Collection Scope and Content

Papers, correspondence, drafts and broadcast copies of news broadcasts from Murrow's career as a broadcast journalist.

The material listed in this guide is processed and available for use. General Correspondence comprises the bulk of the Collection of Murrow's paper and includes the entire period of his career, with the exception of a limited amount for the period when he was Director of the United States Information Agency.

The papers relate to historical and current issues; deal with key points and broadcasts in his career; cover problems of reporting and public diplomacy, radio and television - their role, their failures, their triumphs; reveal reactions to his work from viewers, celebrities, students, and how he handled criticism of his reporting and his view of his job include general interest items, including anecdotes, humorous letters, exchanges with close friends and well-known personalities; show something about the man, his non-involvement in politics, his concern over lack of public knowledge and interest in world affairs, his despair with television for not taking a stronger lead in educating people. Included also are requests for appointments and invitations to speak, requests from charities and from friends for help in finding jobs and asking for personal advice, as well as inquiries pertaining to his programs and special events over the years.

A section is devoted to personal matters - biographical material, family, college, chronological correspondence, awards, publicity, and his death.

His professional employment covered periods with the Institute of International Education, Columbia Broadcasting System, Inc., and the United States Information Agency. Files for each group contain its own correspondence, reports and related activities. In addition, the CBS section covers administration, program and business operations, correspondents, nine regularly scheduled programs and special programs, scripts and sponsors. It should be pointed out that this extensive portion of the Collection records the history of radio and television broadcasting and as such has tremendous value.

The Collection reveals not only Murrow's demanding radio and television schedule but his extensive extra-curricular involvement with foundations, organizations and clubs; his production of albums, writings for publication, speeches; engagements accepted and engagements declined; and travels.

In addition to the papers, there are approximately 1,600 books shelved in the Murrow Library where Murrow memorabilia are also displayed -pictures, framed awards and citations, plaques, honorary degree hoods, medals, war mementos, bound volumes of scripts, and pamphlets. The oak table used by the Murrows in their London apartment during the War years, and two large black leather chairs and rug from their Pawling, New York home, were given to the Murrow Library.

Tapes, films and phonograph records are stored in the Tufts Digital Collections and Archives at Tisch Library, to be used there by permission of the Murrow Center. CBS News is the donor of "File and Reference" prints of the two McCarthy 16mm films (March 9 and April 6, 1954) and the Murrow obituary film, "An Hour with Ed Murrow," and has agreed to donate additional Murrow films. The tape and film portion of the Collection represents a potpourri of materials, including Umatic video tapes, 10" audiotape reels, 7" audiotape reels, 5" audiotape reels, audiocassettes and 16mm films.