Papers of Edith Nourse Rogers, 1854-1961 (inclusive), 1881-1961 (bulk)
Overview
Correspondence, speeches, photographs, etc., of Edith Nourse Rogers, Republican Congresswoman.
Dates
- 1854-1961
- Majority of material found within 1881-1961
Creator
- Rogers, Edith Nourse, 1881-1960 (Person)
Language of Materials
Materials in English.
Access Restrictions:
Access. Collection is open for research, with the exception of volumes 1o-2o, which were returned to the donor and volumes 3o-47o, which are available only on microfilm (M-57). An appointment is necessary to use any audiovisual material.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright. Copyright in the papers created by Edith Nourse Rogers as well as copyright in other papers in the collection may be held by their authors, or the authors' heirs or assigns.
Copying. Papers may be copied in accordance with the library's usual procedures.
Extent
10.43 linear feet ((25 boxes) plus 2 folio folders, 1 folio+ folder, 2 oversize folders, 2 supersize folders,15 reels of microfilm (M-57), 6 phonograph records,1 motion picture, 1 object)This collection includes correspondence received by Edith Nourse Rogers as Chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, and correspondence with constituents; analyses of Roger's voting record in Congress; speeches in the House, over radio, before veterans' and other groups, and for various events; campaign material; citations and awards; photographs; newsclippings; and sympathy letters concerning her death.
BIOGRAPHY
Edith Nourse Rogers, Republican Congresswoman from the Fifth District of Massachusetts, was born March 19, 1881, in Saco, Maine. She graduated from Rogers Hall School in Lowell, Massachusetts and Madame Julien's School in Paris, France. In 1907 she married John Jacob Rogers, who served in the United States House of Representatives from 1913 until his death in 1925. During World War I, Rogers served in France and England on a special assignment from President Wilson to survey medical care of wounded American soldiers, and was also a Red Cross nurse in France. In 1922, following four additional years of Red Cross work in Walter Reed Hospital, Rogers was appointed by President Harding as his personal representative to oversee the care of disabled veterans. She was reappointed to this position by President Coolidge in 1923 and President Hoover in 1929. Rogers again served overseas during World War II, inspecting soldiers' care, under a special assignment from President Roosevelt.
Mrs. Rogers was elected to the United States House of Representatives during the 69th Congress, on June 30, 1925, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of her husband. She was re-elected to every successive Congress, and died in office on September 10, 1960. Legislation attributed to Rogers includes the improvement of the American Foreign Service; the establishment of the Women's Army Corps (WAC); the enactment of the G.I. Bill of Rights; the enactment of the bill for Korean Veterans Benefits; the establishment of a permanent Nurse Corps for veterans; and many other laws providing aid and assistance to permanently disabled American war veterans.
Although forced to give up her position on the Foreign Affairs Committee upon assuming the Chairmanship of Veterans' Affairs, Mrs. Rogers continued her interest in United States foreign policy. She vigorously opposed Vice President Nixon's proposal to intervene in Indochina in 1954 because she fervently believed that, "If America is to strike a blow at Communism, it must be struck at Moscow, the heart of Communism." She was a strong supporter of Senator Joseph McCarthy, and of military predominance, and opposed the admittance of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations; other favorite causes included highway safety, cancer research, and legislation to help Massachusetts' Fifth District.
Congresswoman Rogers received awards and citations from veterans' and other groups, including the American Legion's Distinguished Service Medal. She was the recipient of honorary degrees from Tufts College, Bates College, Staley College, Washington College of Law, and the Lowell Textile Institute.
ARRANGEMENT
- Series I. Biographical, folder 1, and correspondence
- Series II. Official documents pertaining to election and voting records; papers relating to Congressional legislation, mostly re veterans, and papers about veterans by non-Congressional groups
- Series III. Speeches and related material by Edith Nourse Rogers
- Series IV. Material by others
- Series V. Campaign material - speeches, leaflets, maps, etc.
- Series VI. Engagements - invitations, replies, lists
- Series VII. Citations and awards
- Series VIII. Miscellaneous
- Series IX. Photographs
- Series X. Congressional Record notebooks, indexed
- Series XI. Newsclippings
- Series XII. Material re Edith Nourse Rogers's death
- Series XIII. Guest registers
- Series XIV. Scrapbooks
- Series XV. Oversize
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Accession number: 1332
The papers of Edith Nourse Rogers were deposited with the Schlesinger Library in February 1968 by the Veterans Administration Hospital, Bedford, Massachusetts.
Oversize scrapbooks (volumes 3o-47o), consisting mainly of clippings re: Edith Nourse Rogers were microfilmed in 1980 under a grant from The George F. and Sybil H. Fuller Foundation, Worcester, Massachusetts, and returned to the donor. Volumes 1o and 2o, re: Rogers, were also returned.
SEPARATION RECORD
The following materials were returned to the Veterans' Administration Hospital in Bedford, Massachusetts by the Schlesinger Library.
- 1. Plaque given by the American War Dads, 9/29/1949.
- 2. Plaque given by Amputee Veterans Association of America, 6/22/1947.
