http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/eadmss.ms006002 Martin Agronsky Papers A Finding Aid to the Collection in the Library of Congress Prepared by Donna Ellis with the assistance of Dan Oleksiw Manuscript Division, Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
2002

Catalog Record: http://lccn.loc.gov/mm2001084841

Finding aid encoded by Library of Congress Manuscript Division, 2005 Finding aid written in English. 2010 April Title, controlaccess updated Collection Summary Martin Agronsky Papers1907-1999 (bulk 1940-1990) MSS84841 Agronsky, Martin, 1915-1999 27,700 items 79 containers 31.6 linear feet Collection material in English Manuscript Division Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
Radio and television journalist. Appointment books, awards, radio, television, and film scripts, speeches, writings, and research material pertaining to Agronsky's career as a radio and television journalist. 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.

 People Agronsky, Martin. Eichmann, Adolf, 1906-1962--Trials, litigation, etc. Subjects Cold War. Economics. Foreign correspondents--Asia. Foreign correspondents--Australia. Foreign correspondents--Europe. Politics, Practical. Trials--Israel. World War, 1939-1945--Journalists. Occupations Journalists. Administrative Information Provenance

The papers of Martin Agronsky, radio and television journalist, were given to the Library of Congress by his estate in 2001. Additional material was given in 2003 by David Agronsky.

 Transfers

Sound recordings, videocassettes, and a film have been transferred to the Motion Picture, Broadcasting, and Recorded Sound Division where they are identified as part of the Martin Agronsky Papers.

 Copyright Status

Copyright in the unpublished writings of Martin Agronsky in these papers and in other collections in the custody of the Library of Congress is reserved. Consult a reference librarian in the Manuscript Division for further information.

 Access and Restrictions

The papers of Martin Agronsky 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.

 Preferred Citation

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

Biographical Note Date Event 1915, Jan. 12 Born, Philadelphia, Pa. 1936 B.A., Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J. 1936-1937 Reporter, Palestine Post 1937-1940 Freelance newspaper reporter 1940-1943 Foreign correspondent, National Broadcasting Co. 1943 Married Helen Smathers (died 1969) 1943-1957 Correspondent, American Broadcasting Co., Washington, D.C. 1952 Awarded George Foster Peabody Award 1957-1964 Correspondent, National Broadcasting Co. 1961 Awarded Alfred I. DuPont Award 1964-1968 Bureau chief, Paris, France, and moderator of “Face the Nation,” Columbia Broadcasting System 1968 Received Emmy Award 1969 News anchor, WTOP-TV, Washington, D.C. 1969-1987 Host, “Agronsky and Company,” WETA-TV, Washington, D.C. 1971-1975 Host, “Martin Agronsky's Evening Edition” and “Agronsky at Large,” Public Broadcasting System 1999, July 25 Died, Washington, D.C. Scope and Content Note

The papers of Martin Agronsky (1915-1999) span the years 1907-1999, with the bulk of the material dating from 1940 to 1990. The papers are organized in the following series: Correspondence, Speeches and Writings File, and a Miscellany consisting primarily of appointment books, awards, biographical material, and items related to organizations with which Agronsky was associated.

The Correspondence series contains primarily letters written by colleagues and the public to Agronsky in response to his newscasts. Incoming and outgoing letters and telegrams document communications between Agronsky and his network supervisors regarding news assignments.

The Speeches and Writings File, especially the scripts of Agronsky's newscasts, forms the centerpiece of the papers. The material dates from his career as a foreign correspondent in Europe, Australia, and Asia during World War II and continues through the Cold War years. His coverage of the Adolf Eichmann trial in Israel won him the Alfred I. DuPont Award in 1962. Other scripts include his work on documentary films. The speech file contains correspondence, notes, and texts pertaining to his lectures on political and economic subjects. Research material includes news clippings, notes, and printed matter relating to the subjects on which Agronsky frequently lectured.

 Organization of the Papers

The collection is arranged in three series:

Correspondence, 1907-1991 Speeches and Writings File, 1939-1996 Miscellany, 1933-1999 http://lccn.loc.gov/mm2001084841 Container List Box Contents 1-12 Correspondence, 1907-1991

Correspondence and memoranda between Agronsky and his friends, colleagues, and the public relating to professional activities.

Arranged chronologically.

 1 1907, 1939-1942 (7 folders) 1943 Jan.-Apr. (3 folders) 2 June-Dec. 1944 (5 folders) 1945 Jan.-Apr. (2 folders) 3 May-Sept. (7 folders) 4 Oct.-Dec. (4 folders) 1946-1947 (5 folders) 5 1948-1949 (5 folders) 1950 Jan.-Apr. (2 folders) 6 May-Dec. (3 folders) 1951 (2 folders) 1952 Jan.-Mar. 7 Apr.-Dec. (2 folders) 1953 (7 folders) 8 1954 Jan.-May (7 folders) 9 June-Dec. (7 folders) 1955 Jan.-Mar. (2 folders) 10 Apr.-Dec. (7 folders) 1956-1971 (3 folders) 11 1972-1981 (9 folders) 12 1982-1991, undated (9 folders) 13-74 Speeches and Writings File, 1939-1996

Broadcast and film scripts, magazine articles, research material, and speeches.

