-------------------------------------------------------------

**THIS VERSION PROVIDED FOR SEARCHING/INDEXING ONLY**
A more fully navigable version is available at
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/eadmss.ms003045
-------------------------------------------------------------

                            Henry Robinson Luce

            A Register of His Papers in the Library of Congress


                Prepared by C. L. Craig and David Mathisen
Revised and expanded by Nan Thompson Ernst with the assistance of Sherralyn
                   McCoy, John Monagle, and Susie Moody

                                    2000

                 Manuscript Division, Library of Congress

                              Washington, D.C.

       Contact information: http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/mss/address.html

                Finding aid encoded by Library of Congress
                         Manuscript Division, 2003

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Collection Summary

Title:    Papers of Henry Robinson Luce , 1917 - 1967 (bulk 1945 - 1967 )
ID No.:    MSS30767
Creator: Luce, Henry Robinson, 1898-1967
Extent:    35,000 items ; 108 containers plus 2 oversize ; 45 linear feet
Repository:    Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Abstract:    Editor, publisher, and philanthropist. Correspondence and
memoranda, speeches and writings, financial and property records, reports,
printed matter, newspaper clippings, and biographical data relating
primarily to Luce's publishing career and his involvement in political,
religious, civic, and private organizations.

Selected Search Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this
collection in the Library's online catalog. They are grouped by name of
person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and
listed alphabetically therein.

Names:

Luce, Henry Robinson, 1898-1967
Baldwin, Raymond E. (Raymond Earl), 1893-1986--Correspondence
Beaverbrook, Max Aitken, Baron, 1879-1964--Correspondence
Bowles, Chester, 1901- --Correspondence
Bracken, Brendan, 1901-1958--Correspondence
Buck, Pearl S. (Pearl Sydenstricker), 1892-1973--Correspondence
Bullitt, William C. (William Christian), 1891-1967--Correspondence
Dulles, John Foster, 1888-1959--Correspondence
Eisenhower, Dwight D. (Dwight David), 1890-1969--Correspondence
Johnson, Lyndon B. (Lyndon Baines), 1908-1973--Correspondence
Judd, Walter Henry, 1898- --Correspondence
Lodge, Henry Cabot, 1902- --Correspondence
Kissinger, Henry, 1923- --Correspondence
MacLeish, Archibald, 1892- --Correspondence
Menzies, Robert Gordon, Sir, 1894-1978--Correspondence
Rockefeller, Nelson A. (Nelson Aldrich), 1908-1979--Correspondence
Selznick, David O., 1902-1965--Correspondence
Skouras, Spyros Panagiotes, 1893-1971--Correspondence
Swope, Herbert Bayard, 1882-1958--Correspondence
Vandenberg, Arthur H. (Arthur Hendrick), 1884-1951--Correspondence
Wilder, Thornton, 1897-1975--Correspondence
Willkie, Wendell L. (Wendell Lewis), 1892-1944--Correspondence
China Institute in America
Council on Foreign Relations
Institute of Pacific Relations
National Presbyterian Church (Washington, D.C.)
National Urban League
Rockefeller Brothers Fund
United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia
United China Relief (U.S.)
United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Fifty Million Fund
United Service to China
Yale-in-China Association
Yale Law School

Subjects:

Christianity
Civil rights
Ecology
Education
Endowments
International law
Journalism
Presbyterian Church--Washington (D.C.)
Social history
Social problems
China--Cultural policy
China--Politics and government
China--Social conditions

Occupations:

Editors
Publishers
Philanthropists

Administrative Information

Provenance:

The papers of Henry Robinson Luce, editor, publisher, and philanthropist,
were given to the Library of Congress by his widow, Clare Boothe Luce, in
1971 and 1972. Additional papers were transferred from Yale University in
1980.

Processing History:

The papers of Henry Robinson Luce were arranged and described in 1974.
Additional material was processed in 1982. The collection was rehoused and
the finding aid revised in 2000.

Transfers:

Photographs have been transferred to the Prints and Photographs Division
and sound recordings have been transferred to the Motion Picture,
Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division, where they are identified as part
of these papers.

