West Virginia and Regional History Center
1549 University Ave.Grace Musgrave
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[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Charles Peters, Editor and Author, Papers, A&M 4449, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.
One file from a 5.25 inch floppy disk (identifier: 4449_5_25fdisk_02) has been redacted because it contains a social security number for a living person.
Born December 22, 1926 in Charleston, West Virginia, Charles Peters, creator and publisher of The Washington Monthly , went on to attend Charleston High School, graduating in 1944. That same year, Peters enlisted with the U.S. Army where an injury in a training accident resulted in a long stay in Army hospitals beofre being discharged from the Army in 1946.
Using the G.I. Bill, Peters went to New York City to attend Columbia College, earning a BA in 1949. Peters continued his education at Columbia, entering their graduate program and earning his MA in 1951. Between the years of 1952 and 1953 Peters worked for the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency in New York. A fan of theather, Peters also performed various backstage roles between the years of 1946-1954 at a variety of theaters, and even owned his own repertory company in Charleston, West Virginia. Peters entered the University of Virginia Law School in 1954 and was named to the editoral board of the Virginia Law Review in 1955, serving until his graduation in 1957.
After earning his law degree, Peters and his wife, Elizabeth Hubbell, returned to Charleston, West Virginia to practice law at his father's firm, Peters, Merricks, Leslie, and Mohler. In 1959, he was named chief staff officer of the Judiciary Committee of the West Virginia House of Delegates before being elected to the House in 1960. In that same year, Peters also managed the primary and general election campaigns for presidential candidate John F. Kennedy. After serving in the 1961 session of the state legislature, he went to Washington, D.C. to assist in the formation of the Peace Corps. Returning in 1962 to serve in the legislative session, he was named the Peace Corps' Director of Evaluation.
In 1968, Peters resigned from his position with the Peace Corps and began planning the publication of a new magazine called The Washington Monthly . The magazine's prospectus said its purpose would be "to look at Washington the way an anthropologist looks at a South Sea island, helping the reader understand our system of politics and government, where it breaks down, why it breaks down, and what can be done to make it work." The first issue was published in January 1969. Throughout its publication, the magazine featured numerous unknown authors who later became influential journalists, including Pulitizer Prize winners such as Taylor Branch and Jon Meacham, among others. Peters served as the editor of the magazine until his retirement in 2001, continuing to write a regular column unti 2014. Peters authored five books and coediting five more.
Adapted from West Virginia and Regional History Center Newsletter, Vol. 35, No. 1-2, 2020 and WV Living, Spring 2021 https://wvliving.com/tilting-at-windmills-how-charlie-peters-helped-jfk-win-west-virginia/
Professional correspondence, writings, and other papers of Charles Peters, creator and publisher of "The Washington Monthly," a political magazine and website that launched the careers of several Pulitzer Prize-winning and MacArthur Genius Grant-winning authors and editors. Peters was the first Director of Evaluation for the Peace Corps and the organizer of President John F. Kennedy's campaign in West Virginia.
Includes correspondence, research, writings, newspaper clippings, articles, manuscripts, proofs, books, publications, reports, audiovisual material, and oversize framed items. This collection is minimally processed.
Series include:
Series 1. Correspondence, Notes, and Writings (52 Boxes)
Series 2. Clippings and Articles (55 Boxes)
Series 3. Manuscripts and Proofs for Publications (8 Boxes)
Series 4. Books (12 Boxes)
Series 5. Periodicals and Reports (4 Boxes)
Series 6. Audiovisual Materials (2 Boxes)
Series 7. Oversize Framed Items
The addendum of 2024 November 19 includes assorted scrapbooks, awards, photographs, and other material documenting the political and journalism career of Charles Peters. This addendum is unprocessed.
All of the material in the SEP boxes (in Series 1) was separated from the corresponding regularly-numbered boxes (in Series 2 and 3).
This series includes business correspondence (incoming and outgoing), notes, and writings by Peters from 1975-2018. Examples include letters to the editor, articles, information about websites forwarded to Peters by other writers and colleagues, and edits to Peters's books and editorials.
Common topics found and discussed within this series include but are not limited to:
- Franklin D. Roosevelt and his presidency
- The Great Depression/New Deal
- World War II
- John F. Kennedy and his presidency
- Lyndon B. Johnson and his presidency
- Post-war America
- The Civil Rights Movement
- Bill Clinton and his presidency
- Correspondence between Peters and Jon Meacham (regarding We Do Our Part )
-Correspondence between Peters and Ken Hikenberrry (publisher)
All boxes in this series are labeled with the letters SEP, indicating that the contents were separated from the boxes in Series 2 that have corresponding numbers.
