Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

Papers of Howard W. Smith, Accession #8731-c, Special Collections, University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Acquisition Informatin

This collection was a gift of Howard W. Smith, June 7, 1978.

Scope and Content

The papers contain correspondence, oral history interviews with Smith, and memoranda by Smith, 1966-1973, compiled by several researchers for projected books on changes in the American constitutional system during Smith's years in Congress. There are also letters of condolence to Mrs. Smith on her husband's death, including one from Gerald Ford.

Of interest in his correspondence is an exchange with Frederick Deane Goodwin Ribble on the constitutionality of Federal troops in the 1957 Little Rock crisis, a letter from Sargent Shriver justifying the Peace Corps, and a telegram, 1964, from Carl Albert asking Smith's committee to hear the anti-povery bill. Speeches, 1953-1968, given or written by Smith, are included.

Most of the collection consists of memorabilia from a 1951 visit of a Congressional delegation to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, preceded by official visits to West Germany and Austria.

Photographs, clippings, invitations, guest books, articles about Smith, and a list of his constituents and supporters from an election campaign complete the collection.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in five series: I. Correspondence; II. Speeches; III. Memorabilia; IV. Printed Material; and, V. Photographs. Within each series material is arranged by topic and subarranged chronologically in each folder.