Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

Papers of Emily Couric, Accession #12986, 12986-a, Special Collections, University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Acquisition Information

This collection arrived in two phases; the first group (MSS 12986) was given by Dr. George Beller, Charlottesville, Virginia, on March 20, 2004. The second group (MSS 12986-a) was given by Tracy Eppard, from the office of Creigh Deeds, Charlottesville, Virginia, on March 14, 2005. The two groups were considered as a unit and have been interfiled under the original accession number (MSS 12986), with a single guide and box arrangement.

Biographical/Historical Information

Emily Couric (1947-2001) was elected to the Virginia Senate in 1995 and 1999, representing the 25th Senate District of the Commonwealth of Virginia, consisting of Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Madison County, Green County, and parts of Nelson County   and Orange County. Couric also served as the Chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Virginia, and was preparing for a campaign for lieutenant governor in 2001 when she was diagnosed with cancer.

She served on the boards of several organizations, including the Jefferson Area Board for the Aging, Boys & Girls Club, Camp Holiday Trails and the Sustainability Council for the Thomas Jefferson Planning District, as well as chairman of the Charlottesville School Board, where she served for six years.

Couric began her career as a high school biology teacher in Cambridge, Massachusetts (1969-1971) and worked for the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish & Wildlife Service (1971-1973), the U.S. Department of Labor (1974-1978), and as a reporter for Legal Times , Washington, D.C. (1979-1981). Until she began her service in the Virginia Senate, she worked as a writer, publishing in a variety of law-related and general interest publications. She also published two books with St. Martin's Press pertaining to the law, The Trial Lawyers and Divorce Lawyers .

She was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 5, 1947, and moved to Virginia in 1951, graduating from Yorktown High School, Arlington, Virginia, in 1965. Couric attended Smith College and graduated in 1969, magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. At the time of her death, she was married to Dr. George A. Beller and had two sons, Ray and Jeff, from a previous marriage.

Scope and Content

This collection consists of the papers of Virginia State Senator Emily Couric (1947-2001), ca. 1983-2002, ca. 20,000 items (80 Hollinger boxes, 33.5 linear shelf feet). The collection consists of files regarding Emily Couric's legislation in the Virginia General Assembly; constituent mail and replies; her Virginia Senate campaigns in 1995 and 1999, as well as her initial steps toward declaring candidacy for lieutenant governor; speeches; and files of media appearances (newspaper and magazine articles, audio and Videotapes). Some personal correspondence is present. The largest groups of material in the legislative issues series reflect her interests in issues pertaining to education and health.

Arrangement

Series I: Legislative Issues and Files (Boxes 1-45) Series II: Campaigns (Boxes 46-64) Subseries A: 1995 Campaign (Boxes 46-51) Subseries B: 1999 Campaign (Boxes 51-62) Subseries C: Lt. Governor Campaign (Boxes 63-64) Series III: Administrative Files (Boxes 65-68) Series IV: Constituent Mail (Boxes 69-78) Series V: Speeches (Boxes 79-80) Series VI: Audiovisual Materials (only materials in 12986-a) Subseries A. Legislative Subseries B. Couric for Senate Subseries C. Other Politics Subseries D. Presentation and Demo Reels Subseries E. Memorial and Tributes Subseries F. National Television Subseries G. Miscellaneous Subseries H. Public Television Subseries I. Medical Subseries J. Politics General Subseries K. Debates