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 Series

CENTRAL CORRESPONDENCE,, 1961-1972.

Dates

  • 1961-1972.

Scope and Contents

In 1965, HAW's office implemented a new correspondence filing structure, eliminating the categories of departmental, legislative, and general correspondence presented in series descriptions earlier in this Inventory. All such correspondence was consolidated in a single filing structure, though many of the specific topical headings formerly used were continued. Simply called "Correspondence" by HAW's office, the processing archivists applied the distinguishing term CENTRAL CORRESPONDENCE to this new structure. The series includes some correspondence from the early 1960s that was carried forward by HAW's staff into the new files. The series ends in early 1972 when HAW's office implemented another new filing structure. As with the earlier and later correspondence series, CENTRAL CORRESPONDENCE includes the carbon copy of HAW's outgoing correspondence attached to the original incoming letter. The bulk of the correspondence is from constituents, but also includes correspondence to and from other legislators and government officials. One letter from President Nixon concerning NJ disaster aid is in the series.

Domestic issues predominate in the series, including: civil rights, conservation efforts, educational initiatives, economic/commercial/trade matters, and health. These issues concern both national legislation and New Jersey developments. The observations of a New Jersey resident from a civil rights demonstration in Alabama, interracial relations in Asbury Park, conservation proposals for Ellis Island and the Delaware Water Gap, and housing programs in Newark, Camden, and other urban areas are among the specific New Jersey-related issues represented here. Extensive consumer protection correspondence, handled by HAW staff member Jean Jones, are found in this series. Correspondence from throughout the 1960s on various New Jersey highway projects is in the series. Correspondence regarding legislative initiatives associated with HAW, including minimum wage, interstate land sale fraud protection, health care for the elderly, and other matters are well-represented.

Vietnam emerges as a major subject in this series with the escalation of the war, reports of atrocities, campus unrest, calls for the suspension of bombing in North Vietnam, and other specific aspects of the war receiving constituent attention. The expression of support for the Viet Cong by two New Jersey university professors, Eugene Genovese of Rutgers and James Mellen of Drew, attracts substantial correspondence. The series also includes correspondence on political affairs, including material on the 1968 and 1972 Presidential elections and HAW's 1970 re-election campaign.

Language of Materials

From the Collection:

Undetermined .

Physical Description

(57.75 cubic feet)

Additional Description

Arrangement

CENTRAL CORRESPONDENCE consists of six sets of files. The first five sets progress in rough chronological order over the 1965-1972 period and retain the original order of alphabetical by subject. The final set consists of highway-related correspondence, which HAW's office had kept together across the years and had not shipped to the Federal Records Center with the other correspondence.

Containers 865 - 867 include those files with legal size documents that were separated from the rest of the sub-series.

Related Series

· In 1965, CENTRAL CORRESPONDENCE replaced DEPARTMENTAL CORRESPONDENCE, the General Correspondence sub-series of GENERAL, ADMINISTRATIVE, & PUBLIC RELATIONS CORRESPONDENCE, and the Legislative Correspondence by Subject sub-series of LEGISLATIVE/ISSUE CORRESPONDENCE. Earlier documents on topics found in CENTRAL CORRESPONDENCE will be found in those other correspondence files. In 1972, the use of CENTRAL CORRESPONDENCE ended and HAW's office returned to the earlier correspondence structure, though in somewhat different form. Some material from the CENTRAL CORRESPONDENCE years was carried forward into the new files.

· Much constituent correspondence on legislative issues, apparently answered by mechanical means ("robos"), was filed separately from CENTRAL CORRESPONDENCE. This correspondence is in the Robos, Gun Mail, and Cambodia Mail sub-series of LEGISLATIVE/ISSUE Correspondence.

Some correspondence expressing support or gratitude to HAW received during this period were filed separately as LAUDATORY CORRESPONDENCE.

Appraisal and Discard Information

Originally amounting to approximately 80 cubic feet, various categories of correspondence containing non-substantive matters were discarded. These included files of crank letters, condolences, high school internship applicants, requests, congratulations, and other, mostly administrative, matters. Files of "Multiples" (i.e., correspondence covering multiple topics in the same letter and therefore not categorized by HAW's staff) were generally discarded except for substantive material on topics not well-represented in the categorized material.

General

Index Terms

Given the extensive number of "Miscellaneous" folders, an effort was made to identify and index key themes. These terms were applied within the time constraints of processing and to folders that contain many specific topics. By no means do the index terms reflect the entire contents of a folder.

Repository Details

Staff Interface

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