Copyright Status:

Copyright in the unpublished writings of Henry Robinson Luce in these
papers and other collections of papers in the custody of the Library of
Congress has been dedicated to the public.

Preferred Citation:

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following
information: Container number, Henry Robinson Luce Papers, Manuscript
Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

Biographical Note

 Date          Event

 1898 , Apr.   Born, Shantung Province, China, in Presbyterian mission
 3             house

 1908 - 1912   Attended Chefoo School, Chefoo [Yantai], China

 1912 - 1913   Attended St. Alban's School north of London, England

 1913 - 1916   Attended Hotchkiss School, Lakeville, Conn.

 1920          B.A., Yale University, New Haven, Conn.

 1920 - 1921   Student, Oxford University, Oxford, England

 1921 - 1922   Reporter, Chicago Daily News and Baltimore Sun

 1923          Cofounded Time with Briton Hadden
               Married Lila Holz (divorced 1935)

 1930          Founded Fortune

 1930 - 1938   Editor-in-chief, Time Publications

 1931          First "March of Time" radio program

 1935          First "March of Time" newsreel
               Married Clare Boothe Brokaw

 1936          Founded Life

 1938          Editorial director, Time, inc.

 1940          Organizer, United China Relief

 1944          Initiated Commission on Freedom of the Press

 1947          Awarded Order of Auspicious Star (China)

 1952          Founded House and Home

 1954          Founded Sports Illustrated

 1964          Retired from Time/Life

 1967 , Feb.
 28            Died, Phoenix, Ariz.

Scope and Content Note

The papers of Henry Robinson Luce (1898-1967) span the years 1917-1967 with
the bulk of the material dated 1945-1967. The collection is organized in
seven series: Special Correspondence, Business and Social Correspondence,
Subject File, Speeches and Writings File, Financial Papers, Miscellany, and
an Addition. Although the papers primarily document Luce's work with
organizations, they also reflect his other professional and personal
concerns as well. As head of the Time-Life-Fortune publishing empire,
Luce's concerns touched many aspects of political, social, and cultural
history in the United States during the mid-twentieth century. Luce
believed that America should serve as a democratic example in the world,
and his internationalist perspective is documented throughout the
collection, most particularly in files on China and international law.

With three exceptions -- deeds from Mepkin plantation in South Carolina
dated 1917, army records from 1920, and speeches from 1928 onward -- the
earliest date of papers is 1933 by which time Luce was already a successful
editor and publisher and was beginning to devote more of his time to
interests outside Time/Life. There is no material for the earlier years
when Luce was beginning his publishing endeavors. From 1933 to1967, there
are papers on Luce's households, finances, travels, and his advisory and
philanthropic activities, but the bulk of the collection dates after 1945
and relates to activities ancillary to his publishing concerns. Papers
relating to Time, inc., were retained by the corporation.

The Henry Luce Papers were received at the Library in approximately twenty
major sections, with subdivisions corresponding closely with the
administrative structure of Luce's office. Although the integrity of this
arrangement has been retained, the present organization of the seven series
is a simplification of the original order. A large portion originally
consisted of files from Luce's office assistants, or personal assistants,
in particular, Edward K. C. ("Kip") Finch, Russell Bourne, and Emmeline
Nollen. There is evidence, too, that Allen Grover and C. D. Jackson,
officials of Time/Life, were entrusted with Luce's personal and financial
affairs. From these people come numerous memoranda for Luce's attention,
drafts of correspondence, and responses to his requests for research on a
particular subject. Much of the Luce correspondence in the collection was
handled by one of his assistants. There is, however, correspondence
composed by Luce himself scattered throughout the collection. Notations in
pencil on memoranda or on incoming correspondence were Luce's method of
suggesting syntactic improvement or to relay the gist of his own thoughts
on a subject.

