2006
Box 6 Film projects: NBC; Rainy Day Pictures June 1989-August 1993
Box 6 HALT: An Organization of Americans for Legal Reform December 22, 1988, undated
Box 6 Kennedy, Edward M. November 1993
Kreindler and Kreindler
Box 6 Legal correspondence 1989-1995 (7 folders)
Box 7 Legal correspondence 1996-2005 (10 folders)
Box 7 Legal correspondence 2006
RESTRICTED: Please note some materials in this folder are restricted.
Box 7 Legal correspondence 2007-2008, undated (2 folders)
Box 7 Libyan Mission to the United States March 1998
Box 7 Lobel, Novins, Lamont, and Flug July 1990
Box 7 Mullenholz, and Brimske March-April 1990, undated
Box 7 Murtha, John P. January 1992
Box 7 Specter, Arlen December 1988, June-August 1991
Box 7 Syracuse University May 2006-October 2008
Box 7 Tamposi, Elizabeth M. January 1990
Subject files
Box 7 Accident to Air-India Boeing 747 Aircraft CT-EFO "Kanishka" February 1986
Aviation security
Box 7 Aviation Security Advisory Committee Baseline Working Group August 13, 1996
RESTRICTED: Please note some materials in this folder are restricted.
Aviation Security Improvement Act of 1990 commemorative pen
Box 10 Bill signing pen undated
Box 10 Clippings December 22-29, 1990
Box 10 Correspondence November 29, 1990-January 22, 1991
Box 8 Conferences 1996-1997
Box 8 General aviation security materials November 1992, August 1996, undated
Legislation
Box 8 Aviation Security Improvement Act of 1990 January 1990-August 1996
RESTRICTED: Please note some materials in this folder are restricted.
Box 8 Federal Aviation Reauthorization Act of 1996 October 9, 1996
Reports
Box 8 Airworthiness Assurance R&D Branch (Federal Aviation Administration) 1995, 1996, 1997
Box 8 Audit of airport security (Federal Aviation Administration) December 6, 1993
Box 8 Committee on foreign affairs March 1990
Box 8 Criminal acts against civil aviation (Federal Aviation Administration) 1995
Box 8 Security of mail and cargo in transportation by passenger carrying aircraft August 1992
Box 8 Terrorism and aviation security: a national priority undated
Box 8 Coleman, Lester April 1992-September 1997
Box 8 Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary/Police Scotland December 1988-December 1989, undated
Family Assistance Foundation (FAF)
Box 8 General September 2001-June 2010, undated
Box 8 General 2002
Box 8 Symposium - Atlanta, Georgia 2004
Box 8 Symposium - Las Vegas, Nevada 2005
Box 8 Gander crash November 1988-December 1989, undated
Box 8 Libya December 2003, June 2006
Box 8 Lockerbie Air Disaster Trust March 1991
Box 8 Memorials December 1989, March 1991, November 1995, undated
Box 9 Montreal Protocols/Warsaw Convention July 1990-August 1999
Box 9 Office for Victims of Crime January 2000-September 2002
Box 9 President's Commission on Aviation Security and Terrorism (PCAST) January 1990
Box 9 Reports - general February 1986, June-December 1989, April 1991
Box 9 Trial and release of Abdel Basset al-Megrahi November 2008, August 2009, undated
Box 9 TWA Flight 800 undated
Box 9 UK Families Flight 103 October 1991, October 2002
Box 9 Vivid Technologies, Incorporated April 1992-September 1996, undated
Writings
Box 9 "Beth, see also library co-worker friend" undated

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