Boxes: 2 SEP - 9 SEP, 13 SEP, 15 SEP, 17 SEP, 18 SEP, 22 SEP, 23 SEP, 24.1 SEP, 24.2 SEP, 24.3 SEP, 24.4 SEP, 25.1 SEP, 25.2 SEP, 26 SEP - 31 SEP, 33.1 SEP, 34 SEP, 37.1 SEP, 37.2 SEP, 37.3 SEP, 38.1 SEP, 38.2 SEP, 38.3 SEP, 39 SEP, 40.1 SEP, 40.2 SEP, 40.3 SEP, 41 SEP, 43.1 SEP, 43.2 SEP, 43.3 SEP, 44 SEP, 52, 54 SEP - 61 SEP.
Topics discussed include
Franklin D. Roosevelt and his presidency,
the Great Depression and New Deal, and
race relations in the United States, among others.
Topics discussed include
Franklin D. Roosevelt and his presidency,
John F. Kennedy and his presidency,
and correspondence regarding Peters various books, among others.
Topics discussed include
The Great Depression and New Deal,
Race realtions in the United States with an emphasis on lynching, and
The Clintons and Clinton presidency, among others.
Topics discussed include
Immigration,
Gerrymandering,
Race relations in the United States with an emphasis on the Civil Rights Movement and its leaders,
Evangelism, and
Roe v. Wade, among others.
Topics discussed include
The Great Depression and New Deal,
American post-war culture and consumption,
Franklin D. Roosevelt and his presidency, and
evangelism, among others.
Topics discussed include
Franklin D. Roosevelt and his presidency with an emphasis on the Supreme Court,
the Great Depression and New Deal, and
American post-war culture and consumption, among others.
Topics discussed include
Franklin D. Roosevelt and his presidency,
the Great Depression and New Deal,
American post-war culture and consumption,
the Clintons and Clinton Administration,
Rush Limbaugh, and
edits to Peters books, among others.
Topics discussed include
the 1968 Presidential election with an emphasis on George Wallace,
race relations in the United States,
rise of lobbyists/lobbying,
Ralph Nader, and
Roger Ailes, among others.
Topics discussed include
political cartoons,
rise of lobbyists/lobbying,
American post-war culture and consumption,
the Reagan Administration,
Reaganomics, and
edits to Peters books, among others.
Topics discussed include
Lyndon B. Johnson and his presidency,
the 1968 Presidential election,
education in the United States, and
formation of the Peace Corps, among others.
Topics discussed include
various correspondence with Peters,
World War II,
George W. Bush and his presidency, and
government ethics, among others.
Also includes letter from Kathleen Kennedy Townsend (Folder 1).
Topics discussed include
articles for the "Washington Monthly",
letters to Peters regarding the "Washington Monthly", and
notes by Peters, among others.
Topics discussed include
the Clintons and the Clinton presidency,
the war in Bosnia,
Minimum wage reform, and
Bob Dole, among others.
Topics discussed include
the Clintons and the Clinton presidency with an emphasis on the Clinton impeachment hearings,
Al Gore, and
the Nixon Administration, among others.
Also contains an article written by Daniel Ellsberg (Folder 3).
Topics discussed include
privatization of government services,
educational reform,
book reviews for the "Washington Monthly", and
edits for the "Washington Monthly, among others.
Topics discussed include
the Clintons and Clinton presidency with an emphasis on the Whitewater scandal,
rise of lobbyists/lobbying, and
notes by Peters, among others.
Topics discussed include
the Nixon Administration with an emphasis on Watergate,
healthcare with an emphasis on abortion,
notes by Peters, and
correspondence to Peters regarding the "Washington Monthly", among others.
Topics discussed include
the Clintons and Clinton presidency with an emphasis on the Monica Lewinsky scandal,
faxes and memos for the "Washington Monthly", and
the role of journalism/media, among others.
Topics discussed include
subscriptions to the "Washington Monthly",
financial documents related to the "Washington Monthly",
healthcare with an emphasis on abortion, and
edits for various books/articles by Peters, among others.
Topics discussed include
the Clintons and the Clinton presidency with an emphasis on criminal justice reform,
the privatization of government services, and
Newt Gingrich, among others.
Topics discussed include
criminal justice reform,
rise of lobbyists/lobbying,
United States foreign policy, and
celebrity culture, among others.
Topics discussed include
Lyndon B. Johnson and
his presidency among others.
Topics discussed include
articles sent to Peters for his "Tilting at Windmills" column,
government regulations, and
the role of journalism/media, among others.
Topics discussed include
the 2004 Presidential race,
welfare reform,
9/11, and
the War on Terror, among others.
Topics discussed include
John F. Kennedy and his presidency,
Lyndon B. Johnson and his presidency, and
American post-war culture and consumption, among others.
Topics discussed include
crime, welfare,
the Clintons and the Clinton presidency, and
book reviews for the "Washington Monthly", among others.
Topics discussed include
crime,
education with an emphasis on college loans,
faxes and memos for the "Washington Monthly", and
articles sent to Peters for his "Tilting at Windmills" column, among others.