The Special Correspondence series consists of social notes and generally
brief correspondence with enclosures from well-known figures of the century
seeking favors or an exchange of ideas. Some of these letters are social
notes; others relate to organizations or briefly discuss political issues.
A note from President Dwight D. Eisenhower, for example, states that he
would like to discuss a specific matter with Luce, but there is no record
of the actual discussion. The series also includes substantive
correspondence, both personal and business, from individuals such as
Raymond E. Baldwin, Baron Max Aitken Beaverbrook, Chester Bowles, Brendan
Bracken, Pearl S. Buck, William C. Bullitt, John Foster Dulles, Dwight D.
Eisenhower, Lyndon B. Johnson, Walter Judd, Henry Cabot Lodge (1902- ),
Henry Kissinger, Archibald MacLeish, Robert G. Menzies, Nelson Rockefeller,
David O. Selznick, Spyros P. Skouros, Herbert Bayard Swope, Arthur H.
Vandenberg, Thornton Wilder, and Wendell L. Willkie. Copies of Luce's
replies are usually absent.

The Business and Social Correspondence series includes invitations and
requests to sponsor or serve on committees; attend conferences, dinners,
and luncheons; appear on radio and televison; write letters of
recommendation or articles; schedule appointments; and contribute money.
Articles, books, and other gifts sent to Luce are documented through his
thank-you notes.

The Subject File is the largest series in the collection. Focusing on
Luce's involvement with national and international organizations as
director, trustee, sponsor, patron, chairman, committee member, donor, or
contributor, it documents the degree to which Luce participated in the life
of a particular organization. By far the largest areas of interest for Luce
relate to Chinese cultural, social, and political history, Christianity and
philanthropy in the United States, and international law. Papers on the
latter are confined to the Subject File, with cross-references to the
Speeches and Writings. The papers pertaining to China are also primarily
located in the Subject File. These extensive files range from Luce's
support for Christian missionary work and educational institutions to war
relief campaigns as the Chinese fought to expel Japanese forces during
World War II and later as Nationalist forces battled the Communists for
control of the country. Additional material located in the Business and
Social Correspondence series is filed with miscellaneous correspondence in
reference to China. China is also the subject of many speeches in the
Speeches and Writings File. Files on Christianity and philanthropy are
found in the Subject File under the names of organizations, such as those
related to Presbyterians.

Luce's other interests evident in the Subject File include innovative
approaches to education discussed in files for Kirkland College, Pro Deo,
and Yale Luce Professorship. The Institute for Pacific Relations and
Rockefeller Brothers Fund files concern world politics. Ecology is a
subject of the Mepkin Plantation papers, Valley Beautiful Citizens Council,
and Strip Mining Research files. Civil rights for minorities are
represented in the National Urban League material.

The Speeches and Writings File includes speeches dated 1928-1967. Luce's
principal subjects are China, religion, philosophy, and international law.
Since some of the speeches are handwritten or have first and second drafts,
Luce's thoughts and ideology emerge from the texts. Also included in this
series is a book manuscript written in 1966 in which Luce recalls three
decades of American history and the men of political and economic power
whom he knew and consulted. The manuscript complements an earlier
publication, "The American Century," which, though not included among the
writings in this series, is the subject of correspondence constituting the
Addition. Portions of the unpublished book were incorporated into The Ideas
of Henry Luce edited by John K. Jessup and published in 1969. A brief
diary, ca.1940-1947, details a meeting with Franklin D. Roosevelt;
handwritten notes and fragments from this period are of a philosophical
nature.

The Financial Papers series includes financial and property records. The
Miscellany series includes biographical material, honorary degrees, awards,
citations, and files concerning the management of household, office, and
personal affairs such as gifts and travel.

Related Material

The papers of Clare Boothe Luce, also in the Manuscript Division, include
Luce family papers and other material relating to the life and career of
her husband, Henry Robinson Luce.

Organization of the Papers

The collection is arranged in eight series:

   * Special Correspondence, 1935-1967, n.d.
   * Business and Social Correspondence, 1933-1967
   * Subject File, 1933-1967
   * Speeches and Writings File, 1928-1967, n.d.
   * Financial Papers, 1917-1967
   * Miscellany, 1920-1967
   * Addition, 1941, n.d.
   * Oversize, 1945-1960

November 7, 2003