C Litton, Jerry L. (1937-1976), Papers, 1960-1976 3730 25 linear feet, 1 audio cassette, 10 audio tapes, 29 video cassettes, 150 video tapes, 3 films, 53 DVDs This collection is available at The State Historical Society of Missouri. If you would like more information, please contact us at [email protected]. INTRODUCTION The papers of Jerry L. Litton, Missouri 6th District congressman from 1973 to 1976 and candidate in the 1976 Democratic primary for U.S. senator, include correspondence, congressio- nal office files, campaign files, and miscellaneous material pertaining to the television show, “Dialogue with Litton”; the Litton Charolais Ranch; and the Jerry Litton Memorial. DONOR INFORMATION The Litton Papers were donated to the University of Missouri by Charley Litton on 13 September 1979 (Accession No. 4258). BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH Jerry Lon Litton was born in Lock Springs, Missouri, on May 12, 1937. He was educated in Lock Springs and Chillicothe schools and graduated from the University of Missouri in 1961 with a degree in agricultural journalism. He was elected state president and national secretary of the Future Farmers of America and served as president of the Livingston County Young Demo- crats, president of the University of Missouri Young Democrats, and chair of the National Youth for Symington for President in 1960. In 1959 Litton married Sharon Summerville. They had two children: Linda and Scott. Litton was co-owner, with his parents, of the Litton Charolais Ranch in Chillicothe. The ranch was world-renowned for its breeding techniques and made the Littons millionaires. In 1972 Litton ran for Congress from Missouri’s 6th District. He concentrated on the rural counties of the district and set up an organization in each county. Litton won the election and was re-elected in 1974. While in Congress he served on the House Committee on Agricul- ture and was chair of the forestry subcommittee. He was concerned with laws and issues that affected agriculture, a primary interest of his constituents. Litton was in Congress during the Watergate scandal and received many letters from his constituents concerning it. As a representative Litton organized a Congressional Club in his district that sponsored a monthly television program, “Dialogue with Litton.” On this program, which was broadcast practically statewide, Litton and an invited guest answered questions from the audience. Guests included Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter, Secretary of Agriculture Earl Butz, Congressman Thomas P. “Tip” O’Neill, and House Speaker Carl Albert. In 1976 Litton decided to run in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat of retiring Stuart Symington. His opponents in the primary were Warren Hearnes and James Symington. Litton expanded his county organizations state-wide and concentrated his early efforts in the St. Louis area where he was little-known. Litton won the primary on August 3. That evening he, his wife, and children died in a plane crash on the way to a victory celebration in Kansas City along with the pilot, Paul Rupp, Jr. and his son, Paul Rupp III. C3730 Litton, Jerry L. (1937-1976), Papers, 1960-1976 page 2 SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE The Litton papers consist of correspondence, memos, press releases, information sheets, and notes arranged into five series: Correspondence, Congressional Files, Campaign Mate- rial, Miscellaneous, and Audiovisual. The Correspondence series, the largest of the five series, consists of letters from constit- uents, other representatives and senators, government departments, and government officials. The series gives an overview of Litton’s constituency, his political principles, and his relations with government officials. The series is divided into four subseries: legislative, departmental, executive, and miscellaneous. The legislative correspondence, arranged alphabetically by subject, consists of letters from constituents on legislation. The departmental correspondence is arranged alphabetically by department name and includes letters from constituents and agencies pertaining to enforcement of laws and acts of Congress. The executive correspondence consists of letters to and from the offices of Presidents Nixon and Ford; the section is small with much material missing. The miscellaneous correspondence is concerned with issues such as the Wilbur Mills and Wayne Hays cases which raised questions of Capitol Hill improprieties, the Bicentennial, and the right to die. Also included are invitations, correspondence concerning “Dialogue With Litton,” and letters answered by Carolyn Ashford after Litton’s death. The Congressional Files consist of correspondence, newsclippings, financial disclosures, press releases, schedules, memos, and copies