Arranged alphabetically by type of material and therein chronologically.

 13 Broadcast scripts American Broadcasting Co. “At Issue” Correspondence and financial records, 1953-1954, undated Interviews, 1953-1954 (3 folders) Prospective topics, 1951-1954, undated Daily news 1943 (3 folders) 14 circa 1943 (9 folders) 15 (3 folders) 1944 Jan.-May (8 folders) 16 June-Sept. (9 folders) 17 Oct.-Dec. (5 folders) 1945 Jan.-Feb. (3 folders) 18 Mar.-Aug. (6 folders) 19 Sept.-Dec. (6 folders) 1946 Jan.-Feb. (3 folders) 20 Mar.-Aug. (8 folders) 21 Sept.-Dec. (4 folders) 1947 Jan.-Feb. (4 folders) 22 Mar.-June (7 folders) 23 July-Nov. (8 folders) 24 Dec. (3 folders) 1948 Jan.-Mar. (6 folders) 25 Apr.-Sept. (9 folders) 26 Oct.-Dec. (6 folders) 1949 Jan.-Feb. (3 folders) 27 Mar.-June (8 folders) 28 July-Oct. (7 folders) 29 Nov.-Dec. (4 folders) 1950 Jan. (2 folders) 30 Feb.-May (8 folders) 31 June-Sept. (7 folders) Oct. 2-14 32 16-31 Nov.-Dec. (4 folders) 1951 Jan.-Feb. (4 folders) 33 Mar.-June (8 folders) 34 July-Oct. (7 folders) 35 Nov.-Dec. (4 folders) 1952 Jan.-Feb. (4 folders) 36 Mar.-May (6 folders) 37 June-Nov. (9 folders) 38 Dec. (2 folders) 1953 Jan.-May (9 folders) 39 June-Dec. (8 folders) 1954 Jan. 40 Feb.-July (9 folders) 41 Aug.-Dec. (7 folders) 1955 Jan.-Feb. (3 folders) 42 Mar.-Aug. (11 folders) 43 Sept.-Nov. (8 folders) 44 Dec. (3 folders) 1956 Jan. (3 folders) Feb. 1-14 45 16-29 Mar.-Apr. (6 folders) 46 May-June (6 folders) July 2-21 (2 folders) 47 23-31 Aug.-Nov. (7 folders) 48 Dec. (4 folders) 1957 Jan.-May (6 folders) 49 Program sponsors Cancellations, 1946-1956 (7 folders) Correspondence, 1950-1955 Expenses, 1943-1953 Lists, 1945-1954, undated (3 folders) 50 Miscellany, 1947-1955, undated Radio station affiliates, 1950-1955 Sales, 1946-1956 (6 folders) Sponsor identifications, 1953-1955 (2 folders) 51 National Broadcasting Co. Daily news 1939-1940 (4 folders) 1941 Jan.-July (6 folders) 52 Aug.-Oct. (3 folders) 1942 (6 folders) 53 1957-1968 (7 folders) “Emphasis,” 1960-1964, undated “Look Here” Correspondence, 1957-1958, 1996, undated Interviews 1957 (2 folders) 54 1958, undated (3 folders) “The Trial of Adolf Eichmann” Production material, 1961 Scripts, 1961 Unidentified scripts, undated Miscellany Films American Workmanship, 1976 And One to Grow On, 1979-1980, undated Coal slurry pipeline, 1980 Communications Workers of America, 1982, undated CSX-Richmond Corp., 1984 55 First Monday in October, 1980 Hadassah Medical Organization, 1985 It's Child's Play, 1961 A Matter of Commitment, 1983 The National Financial Planning Quiz, 1981 Nazareth to Bethlehem travelog, 1961 Magazine articles “I Will Be Back,” undated Life project on Iran, 1947, undated “Iran--Urgent,” undated Miscellaneous, 1943-1952, undated “The Partition of Palestine,” 1937 “The Public and the Act,” 1970 “The Voice of the Supreme Court,” 1955-1956 Radio and television guest appearances, 1968, 1979-1988 56 Research material Abortion, 1964, 1974, undated American Jewish Congress, 1963-1964 (2 folders) Atomic energy, 1947-1950, undated Automotive advertising, 1956 Battery additive material, 1949-1953, undated Bernstein, Leonard, 1976 Bomb shelters, 1961, undated Burch, Dean, 1964, undated Burrows, Abe, undated 57 Carter, Jimmy, 1977, undated Censorship, 1952 Central America, 1985 Central Intelligence Agency, 1965-1966, 1974-1977, 1985, undated Civil liberties, 1949-1955, undated (2 folders) 58 Communism, 1948-1955, 1963, 1973, undated Condon, Edward U., 1948-1949, undated Crossfield, Scott, 1955-1958, undated (2 folders) Cuban missile crisis, 1963, undated Democratic Party, 1944, 1952, 1981 Disarmament, 1983-1986, undated Dulles, John Foster, 1952-1957, undated Eastern Europe, 1940-1942, undated 59 