C Blair, James Thomas, Jr. (1902-1962), Papers, 1957-1961 2271 64 linear feet, 4 oversize volumes MICROFILM (Volumes 3-20 only) This collection is available at The State Historical Society of Missouri. If you would like more information, please contact us at [email protected]. INTRODUCTION Papers of a Democratic governor of Missouri, 1957-1961. DONOR INFORMATION The papers were donated to the University of Missouri by James T. Blair, Jr. on 25 February 1961 (Accession No. 3470). SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE The papers have been arranged into the following ten series: Correspondence and Speeches; Governors’ Conference; Veterans’ Papers; Special Commissions and Studies; State Offices and Departments; Judiciary; County Problems and Requests; Applications and Appointments; Legislative Material; and Bound Volumes. For more detailed series descriptions, please see the folder list. FOLDER LIST Correspondence and Speeches Series f. 1-2 U.S. Service Academy Appointments, January 1957-October 1960. Constituents' requests for the governor's support for candidates for appointment to the service academies. f. 3-4 Adoption of Children, March 1957-May 1960. Requests from constituents for the Governor's support in their efforts to adopt children. See also f. 364-372 and 484-489. f. 5-6 Agricultural Hall of Fame, September 1958-February 1960. Requests for support for establishing the Hall of Fame in the Kansas City area. Site choice progress reports. Problems of Hall of Fame organization. f. 7-20 Aircraft, February 1957-June 1958. Efforts to sell the Executive Office a plane for the Governor's use. f. 21-24 U. S. Air Force, September 1957-June 1960. Reports on the Missouri Air Force Volunteers; SAC; Invitation to attend fire power demonstration at Whiteman Air Force Base, Sedalia, Missouri; Governor's efforts to have space equipment display for the Jefferson City Science Fair, April, 1961, and a U.S.A.F. Thunderbird demonstration. f. 25-29 Aviation. Efforts to obtain air service for Rolla; Jefferson City Flying Club constitution and regulations; Missouri Pilots' Association; Federal Aviation Act of 1958. C2271 Blair, James Thomas, Jr. (1902-1962), Papers, 1957-1961 Page 2 f. 30-31 Alcohol, February 1957-August 1960. Local option; complaints about littering highways with cans and bottles; national seminar on alcoholism; dope and alcohol education for public schools. f. 32-33 American Legion, December 1956-October 1960. Dedication of Legion Post buildings; national directory of the American Legion; Veteran's Day observation; invitation to attend Legion meetings; Legion statements on foreign relations, September 1958. f. 34-35 Public Health and Welfare, May-October 1958. Speech before the American Public Health Association on nursing homes, water pollution, etc.; speech to the American Public Welfare Association, St. Louis. f. 36 American Royal Livestock and Horse Show, September-October 1958. Governor's tickets to the 1958 American Royal in Kansas City. f. 37 Archaeology, November 1958-January 1959. Memorial pamphlet to Jesse B. Wrench, founder of the Missouri Archaeological Society; report on the Missouri River Basin archaeology. f. 38-40 U. S. Armed Forces, August 1957-April 1960. Conferences on military problems; Industrial College of the Armed Forces; plight of a Kansas City Army Reserve unit; comments on the Reserve Officer Association; Armed Forces Day observation. See also f. 21-24. f. 41 Audubon Society, December, 1957. Effects of insecticides on wildlife. f. 42 Autographs, December, 1956. Requests for pictures and autographs of Blair. f. 43-50 Autograph Seekers. Requests for autographs and photographs especially after election. Requests from school children for inclusion in social studies' collections. f. 51-54 Missouri Bar Association, January 1957-November 1960. Questions concerning the Bar exam; complaints about miscarriages of justice; list of Bar Presidents; list of judges; 1958 Bar Committee; Lincoln County irregularities; traffic conference; Bar Association socia1 affairs; politics of Oregon County, Missouri. f. 55 Thomas Hart Benton, January-March 1957. Benton correspondence with Blair; discusses Governor's colonels. f. 56-58 Blair Family, March 1957-October 1960. Blair family genealogy; comments on Blair family history. Blair's mother named Missouri Mother of the Year, 1958; letters of congratulation. See f. 555-557. f. 59 Blue Book, October 1957. Materials for the Blue Book; requests for copies. f. 60 Bonds, October 1957-November 1959. Expired corporations; bond taxation exemption and the problems of selling municipal bonds when dividends are taxable; pressure on Governor by the National Committee for Municipal Bonds, Inc., for tax exemption status. f. 61-64 Boy Scouts of America, February 1957-June 