Joseph Taylor Robinson Papers
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Not requestable
Scope and Content Note
The Joseph Taylor Robinson papers (primarily 1900-1937) contain correspondence, memoranda, speeches, legislative bills, business and financial records, legal files, scrapbooks, clippings, photographs, and other materials created or received by or pertaining to Robinson's life and career, especially to his service as U. S. Senator from Arkansas, 1913-1937.
Dates
- 1900-1954
- Majority of material found within 1900-1937
Creator
- Robinson, Joseph Taylor, 1872-1937 (Person)
Language of Materials
Materials are in English.
Access Information
Restrictions limit access to some files. General restrictions on access apply to all of Series 12, and limited donor-imposed restrictions are applicable to specific parts of other series. As agreed upon by the donors of the Joseph Taylor Robinson Papers and the University of Arkansas Library, the following restrictions apply to the Robinson Papers during the life time of H. Grady Miller, Jr. Or of Robin Miller Hartley. The Library shall allow research access to these materials only with the written permission of H. Grady Miller, Jr. Or of Robin Miller Hartley, or only upon written notification from H. Grady Miller, Jr. Or from Robin Miller Hartley that the restriction has been removed:
All copies of all incoming or outgoing correspondence exchanged between Joseph Taylor Robinson and his siblings, his nieces or nephews, his wife, or his wife's brother, Grady Miller, or between any of the above persons and Emily S. Miller, H. Grady Miller, Jr., or Robin Miller Hartley, the content of which is substantially of personal or familial interest only;
All copies of all invoices, financial statements, balance sheets, statements of account, tax returns, receipts, cancelled checks, check stubs, and other records, including incoming or outgoing correspondence, which pertain directly or primarily to the personal or familial financial affairs of Joseph Taylor Robinson, of his siblings, his nieces or nephews, his wife, or his wife's brother, Grady miller, or of Emily S. Miller, H. Grady Miller, Jr., or Robin Miller Hartley.
The original photographic prints in series 14 are restricted due to condition. Access copies are available for researcher use.
Please call (479) 575-8444 or email specoll@uark.edu at least two weeks in advance of your arrival to ensure availability of the materials.
Use Information
No use restrictions apply.
No Interlibrary Loan.
Standard Federal Copyright Laws Apply (U.S. Title 17).
Biographical Note
Joseph Taylor Robinson was born in a log cabin near Lonoke, Arkansas, in 1872. He attended the University of Arkansas for two years and then read law with Judge Thomas C. Trimble before taking a law degree at the University of Virginia in 1895. Even before he was called to the Arkansas bar he was elected to the Arkansas General Assembly. In 1902 Robinson was elected to Congress from the Sixth District of Arkansas and served five terms. He supported progressive measures to reform government and control big business and voted for the income-tax and woman-suffrage amendments.
In 1912 Robinson was elected Governor of Arkansas on a platform of fiscal and administrative reform. He was inaugurated on January 14, 1913, ten days after the death of Jeff Davis, U.S. Senator from Arkansas. On January 28, Robinson was elected Senator by the Arkansas General Assembly, so serving as Congressman, Governor, and Senator within a two-week period. He was the last Senator to be elected by vote of a state legislature.
Robinson was re-elected to four more Senate terms. In 1928 he was nominated for Vice President on the Democratic ticket with Al Smith of New York, but Herbert Hoover was elected President. He was Majority Leader under Franklin Roosevelt from 1932 until his death in 1937, and the leading spokesman for the Roosevelt New Deal in Congress. He died of a heart attack while working for Roosevelt's "court-packing" proposal in 1937.
Extent
216 Linear Feet (433 Boxes)
Arrangement of the Papers
Material is arranged and described in 14 series:
- Series 1. Personal papers, 1900-1937, 1950
- Series 2. Records pertaining to congressional election campaigns, 1901-1910
- Series 3. Records pertaining to gubernatorial election and to gubernatorial administration, 1911-1913
- Series 4. Records pertaining to Senatorial election campaigns, 1913-1936
- Series 5. Records pertaining to Presidential elections, 1912-1937
- Series 6. Records pertaining to constituent services and legislative matters, House of Representatives, 1902-1912
- Series 7. Records pertaining to constituent services and legislative matters, Senate, 1913-1922
- Series 8. Records pertaining to constituent services and legislative matters, Senate, 1922-1933
- Series 9. Records pertaining to constituent services and legislative matters, Senate, 1922-1937
- Series 10. Records pertaining to veterans and military affairs, 1910, 1913. 1920-1937
- Series 11. Records pertaining to patronage and to applications for employment, 1913-1917
- Series 12. Personally identifiable case files, 1921-1937. Restricted
- Series 13. Records pertaining to speeches, press releases, and other statements by JTR, 1901-1937
- Series 14. Photographs, 1923-1938
Acquisition Information
The Joseph Taylor Robinson Papers were donated to the Special Collections Department by H. Grady Miller, Jr., Robin Miller Hartley, and Emily S. Miller in May 1976.
Processing Information
Processing completed in 1979 by Walter R. Baggs with the assistance of Randall G. Roelfs. A separate finding aid describes the second accession.
- Agricultural laws and legislation -- United States
- Arkansas -- Politics and government
- Camp Pike (Ark.)
- Floods -- Arkansas
- Governors -- Arkansas
- Governors -- Arkansas -- Elections
- Lawyers -- Arkansas
- Long, Huey Pierce, 1893-1935
- Political campaigns -- Arkansas
- Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945
- Smith, Alfred E., 1903-1986
- United States -- Foreign relations -- 20th century
- United States -- Politics and government -- 20th century
- United States. Congress. House
- United States. Congress. Senate
- Veterans
Creator
- Robinson, Joseph Taylor, 1872-1937 (Person)
Source
- Miller, H. Grady, Jr. (Donor, Person)
- Hartley, Robin Miller (Donor, Person)
- Miller, Emily S. (Donor, Person)
- Title
- Joseph Taylor Robinson Papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Walter R. Baggs with the assistance of Randall G. Roelfs
- Date
- 1979
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections Department Repository
University of Arkansas Libraries
365 N. McIlroy Avenue
Fayetteville AR 72701 United States
(479) 575-8444
specoll@uark.edu