Topics discussed include
neoliberalism,
the Clintons and the Clinton presidency, and
education, among others.
Topics discussed include
neoliberalism,
the Clintons and the Clinton presidency,
articles for the "Washington Monthly", and
faxes and memos for the "Washington Monthly", among others.
Topics discussed include
whistleblowers with an emphasis on federal protection,
government ethics,
race relations in the United States, and
healthcare, among others.
Topics discussed include
book reviews for the "Washington Monthly",
financial documents related to the "Washington Monthly", and
social security, among others.
Topics discussed include
financial documents related to the "Washington Monthly",
American post-war culture and consumption, and
notes by Peters, among others.
Topics discussed include
financial documents related to the "Washington Monthly",
notes by Peters, and
faxes and memos for the "Washington Monthly", among others.
Topics discussed include
notes by Peters and
articles sent to Peters for his "Tilting at Windmills" column, among others.
Topics discussed include
faxes and memos for the "Washington Monthly",
wealth inequality, and
book reviews for the "Washington Monthly", among others.
Topics discussed include
faxes and memos for the "Washington Monthly",
notes by Peters, and
articles for the "Washington Monthly", among others.
Topics discussed include
financial documents related to the "Washington Monthly",
the Clintons and the Clinton presidency with an emphasis on the Clinton impeachment hearings,
healthcare, and
crime, among others.
Topics discussed include
West Virginia politician Ken Hechler,
notes by Peters, and
faxes and memos for the "Washington Monthly", among others.
Topics discussed include
healthcare,
crime,
the Supreme Court, and
the size of the federal government, among others.
Topics discussed include
articles for the "Washington Monthly",
the environment, and
education, among others.
Topics discussed include
articles sent to Peters for his "Tilting at Windmills" column,
articles for the "Washington Monthly", and
faxes and memos for the "Washington Monthly", among others.
Topics discussed include
Columbia University Class of 1949 reunion,
articles for the "Washington Monthly", and
Florence Fund documents, among others.
Topics discussed include
correspondence related to the "Washington Monthly", among others.
Topics discussed include
Florence Fund correspondence,
articles for the "Washington Monthly", and
faxes and memos for the "Washington Monthly", among others.
Topics discussed include
healthcare,
financial documents related to the "Washington Monthly", and
United States foreign policy, among others.
Topics discussed include
articles sent to Peters for his "Tilting at Windmills" column,
financial documents related to the "Washington Monthly",
welfare, and
notes by Peters, among others.
Topics discussed include
financial documents related to the "Washington Monthly",
the Clintons and the Clinton presidency, and
correspondence related to Peters retirement, among others.
Topics discussed include
social security,
Al Gore, and
faxes and memos for the "Washington Monthly", among others.
Topics discussed include
articles for the "Washington Monthly",
book reviews for the "Washington Monthly", and
articles sent to Peters for his "Tilting at Windmills" column, among others.
Topics discussed include
the Clintons and the Clinton presidency with an emphasis on the Monica Lewinsky scandal,
book reviews for the "Washington Monthly", and
financial documents related to the "Washington Monthly", among others.
Topics discussed include
book reviews for the "Washington Monthly" and
articles sent to the "Washington Monthly", among others.
This series includes newspaper clippings and printed articles used for research by Peters from ca. 1990s-2010s. A majority of the clippings and articles feature some sort of notation made by Peters, typically in the form of underlining, circling, or a combination of the two with some occassional written notations. The series covers a variety of subjects that mostly correlate with the topics found in Series 1.
The box numbers in this series correspond with those labeled with the letters SEP in Series 1, indicating that the contents were separated from boxes in Series 2 and placed in boxes with corresponding numbers in Series 1.
Boxes: 2-9, 13, 15, 17-19, 22-23, 24.1, 24.2, 24.3, 24.4, 25.1, 25.2, 26-27, 29, 33.1, 33.2, 34, 36.1, 36.2, 37.1, 37.2, 37.3, 38.1, 38.2, 38.3, 39, 40.1, 40.2, 40.3, 41, 42.2, 43.1, 43.2, 43.3, 44, 46, 54-61.
This series includes manuscripts and galley proofs of writings by Peters. Types of writings include historical and political books, editorials, aritcles, and other matieral.
Boxes: 1, 10, 21, 28, 30-31, 42.1, 45.
This series includes books written by Peters and books used by Peters in research, published ca. 1940s-2010s.
Boxes: 11, 12, 12.1, 14, 16, 20, 32, 47-51.
This series includes magazines, periodicals, and reports, published ca. 1980s-2010s, including issues of The Washington Monthly, governmental reports, etc.
Boxes: 53, & 62-64.
This series includes a few VHS tapes, several audiocassettes, and a small number of floppy disks from ca. 1980s-2000s.
Boxes: 65-66.
This series includes two undated oversized framed items.
Assorted scrapbooks, awards, photographs, and other material documenting the political and journalism career of Charles Peters