Economics, 1952-1955, 1977-1978, undated Education, 1952-1954, 1963, undated Eichmann, Adolf, trial of Court documents, 1961 (5 folders) 60 (2 folders) Fact sheets and news releases, 1960-1961, undated (2 folders) Memoranda and notes, 1960-1961, undated (3 folders) 61 Printed matter, 1947-1961, undated (6 folders) Elections 1948 62 1950-1964, 1980-1988, undated (7 folders) Fast, Howard, 1957, undated Finance 1945-1954 (3 folders) 63 1957, 1969, undated Foreign policy, 1950-1955, 1963-1967, 1978, 1984-1986, undated Fulbright, J. William, 1959-1965, undated Germany, 1949-1954, 1961-1964, undated Goldwater, Barry, 1964, undated Humphrey, Hubert H., 1963-1968, undated (4 folders) International languages, 1951-1954, undated 64 Israel, 1958-1988, undated (5 folders) Kennedy, John F., assassination investigation, 1970 King, Martin Luther, Jr., 1956-1957, undated Labor organizations, 1952-1964, 1977, undated Lattimore, Owen, 1953-1954, undated 65 League of Nations, 1937, 1974 Leopold, Nathan F., 1957, undated McCarthy, Joseph R., 1954, 1962, undated Miscellaneous Notes, undated (4 folders) Printed matter 1948-1955 (3 folders) 66 1956-1980, 1986, undated (3 folders) National Endowment for the Arts, 1976, undated Nicaragua, 1985 Nuclear weapons, 1946-1955, 1964, 1978, undated Pearson, Lester Bowles, 1954-1961, undated Perkins, Anthony, 1958, undated 67 Post World War II economy, 1949-1954, undated Public broadcasting, 1954, 1973, undated Racial discrimination, 1954, 1963-1968, undated Rayburn, Sam, 1961, undated Republic of the Congo, 1961-1962 Scientists and national security, 1948-1954, undated Southeast Asia, 1950-1953, 1961-1971, undated (3 folders) Stanley, Kim, undated 68 Stevenson, Adlai E. (1900-1965), 1952, undated Summit meetings, 1960, 1986, undated (2 folders) Taft, Robert A. (1889-1953), undated Tennessee Valley Authority, 1954 USSR, 1953, 1961-1964, 1979-1980, undated U.S. Senate, 1952, 1964-1966, undated U.S. Supreme Court 1947-1955 (2 folders) 69 1956, 1968, 1974-1977, undated Violence and television, 1969-1977, undated Von Braun, Wernher, 1957 Voskovec, George, immigration case, 1950 Webb, Jack, undated Weil, Joseph, 1946-1954 Welfare, 1945 Women's liberation, 1975-1977, undated World War II, 1943-1944, undated Yates, Sidney R., 1957, 1978 Yugoslavia, 1955 70 Speech file 1942, 1947-1975 (12 folders) 71 1976-1980 (10 folders) 1981 Jan.-Apr. (5 folders) 72 May-Dec. (5 folders) 1982 Jan.-Sept. (13 folders) 73 Oct.-Dec. (2 folders) 1983-1985 (11 folders) 74 1986-1990, undated (20 folders) 75-79 Miscellany, 1933-1999

Appointment books, awards, biographical material, lawsuits, and correspondence relating to organizations and television programs.

Arranged alphabetically by type of material.

Arranged alphabetically by type of material and therein chronologically.

 75 Appointment books 1982-1986 (3 folders) 76 1987 Awards Alfred I. DuPont Award, 1961 George Foster Peabody Award, 1952-1953, undated Hall of Distinguished Alumni, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J., 1995 Heywood Broun Award, 1948-1949 Miscellaneous, 1952-1953, 1984, undated National Headliners Club, 1948 Sigma Delta Chi Radio Award, 1949 Biographical material 1933, 1939-1944, 1950-1959 (2 folders) 77 1960-1991, 1999, undated (6 folders) Jerusalem Post, 1945-1953 Lawsuits Alexander v. Agronsky, 1981-1982 Reed v. Agronsky, circa 1944 78 Organizations National Theatre Corp., 1980-1986, undated (4 folders) Radio Correspondents Association, 1948-1953, undated Photographs, 1939, 1950-1983, undated Telephone messages, 1980-1981 79 Television programs “Agronsky and Company,” 1974-1987, undated (2 folders) “Evening Edition,” 1971-1976, undated (2 folders) “Hindsight,” undated Proposals, 1963, 1988