Scope and Content Note
The papers of Raymond Clapper (1892-1944) span the years 1908-1962, with the bulk from 1913 to 1944. The collection consists of diaries, letters, memoranda, biographical material, speeches and writings, printed matter, radio scripts, notes, and research and reference material relating primarily to Clapper's career as a journalist. The papers are organized in six series: Personal File ; Correspondence ; Biographical File ; Article, Book, and Speech File ; Miscellany ; and Reference File . The largest portion is comprised of reference material focusing on the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the New Deal, and World War II.
Important in the collection is material relating to Clapper's book, Racketeering in Washington , an account of graft in governmental departments and agencies, and correspondence between Clapper and H. L. Mencken, editor of the American Mercury , in relation to an article by Clapper on prohibition in Washington, D. C., entitled "Happy Days," published in the American Mercury in January 1927.
Prominent topics in the Reference File include political elections between World War I and World War II, journalism during the interwar period, censorship, presidential administrations from Warren G. Harding through Franklin D. Roosevelt, neutrality and foreign relations with Japan and Germany, the Supreme Court, labor, and the New Deal.
Correspondents include Edward W. Barrett, Arthur Capper. George A. Carlin, Herbert David Croly, Charles H. Getts, Roy Wilson Howard, Alfred M. Landon, H. L. Mencken, William Allen White, and Wendell L. Willkie.
Dates
- Creation: 1908-1962
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1913-1944
Language of Materials
Collection material in English
Access and Restrictions
The papers of Raymond Clapper are open to research. Researchers are advised to contact the Manuscript Reading Room prior to visiting. Many collections are stored off-site and advance notice is needed to retrieve these items for research use.
Copyright Status
The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of Raymond Clapper is governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.).
Biographical Note
Biographical Note
- 1892, May 30
- Born, La Cygne, Kans.
- 1913
- Married Olive Vincent Ewing (died 1968)
- 1913 - 1916
- Attended University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kans.
- 1916
- Joined staff of Kansas City Star
- 1923 - 1928
- Night manager and chief political writer, Washington, D.C., bureau, United Press
- 1929 - 1934
- Chief, Washington, D.C., bureau, United Press
- 1930
- Reported on London naval conference, London, England
- 1933
- Published Racketeering in Washington . Boston: L. C. Page & Co.
- 1934 - 1936
- Chief, Washington, D.C. bureau, Washington Post
- 1936
- Newspaper column, “Between You and Me,” syndicated by Scripps-Howard
- 1939
- President, Gridiron Club, Washington, D.C.
- 1942
- Began hosting radio program, Mutual Broadcasting System
- 1944, circa Jan. 29
- Killed in airplane crash over the Marshall Islands while war correspondent in the Pacific
Extent
75,000 items
249 containers
7 oversize
116 linear feet
Abstract
Journalist. Correspondence, memoranda, diaries and writings, notebooks, dispatches, press releases, radio scripts, reports, printed matter, scrapbooks, promotional matter, photographs, and reference material chiefly pertaining to the New Deal and World War II.
Organization of the Papers
The collection is arranged in six series:
Additional Guides
The papers of Raymond Clapper were described in the Library of Congress Quarterly Journal of Current Acquisitions 6 (May 1949): 87.
Catalog Record
Acquisition Information
The papers of Raymond Clapper, journalist, were given to the Library of Congress by his wife, Olive Clapper, in 1947, 1959, and 1961-1962.
Processing History
The Clapper Papers were processed in 1961. The finding aid was expanded and revised in 1983, and revised again in 2009.
Source
- Clapper, Raymond, 1892-1944 (Creator, Person)
Subject
- Barrett, Edward W. (Edward Ware), 1910-1989--Correspondence. (Person)
- Capper, Arthur, 1865-1951--Correspondence. (Person)
- Carlin, George A.--Correspondence. (Person)
- Clapper family. (Family)
- Clapper, Raymond, 1892-1944 Racketeering in Washington (1933) (Person)
- Clapper, Raymond, 1892-1944. (Person)
- Croly, Herbert David, 1869-1930--Correspondence. (Person)
- Getts, Charles H.--Correspondence. (Person)
- Harding, Warren G. (Warren Gamaliel), 1865-1923. (Person)
- Hoover, Herbert, 1874-1964. (Person)
- Howard, Roy Wilson, 1883-1964--Correspondence. (Person)
- Landon, Alfred M. (Alfred Mossman), 1887-1987--Correspondence. (Person)
- Landon, Alfred M. (Alfred Mossman), 1887-1987. (Person)
- Mencken, H. L. (Henry Louis), 1880-1956--Correspondence. (Person)
- Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945. (Person)
- White, William Allen, 1868-1944--Correspondence. (Person)
- Willkie, Wendell L. (Wendell Lewis), 1892-1944--Correspondence. (Person)
- Willkie, Wendell L. (Wendell Lewis), 1892-1944. (Person)
- Gridiron Club (Washington, D.C.) (Organization)
- Tennessee Valley Authority. (Organization)
- United States. National Recovery Administration. (Organization)
- United States. Supreme Court. (Organization)
- Title
- Raymond Clapper Papers
- Subtitle
- A Finding Aid to the Collection in the Library of Congress
- Author
- Prepared by Manuscript Division Staff
- Date
- 2009
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Part of the Manuscript Division Repository
Manuscript Reading Room
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James Madison Building, LM 101
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