Overview of the Collection |
|
| Creator: | Safire, William, 1929- |
| Title: | William Safire Papers |
| Inclusive Dates: | 1984-2006 |
| Quantity: | 27 linear ft. |
| Abstract: | Spanning 1984 to 1999, the William Safire Papers comprises research files, notes, incoming correspondence and book manuscripts of the American author and journalist (b. 1929). Reflecting his interest in both politics and lexicography, the collection documents Safire's dual career as political and language columnist for the New York Times. |
| Language: | English |
| Repository: |
Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Library 222 Waverly Avenue Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 http://scrc.syr.edu |
[from http://provost.syr.edu/lectures/safirebio.asp] William Safire is a journalist, speechwriter, historian, novelist, lexicographer. He worked on the first Eisenhower Presidential campaign and later became a senior speechwriter in the Nixon White House. He is author of Safire’s New Political Dictionary, a half-million-word study of the words that have inspired and inflamed the electorate. As an historical novelist, he wrote Freedom about the Civil War, and his latest novel is Scandalmonger about the origins of America’s press freedom. His anthology of the world’s greatest speeches, Lend Me Your Ears, has become a classic. As a political columnist, he began his twice-weekly column thirty years ago in The New York Times, writing from the point of view of a libertarian conservative. He is a winner of the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished commentary, and is now a member of the Pulitzer Board.
Arranged by topic, the Correspondence-Subject Files (Boxes 1-8) contains any combination of incoming correspondence, printed material, and research notes relating to domestic political issues as well as foreign affairs. Subjects include U.S. Presidential candidates (Robert Dole, Pete DuPont, Alan Keyes; Ross Perot); national security advisors (Richard V. Allen, John Poindexter, Brent Scowcroft ); U.S. legislators (John Dingell, Newt Gingrich, Orrin Hatch, Sam Nunn, Charles Robb, Arlen Specter, Jim Wright); American Secretaries of State (James Baker, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Henry Kissinger, George P. Schultz); and other cabinet members (Bruce Babbitt, Alexander M. Haig, Bert Lance, Richard Thornburgh). Domestic political issues encompass affirmative action, the environment, drug testing, franking privileges, gambling, health care, the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), and taxation of oil imports. Foreign affairs topics include geographical divisions (Angola, the Baltic States, Eastern Europe, Iraq, Israel, Turkey); weapons development and control (Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), arms control verification, biological weapons, (Mutual and Balanced Force Reduction [MBFR]), nuclear arms (Star Wars, Stealth Program); secret services activities (C.I.A., espionage, KGB, Mossad); and American foreign policy during and after the Cold War (American Committee on U.S.-Soviet Relations, Disunion (USSR), Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Spring 1990 Summit, World Economic Forum). In addition, Safire's membership on the Board of Trustees for the Pulitzer Prize is documented by an assortment of bound journalism and letters entries, as well as administrators' and jury reports, for 1996 through 1998 (Box 6, Oversize boxes 1-3).
Research notes, incoming correspondence, manuscripts, and production records constitute the bulk of Writings (Boxes 9-25). With the exception of the material that pertains to Lend Me Your Ears, the arrangement of all correspondence and research notes relating to Safire's books (Coming To Terms, Fumblerules, In Love With Norma Loquendi, Language Maven Strikes Again, Quoth the Maven, Safire's New Political Dictionary, Spread the Word, You Could Look It Up) corresponds to the order of the published chapters. Two speeches, "If I Could Interview Lincoln" and "Lincoln's Pundits," are also included in Writings.
CLOSED: The William Safire Papers are currently being processed and are closed to researchers. We estimate the collection will reopen in January 2013.
Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
William Safire Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Library
Gift of William Safire, 1998, 1999
Created by: PRB/KM
Date: Jun 1998
Revision history: Mar 2000 - unspecified revisions (-);
8 Aug 2005 - EAD file created (MRR);
3 Dec 2008 - additions of misc. corr. (MRC)
| RESTRICTED: CLOSED: The William Safire Papers are currently being processed and are closed to researchers. We estimate the collection will reopen in January 2013. | |||||||||||