of bills and are divided into three subseries: office files, bills files, and House Committee on Agriculture forestry subcommittee files. The office files, arranged alphabetically by type of material, show the workings of Litton’s Washington office. Included is material on subjects such as agriculture, federal grants, flood control and water conservation, Watergate, the energy crisis of 1973, and the economy. These topics were of local and national interest, and the material was used to compose letters to constituents. The bills files, arranged by Congress and then numerically by bill number, consist mostly of bills sponsored or co-sponsored by Litton or of interest to him. Following this section of the series is material devoted to issues, arranged alphabetically by subject, and a miscellaneous section which includes lists of legislation sponsored and co-sponsored by Litton and his voting record. The forestry subcommittee files, arranged by type of material, deal with legislation considered by the subcommittee, which Litton chaired. The Campaign Material, the second largest series in the collection, consists of corre- spondence, memos, financial records, and campaign literature for Litton’s 1972 and 1974 6th District congressional races and the 1976 Democratic senatorial primary, and provides an inside view of Litton’s campaign organizations. The bulk of the material is for the 1972 and 1976 campaigns; there are only a few folders from the 1974 campaign. For each campaign the material is arranged alphabetically by county, followed by main office material arranged alphabetically by type. The county material provides information on the county organization and includes names of workers, schedules of events, financial information, and ideas used to promote Litton’s candidacy. The main office material documents the efforts to coordinate all aspects of the campaign. C 3730 Litton, Jerry L., Papers, 1960-1976 page 3 The Miscellaneous material includes records of the Congressional Club, the group that sponsored “Dialogue With Litton”; records of the Litton Charolais Ranch; material pertaining to the Jerry Litton Memorial; and a card file of correspondents and constituents. The Congressional Club, developed by Litton, was a means to bring “government to the people.” Although the actual television program was free and open to the public, the dues paid by members of the club helped defray the costs of guests’ airfares and other program expenses. For a higher fee members could be ambassadors and were entitled to attend a reception before the program and meet the guest of honor. The Litton Ranch records include correspondence, brochures, and a staff benefits plan considered innovative for its time. The Jerry Litton Memorial was established by Litton’s parents to set up a permanent memorial for him and his family. The index cards of constituents’ and correspondents’ names are missing the cards for F through R. The cards include the name and address of a correspondent, where the letter was filed in the office files, date and content of letter, and Litton’s response. Unfortunately, the collection is not a complete history of Litton’s service in Congress; some files were discarded prior to the time these materials were given to the university. The Audiovisual series contains media used by Litton to support his political campaigns and convey his message to constituents on political issues between the years 1972 and 1976. The series includes political and campaign commercials, speeches, radio spots, and coverage of the death of Litton and his family on August 3, 1976. Please consult the reference staff for more information about the audiovisual items or for a complete list. The bulk of the audiovisual materials consist of recordings of “Dialogue with Litton” – a town meeting style program that began as a radio show in March 1973 and was then televised between March 1974 and July 1976. Litton featured a new political guest one Sunday each month. The original “Dialogue with Litton” programs are contained on 2” quadruplex videotape. Miscellaneous Litton related programs, speeches, news coverage of the crash and documentaries are contained on ¾ inch Umatic videocassettes. Some information is contained on audio reel-to- reel tapes. With the assistance of the Jerry Litton Memorial Family Foundation, WHMC digitized 33 “Dialogue with Litton” programs. A list of the digitized programs are included in this finding aid. For a detailed list of original quad and Umatic tapes, please consult staff for the Litton AV database. C 3730 Litton, Jerry L., Papers, 1960-1976 page 4 FOLDER LIST Correspondence Series f. 1-373 Legislative Correspondence f. 1-19 Agriculture, 1973-1976. Dairy price supports, National Farmers Organiza- tion, tobacco subsidies, Agricultural Summit of 1973, Environmental