PRESS CLIPPINGS, 1944-2005

Summary: Newspapers: Photocopies of newspaper clippings primarily documenting Byrne's career as prosecutor, governor and private practice lawyer. Key events represented by the clippings include, but are not limited to, the "Tony Boy" Boiardo case (November-December 1960), Essex County's drunk driver filming program (December 1964), the Newark riot trials (July, September-October 1967), nullification of New Jersey's death penalty (October 1971), Byrne's election victories and inaugurals, and the dedication of Brendan T. Byrne State Forest (July 2002). Scattered among the clippings are simple notes of transmittal for specific clippings. Featured publications include the New York Times, Newark Evening News, Newark Star-Ledger, Trenton Times, and The Trentonian.

Scattered throughout the series are clippings not related directly to Byrne, but focus on topics such as the deaths of Clifford Case (March 1982), Maria Jeritza (July 1982) and Joseph Merlino (October 1998). Also represented are the accomplishments of Byrne's family members, including features on Francis A. Byrne (November 1970), Brendan T. Byrne Jr. (December 18, 1994 and January 18, 1995), and Barbara Byrne (March 5, 1995).

Clippings at the end of this series are grouped by topic, as originally found, and arranged chronologically by topic/event date. Topics include Byrne's term in 1955 as a prosecutor in Passaic County (formerly bound scrapbook), Byrne's appointment as Essex County Prosecutor in 1959 (formerly bound scrapbook), the Newark corruption cases focusing on the Addonizio administration in 1968-1969, the 1977 election, Byrne's second inaugural (1978), Byrne's 1978 trip to Asia, the opening of the first Atlantic City Casino (1978), and the 1979 Papal visit.

One scrapbook, originally created as part of an elementary school project, chronicles both the gubernatorial campaign and the East Orange mayoral campaign of 1973. In addition to news clippings, the scrapbook, which remains bound, also contains trace amounts of campaign literature and campaign buttons.

Magazines: Magazine and newsletter articles chiefly documenting Byrne's public service career, especially his tenures as prosecutor and governor. The articles were prompted by various events, most prominently the gubernatorial campaigns of 1973 and 1977 and Byrne's exit from office. The articles exist both in clipped form (some photocopied for preservation concerns) and in the original context of full magazine issues, with the level of focus on Byrne ranging in scale from entire articles to brief mentions and image captions. Featured publications range from organizational newsletters, such as the New Jersey Republican and the New Jersey Food Council Express Line to regional magazines such as New Jersey Business and New Jersey Monthly, to national publications such as Newsweek. Also featured are several Princeton University alumni publications.

Key articles and interviews include "The Candidates" (New Jersey Business, October 1973), "NJB Interviews: Governor Brendan T. Byrne," by James T. Prior (New Jersey Business, March 1975), "The Tragicomedy of Brendan Byrne," by Robert Sam Anson (New Jersey Monthly, April 1977), "NJB Interviews: Governor Brendan T. Byrne," by James T. Prior (New Jersey Business, March 1978), "A Visit with New Jersey's 'Born-Again' Governor," by William McCleery (Princeton Alumni Weekly, June 26, 1978), "Governor Brendan Byrne of New Jersey Talks to Linda Pentz" (Tennis Week, December 10, 1981: removed to oversize), "Was Brendan Byrne Too Good for New Jersey?" by Dale Mezzacappa (Today: The Inquirer Magazine, January 17, 1982), "Brendan Byrne on Brendan Byrne," by Jeffrey Kanige (New Jersey Reporter, June 1988), and "To Life a Nation's Spirit," featuring photographs by Brendan Byrne (Newsweek, July 23, 1979). Also notable is "New Jersey Proudly Presents Meadowlands Brendan Byrne Arena" (New York Times, Advertising Supplement, 1981), inscribed by Jimmy Carter.

Among the magazines are issues of two parody pieces, The Bee-Feeder's Gazette (February 11, 1960 and October 31, 1981) and The Post Mortem (May 9, 1973 and May 10, 1978).