- 3. Plaque given by American Legion, 9/27/1955.
- 4. Plaque given by Philippine Veterans Legion, 1958-1959.
- 5. Framed award given by Student Veterans Association of the Philippines, 9/7/1955.
- 6. Loving cup given by AMVETS, n.d.
- 7. Loving cup given by Blind and Amputee Veterans, 1952.
- 8. Bowling pin given by Peltiers Jewelers Bowling Team of Lowell, 4/5/1935.
- 9. Wooden name plate.
- 10. Photo engraver's metal - Edith Nourse Rogers
- 11. Engraving plate - Edith Nourse Rogers signature.
- 12. Framed xerox of Herbert Hoover letter, 3/28/1929.
- 13. Framed newsclipping of Edith Nourse Rogers.
- 14. Framed photograph of John Jacob Rogers, damaged.
- 15. Framed portrait of Edith Nourse Rogers as nurse.
- 16. Large framed photograph of portrait of Edith Nourse Rogers.
- 17. Large framed photograph of Edith Nourse Rogers.
- 18. Large framed photograph of House Committee of Veterans' Affairs, 80th Congress.
- 19. 2 large framed photographs of John Jacob Rogers, duplicates.
- 21. Large photograph collage of Edith Nourse Rogers, unframed.
- 22. Large framed copy of Declaration of Independence.
- 23. Large framed picture of Liberty Bell.
- 24. 11 books:
- ___Abercrombie, H. R. The World to Come/The Seven Pillars of Federation, 1942.
- ___Brittain, Harry E. To Verdun from the Somme, 1927.
- ___Ellis, W. B. Sanity for Sale, 1929.
- ___Jacobs, Joseph Jewish Contributions to Civilization, 1920.
- ___Mackendrick, W. G. The Destiny of Britain and America, 1922.
- ___Manual for the General Court 1959-1960 - 2 copies.
- ___Millard, Thomas F. The End of Exterritoriality in China, 1931.
- ___Spargo, John The Jew and American Ideals, 1921.
- ___Yearbooks from the Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland - 1932, 1951.
CONTAINER LIST
- Box 1: Folders 1-21
- Box 2: Folders 22-34
- Box 3: Folders 35-49
- Box 4: Folders 50-71
- Box 5: Folders 72-91
- Box 6: Folders 92-111
- Box 7: Folders 112-127
- Box 8: Folders 128-139
- Box 9: Folders 140-147
- Box 10: Folders 148-154a
- Box 11: Folders 154b-160
- Box 12: Folders 161-167
- Box 13: Folders 168-179
- Box 14: Folders 180-188
- Box 15: Folders 189-206
- Box 16: Folders 207-219
- Box 17: Folders 220-232
- Box 18: Folders 233-241
- Box 19: Folders 242-258; vol.1-vol.2
- Box 20: Folders 259-278; vol. 3
- Box 21: Folders 279-293
- Box 22: Folders 294-302
- Box 23: Folders 303-320
- Box 24: Folders 321-340; vols. 4 and 5
- Box 25: Volumes 6-11
INDEX
- Allen, A. Leonard 64
- American Association of Industrial Nurses 15
- American Legion 12, 14, 25, 26, 28, 30, 31, 33, 34, 36, 37, 41, 45, 60, 115, 116, 165, 243, 279, oversize folder 1.
- American Legion Auxiliary 35, 115, 126, 160, oversize folder 1.
- American Liberty League 200
- American Red Cross 14
- American Veterans Committee 22
- American Veterans of the World War 24
- AMVETS 23, 29, 30, 186, 281, oversize folder 1.
