Agnes Elizabeth Ernst Meyer Papers A Finding Aid to the Collection in the Library of Congress Manuscript Division, Library of Congress Washington, D.C. 2014 Revised 2018 April Contact information: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/mss.contact Additional search options available at: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/eadmss.ms014057 LC Online Catalog record: http://lccn.loc.gov/mm89049593 Prepared by Manuscript Division Staff Collection Summary Title: Agnes Elizabeth Ernst Meyer Papers Span Dates: 1853-1972 Bulk Dates: (bulk 1906-1970) ID No.: MSS49593 Creator: Meyer, Agnes Elizabeth Ernst, 1887-1970 extent: 70,000 items ; 201 containers plus 1 oversize ; 90 linear feet ; 2 microfilm reels Language: Collection material in English Location: Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Summary: Author and social activist. Correspondence, diaries, speeches, writings including an unpublished memoir, subject files, research material, family papers, and other papers relating to Meyer's career as an author, authority on Asian art, literary critic and linguist, and social activist as well as to her personal and family life. Selected Search Terms The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Library's online catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically therein. People Alinsky, Saul David, 1909-1972--Correspondence. Ashmore, Harry S.--Correspondence. Block, Herbert, 1909-2001--Correspondence. Boyd, Julian P. (Julian Parks), 1903-1980--Correspondence. Brandeis, Louis Dembitz, 1856-1941. Brown, J. Carter (John Carter), 1934-2002--Correspondence. Cardozo, Benjamin N. (Benjamin Nathan), 1870-1938. Carson, Rachel, 1907-1964--Correspondence. Childs, Marquis W. (Marquis William), 1903-1990--Correspondence. Claudel, Paul, 1868-1955--Correspondeance. Claudel, Paul, 1868-1955. Conant, James Bryant, 1893-1978--Correspondence. Dewey, John, 1859-1952--Correspondence. Ernst family--Correspondence. Ernst family. Finletter, Thomas K. (Thomas Knight), 1893-1980--Correspondence. Freer, Charles Lang, 1854-1919--Correspondence. Freer, Charles Lang, 1854-1919. Fulbright, J. William (James William), 1905-1995--Correspondence. Holmes, Oliver Wendell, Jr., 1841-1935. Kennan, George, 1845-1924--Correspondence. Longworth, Alice Roosevelt, 1884-1980. Longworth, Nicholas, 1869-1931. Mann, Thomas, 1875-1955--Correspondence. Mann, Thomas, 1875-1955. McCarthy, Joseph, 1908-1957. Meyer family--Correspondence. Meyer family. Meyer, Agnes E., 1887-1970. Meyer, Eugene, 1875-1959--Correspondence. O'Brian, John Lord, 1874-1973. Patterson, Eleanor Medill, 1881-1948. Rodin, Auguste, 1840-1917--Correspondence. Shapley, Harlow, 1885-1972--Correspondence. Agnes Elizabeth Ernst Meyer Papers 2 Sheil, Bernard J. (Bernard James), 1888-1969--Correspondence. Simms, Ruth Hanna McCormick, 1880-1944. Steichen, Edward, 1879-1973--Correspondence. Stieglitz, Alfred, 1864-1946--Correspondence. Truman, Harry S., 1884-1972--Correspondence. Organizations Barnard College. Freer Gallery of Art. National Committee for the Support of Public Schools (U.S.) United States. Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. United States. President's Commission on Higher Education. United States. Supreme Court. Université de Paris. Westchester County Recreation Commission. Subjects African Americans--Segregation. American newspapers--Washington (D.C.) Art museums--Washington (D.C.) Art, Asian. Art, Chinese. Art, Japanese. Arts--New York (State)--Westchester County. Authors. Cabinet officers. Church and state--United States. Church schools--United States. Criticism. Defense industries--United States. Diplomats. Dwellings--New York (State)--Mount Kisco. Education, Higher--United States. Education--United States. Educational law and legislation--United States. Federal aid to education--United States. International relations. Judges--United States. Labor and laboring classes--United States. Linguistics. Musicians. National security--United States. Philosophy. Presidents--United States. Prisoner-of-war camps--United States. Prisoners of war--Germany. Prisoners of war--United States. Public health--United States. Public schools--United States. Recreation--New York (State)--Westchester County. Religion. Universities and colleges--France--Paris. Universities and colleges--New York (State)--New York. World War, 1939-1945--Great Britain. World War, 1939-1945--Manpower--United States. Agnes Elizabeth Ernst Meyer Papers 3 World War, 1939-1945--Participation, African American. World War, 1939-1945--Prisoners and prisons. World War, 1939-1945--United States. Zionism. Places Europe--Description and travel. Seven Spring Farm (Mount Kisco, N.Y. : Estate) United States--Armed Forces--African Americans. United States--Foreign relations--20th century. United States--History--20th century. United States--Politics and government--20th century. United States--Social conditions--20th century. Washington (D.C.)