1960. Scout thanks to Blair for talks, 1uncheons, etc.; requests for State flag for jamborees; Blair speech on Eagle Scout Recognition Day; Blair speech to "Show Me" Service Area coordinated finance campaign. C2271 Blair, James Thomas, Jr. (1902-1962), Papers, 1957-1961 Page 3 f. 65-71 Brussel's World's Fair, August 1957-April 1958. Correspondence between Blair and U. S. Department of State on work in the United States' Pavilion at Brussels; Missouri's quota for guides; inquiries about jobs; solicitation of funds to support guides at Fair; and 1ist of organizations asked to contribute. f. 72 Clarence Cannon, April 1957-July 1959. Correspondence between Cannon and Blair on federal-state sharing of welfare costs recommendations on patronage; Mississippi River Parkway; flood control; irrigation. f. 73-76 Capital Punishment, March 1957-January 1961. Letters pressuring Blair to support repeal of capital punishment; inquiries on Missouri's use of capital punishment. f. 77 Capitols, March, 1955-June 1959. Short description of Jefferson City Capitol; restoration of St. Charles Capitol building, lobbying. f. 78 Carnegie Corporation, 1958. Annual report of the Carnegie Corporation. f. 79 Catholic Central Society, August 1958. Blair speech before the Catholic Central Society and National Catholic Women's Union. f. 80 Census, March 1960. Discussion of the 1960 census, merits of more frequent census. f. 81-82 Chamber of Commerce, April 1957-March 1958. List of Junior Chamber of Commerce executives; Chemical Corn Exchange Bank Bulletin. f. 83-93 Students, January 1957-January 1961. Request for information about Missouri; statehood for Puerto Rico; Blair discusses long time desire to be governor; request for visits with Blair on school trips to the capitol; Blair comments on foreign aid; better education; mock political conventions; communism and education; and good citizenship. f. 94 Chiropractic Society, October 1957. Messages of concern over Blair's illness and joy over recovery efforts to place chiropractic doctors on State Hospital staff. f. 95-111 Civil, Human and States Rights. Missouri Human Rights Commission. Problems of discrimination in jobs, education, housing, and by police. Resolutions of legislatures in Tennessee, Florida and Texas on Supreme Court decision and use of troops in Little Rock, Arkansas. Problems of integration. Speech of Blair before Human Rights Commission. f. 112-113 Civil Service, February 1957-December 1960. Federal employees retirement; patronage; political participation by federal employees. f. 114 Civil War. Centennial material on the Civil War, January 1957-April 1960. f. 115 Coal. Information on the coal industry, February 1959. f. 116-122 Missouri Colonels, January 1957-September 1960. Selection of colonels; letters of appreciation on being appointed; state patronage; Blair's staff organization; discussion of loyalty of colonels; portrait of first lady; treasurer's report; Hawaiian statehood. C2271 Blair, James Thomas, Jr. (1902-1962), Papers, 1957-1961 Page 4 f . 123-127 Communism, February 1957-October 1960. Socialistic experience in Italy; protests on Tito's visit to the United States; warning of international communist conspiracy; United Nations; NATO; protests on Khrushchev's visit to United States; Canadian trade relation with Communist China; concern over socialists and immigrants who hold jobs at expense of native Americans. f. 128-130 Legislators, January 1957-December 1960. Campaign expenditures; congressional congratulatory messages to Blair; Missouri river control; efforts by Congressmen to help state employees keep and get jobs with the state; voter participation. f. 131-146 Consuls, January 1953-October 1960. File from the Donnelly Administration on consular activity in Missouri; discussion of legislation to provide identification cards for consular personnel; diplomatic immunity and privileges; speech by Blair on Israel at testimonial dinner for Abba Eban, Ambassador to the U. S. from Israel; Blair speech at dinner honoring Israeli Ambassador Avraham Harman. f. 147-156 Corn and Cotton, December 1958-February 1959. Blair speech before the Corn Belt Live Stock Feeders Association Annual Convention in St. Louis, February 4, 1959, on the value of public relations in feed; copies of The Livestock Feeder; Corn Products Refining Company booklet on processing corn; Governor's recommendation for position with Farm Labor Advisory Committee; summary by the W. G. Buie Company of Southeast Missouri on the problem and future of the cotton industry. f. 157-165 Crackpots, February 1957-May 1960. Constituents seeking information on legal aid and justice. Such topics as Alaskan gold, cybernetics, eligible daughters, perfumes, prostitution, religion in school, tornadoes; church-state separation; crime