Spencer Brodney papers

Dates

ca. 1917-1972

Scope and Contents

Chiefly correspondence (1923-1943) relating to publication of the periodicals Events and Current History, for which Brodney was an editor; editorial records (ca. 1923-1939) of articles, stories, and poems (arranged alphabetically by author), published in Forum, a periodical published in Philadelphia, Pa., which merged into Current History (later Current History and Forum) in 1940; correspondence with American historians regarding the foreign policy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration, correspondence with John O. Downey of General Motors Corporation, and pamphlet by Downey entitled American Foreign Policy (1941); material relating to a paper by Arthur E. Bestor, Jr., entitled Anti-intellectualism in the Schools: A Challenge to Scholars (1952); correspondence with Frank Friedel, periodical articles, and the like, concerning Freidel's books Francis Lieber: Nineteenth-Century Liberal (1948) and Franklin D. Roosevelt: The Apprenticeship (1951); correspondence with Charles E. Stuart relating to an article by Stuart on Russia (1942); scattered issues of the periodical Times Talk; papers (1929-1966) relating to Free Acres Association, with which Brodney was associated; miscellaneous recollection of Free Acres (1970); and personal correspondence. Correspondents include Leonard Drew (who preceded Brodney as editor of Current History), Fred A. Shannon, Preston Slosson, and Wilbur White.

Extent

20 boxes

Physical Location

These materials are currently housed off-site. When requesting to see this collection, please note that it may take up to a week to retrieve the materials.

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement

Box Contents

1 Events correspondence file, 1937-1940: A-E

Persons represented by separate folders: Charles A. Beard, Edwin M. Borchard, Phillips Bradley, Alzada Comstock, Shelby Cullom Davis and H.A. De Weerd.

2 Records of Events magazine, 1937-1940, including correspondence, memoranda, financial statements, drafts of articles, etc.: F-I

Persons represented by separate folders: Harold U. Faulkner, Sidney B. Fay, D.F. Fleming, Wilson Gee, Leo Gershoy, A. Whitney Griswold, Herbert Heaton and Harry N. Howard.

3 Events correspondence file, 1937-1940: J-Mc

Persons represented by separate folders: H.P. Jordan, William E. and Anna Lane Lingelbach and John I.B. McCulloch.

4 Events correspondence file, 1937-1940: M-R

Persons represented by separate folders: William T. Morgan and Harry Banta Murkland.

5 Records of Events magazine, 1936-1940, including correspondence, memoranda, financial statements, drafts of articles, etc.: S-Z; Events magazine miscellaneous items

Persons represented by separate folders: J. Salwyn "Jack" Schapiro, Frederick L. Schuman, Henry H. Sedell, G. Nye Steiger and Wilbur W. White.

6 Papers relating to Current History magazine, including editorial memoranda and miscellaneous items, 1923-1937 and 1941-1946

7 Correspondence relating to Current History magazine, 1923-1937 and 1941-1946

8 Miscellaneous papers relating to his association with the New York Times including: correspondence, accounts, clippings, printed items, etc., 1928-1936

9 Papers: Free Acres Association; miscellaneous correspondence; papers and materials (including correspondence) regarding Franklin Roosevelt foreign policy and also Frank Freidel's biography of Franklin Roosevelt

10 [narrow] Correspondence, etc., mostly involving his position as editor of Current History and Events magazines, 1925-1949 and 1967; eleven issues of Times Talk, October 1968 to September 1969

11 [narrow] Papers: correspondence, mostly letters received as editor of Current History and Events magazines, 1932-1943; papers relating to company advertising, editorial policy and financial matters, 1934-1943; correspondence of Leonard Drew [preceding editor of Current History], 1931-1933

12 [narrow] Correspondence, etc., mostly involving his position as editor of Current History and Events magazines, 1937-1955; correspondence with J.O. Downey of the General Motors Corporation and a 1941 Downey pamphlet entitled "American Foreign Policy"; materials relating to a paper given by Professor Arthur E. Bestor, Jr., entitled "Ant- Intellectualism in the Schools: A Challenge for Scholars," 1952; correspondence with Professor Frank Freidel, including periodical articles, etc., concerning Freidel's books Francis Lieber: Nineteenth-century Liberal and Franklin D. Roosevelt: The Apprenticeship, 1952-1955; correspondence with Charles E. Stuart relating to Stuart's article on Russia, 1942; two issues of Times Talk, October-November 1969

13 [narrow] Papers: correspondence as editor of Events and Current History magazines with Professors Fred A. Shannon, Preston Slosson and Wilbur White, 1937-1941; printed matter relating to the Free Acres Association [constitution, by-laws, budgets, clippings, etc.], 1933-1966; issue of Times Talk, December 1969; pamphlet marking the 100th anniversary of the Robinson Clay Product Company, 1956

14 [narrow] Papers: correspondence as editor of Current History and Events magazines, 1921-1948 and undated; Times Talk, December 1962-April 1963 and January-August 1971; Tiny Times, June 1935; Little Times, August 1, 1924; and miscellany, 1925-1941 and undated

15 [envelope] Papers: correspondence with John O. Downey, 1939-1940; miscellaneous recollections of Free Acres, 1970; copy of Mother Earth, published and edited by Emma Goldman, February 1917; Times Talk, June 1956 and January-November 1970

16 [envelope] Papers: record of payments to the contributors of Events magazine, 1937-1938; miscellaneous papers, 1929 and undated; Times Talk, September-October 1971

17 [narrow] Papers: correspondence, etc., as editor of Events and Current History magazines, 1936-1942; issues of Times Talk, May 1962, November-December 1971 and March-August 1972

18 [custom] Forum editorial card file, circa 1923-circa 1939: A-F

19 [custom] Forum editorial card file, circa 1923-circa 1939: G-N

20 [custom] Forum editorial card file, circa 1923-circa 1939: O-Y and unfiled cards