--Social life and customs. Titles Washington post. Occupations Authors. Social activists. Administrative Information Provenance The papers of Agnes Elizabeth Ernst Meyer, author and social activist, were deposited in the Library of Congress in 1972 by her children, Elizabeth Meyer Lorentz, Eugene Meyer III, Katharine Graham, and Ruth Meyer Epstein. This material was converted to a gift in 1976. Additional papers were given by her children and other sources, 1971-1982. The collection includes electrostatic prints reproduced by the Library from originals removed from the papers at the request of the donors and forwarded to Yale University and Princeton University in 1974. Processing History The Agnes Elizabeth Ernst Meyer Papers were processed between 1972 and 1985. The finding aid was revised in 2014. Transfers Items have been transferred from the Manuscript Division to other custodial divisions of the Library. Some photographs have been transferred to the Prints and Photographs Division. Sound recordings have been transferred to the Motion Picture, Broadcasting, and Recorded Sound Division. All transfers are identified in these divisions as part of the Agnes Elizabeth Ernst Meyer Papers. Related Material A related collection in the Manuscript Division includes the papers of Meyer's husband, Eugene Meyer. Copyright Status Copyright in the unpublished writings of Agnes Elizabeth Ernst Meyer in these papers and in other collections in the custody of the Library of Congress is reserved. Consult a reference librarian in the Manuscript Division for further information. Access and Restrictions The papers of Agnes Elizabeth Ernst Meyer are open to research. Researchers are advised to contact the Manuscript Reading Room prior to visiting. Many collections are stored off-site and advance notice is needed to retrieve these items for research use. Agnes Elizabeth Ernst Meyer Papers 4 Microfilm A microfilm edition of part of these papers is available on two reels. Consult a reference librarian in the Manuscript Division concerning availability for purchase or interlibrary loan. To promote preservation of the originals, researchers are required to consult the microfilm edition. Preferred Citation Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: Container or reel number, Agnes Elizabeth Ernst Meyer Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Biographical Note Date Event 1887, Jan. 2 Born, New York, N.Y. 1907 B.A., Barnard College, New York, N.Y. 1907-1908 Reporter, New York Sun 1908-1909 Attended the Sorbonne, Paris, France 1910 Married Eugene Meyer (died 1959) 1911-1912 Attended Columbia University, New York, N.Y. 1923 Published Chinese Painting as Reflected in the Thought and Art of Li Lung-Mien, 1070-1106 1923-1941 Chairman, Westchester County Recreation Commission, Westchester County N.Y. 1929 Appointed to Library of Congress Trust Fund Board 1933-1954 Trustee, Barnard College, New York, N.Y. 1944 Published Journey Through Chaos. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Co. Began crusade for establishment of cabinet-level department of health, education and security, culminating with establishment of the U.S. Department of Health, Education & Welfare in 1953 1947 Helped found National Committee for Support of the Public Schools 1953 Published Out of These Roots. Boston: Little, Brown 1955-1957 Chairman, District of Columbia Auditorium Commission, Washington, D.C. 1957 Published Education for a New Morality. New York: Macmillan 1970, Sept. 1 Died, New York, N.Y. Agnes Elizabeth Ernst Meyer Papers 5 Scope and Content Note The papers of Agnes Elizabeth Ernst Meyer (1887-1970) span the years 1853-1972, with the bulk of the material concentrated in the period 1906-1970. The collection consists of diaries, family letters and papers, correspondence, speeches and writings, subject files, financial matter, research material, and other papers. The papers are organized into nine series: Diaries , General Correspondence , Subject File , Speeches and Writings , Research Material , Family Papers , Miscellany , Additions , and Oversize . Because of her close association with the Library of Congress, it was appropriate that the personal papers of Agnes Meyer should find their permanent home in the national manuscript collections. [1] . For many years Meyer was a member of the Library's Trust Fund Board and as such was actively involved in the adinistration of the institution's cultural and scholarly programs. The Agnes Meyer Papers are unusually full for every phase of her