- American War Dads 28, 156
- Amputees of World War II 29, 33, 34
- Anderson, Robert 123
- Angell, Homer D. 37
- Anthony, Susan B. 140
- Army and Navy Union, USA 37
- Army and Navy Union, Auxiliary 105
- Bakewell, Claude 37, 43
- Baldwin, Raymond 29
- Bantz, F. A. 84, 109
- Bates, George 32
- Blackwell, Alice Stone 140
- Blinded Veterans Association 36, 37, 279, 342f+
- Blitch, Iris 262
- Boykin, Frank 35, 186
- Bolton, Frances 262
- Botte, Charles L. 274
- Bradley, Omar 121, 126
- Bridges, Styles 28, 123
- Brooks, Wayland 264
- Buchanan, Vera 262
- Burke, Arleigh 109, 124, 126
- Byrd, Harry F. 123
- Canadian Combat Veterans Association, Inc. 23
- Capsin, Joseph 58-61
- Carlson, Frank 32
- Castro, Fidel 172
- Catholic War Veterans 56
- Chiang Kai-Shek 263
- Church, Margaret 262
- Collins, John F. 123
- Conte, Silvio 124
- Coolidge, Calvin 7, 122, 192
- Coolidge, Grace 4
- Curley, James M. 264
- Curtis, Cathrine 16, 146, 188
- Cushing, Richard Cardinal 122, 123, 165, 186
- Daughters of the American Revolution 125, 152, 243, 245, 342f+
- Denfeld, Louis E. 156, 157
- Dewey, Thomas E. 123
- Dirksen, Everett McKinley 111, 122
- Disabled American Veterans 24, 26, 29, 31, 33-35, 58, 60, 159, 342f+
- Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary 103
- Donohue, Harold 32
- Eisenhower, Dwight D. 122, 123, 172, 186, 263
- Eisenhower, Maimie 263
- Equal Rights 188
- Farrington, Elizabeth 262
- Federal Employees Veterans Association 31, 78, 80, 81, 84
- Fletcher Charles K. 34
- Forrestal, James 23, 41
- Franke, W.B. 109
- Fuller, Alvan T. 6
- Gates, Thomas S., Jr. 122, 124
- Gold Star Wives of America, Inc. 27, 41
- Goodwin, Angier 32
- Green, Edith 262
- Griffiths, Martha 262
- Halleck, Charles A. 4, 124
- Harden, Cecil 262
- Harding, Warren G. 7
- Hayes, Helen 264
- Herter, Christian 16, 32, 124
- Hill, Lister 124
- Hobby, Olveta Culp 9, 121
- Hoover, Herbert 7, 123, 186, 194, 263
- Hynes, John B. 264
- Johnson, Glen D. 29
- Kahn, Florence 262
- Kee, Elizabeth 262
- Kelly, Edna 262
- Kennedy, John F. 32, 263
- Knox, Frank 264
- Knutson, Cora 262
- Landon, Alfred 264
- Lane, Thomas G. 32
- League of Women Voters, Watertown, MA 29
- Legion of Valor 29, 32
- LeMay, Curtis E. 288
- Lindbergh, Charles 265, 309
- Lodge, Henry Cabot, Jr. 32, 111, 122, 264
- McCarthy, Jean 123
- McCarthy, Joseph 143, 188
- McCormack, John 32, 41, 81, 122, 123, 127, 186, 264, 281
- McCormick, Ruth 262
- McCowen, Edward 37
- McMillen, Clara 262
- Martin, Joseph 32, 37, 41, 63, 264
- Matthews, Frank A. 36
- Military Order of Foreign Wars of the U.S. 57
- Miller, Frieda S. 52
- Miller, George P. 30
- Mitchell, E.A. 34
- Mothers of World War II 24
- Murphy, Frank 126
- Murray, Reid 37
- National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs, Inc. 41
- National Federation of Federal Employees 41, 45
- National Guard Association of the U.S. 82
- Nicholson, Donald 33
- Nixon, Pat 263
- Nixon, Richard 111, 123, 263
- Nolan, Mary 262
- O'Connell, W. Cardinal 122, 171
- Oldfield, Pearl 262
- Owen, Ruth B. 262
- Page, William Tyler 162, 188
- Paralyzed Veterans Association 29, 35, 39, 126, 243
- Paralyzed Veterans Research Foundation 23
- Pate, R. McC. 124
- Patterson, Robert P. 43
- Paulson, Norris 38
- Pearson, Drew 41, 121
- Pfost, Gracie 112, 262
- Powell, Rose Arnold 140
- Pratt, Ruth B. 262
- Rayburn, Sam 123
- Reiss Associates 107
- Republican National Committee 41, 199
- Rizley, Ross 37
- Rogers, John Jacob 2, 6, 189, 250, 305, 307; volumes 9, 10, 2o
- Romulo, Carlos P. 122, 123, 263
- Roosevelt, Eleanor 147, 263
- Roosevelt, Franklin D. 20, 263, 345f
- St. George, Katharine 262
- Saltonstall, Leverett 41, 56, 279
- Scott, Hugh 41
- Sheppard, Harry 34
- Smith, Margaret Chase 262
- State Service Commission of Mississippi 22
- Stefan, Karl 38
- Stettinius, Edward R., Jr. 123
- Sullivan, John L. 155
- Sullivan, Leonore K. 262
- Sumner, Jessie 262
- Taft, Robert A. 123
- Thompson, Ruth 262
- Thurmond, Strom 123
- Truman, Harry 43, 263
- United Spanish War Veterans 24-26, 29, 34, 121, 143
- United States Army Mothers 26
- United Veterans Hospital Organization 23
- Vandenberg, Arthur 264
- Van Zandt, James E. 124
- Veterans Collegiate Association 22
- Veterans' Administration 14, 16, 26, 29-32, 34, 36, 37, 45, 46, 47, 64, 103, 121, 126, 141
- Veterans of Foreign Wars 24-26, 29-31, 34, 37, 41, 56, 155, 168, 281
- Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary 41, 42
- Veterans of World War I 243, 281
- Wagner, Robert 264
- Weeks, Edward 69
- Weeks, John 3
- Widows World War I, Inc. 68
- Willkie, Wendell 264, 347+
- Woman Veteran 33
- Women Investors in America, Inc. 16
- Women's Army Corps 9, 148, 153, 155, 169, 312
- Women's Field Army 140, 168
- Women's Overseas Service League 14, 23, 38, 148
- Young Men's Christian Association 35
Processing Information
Processed: March 1974
By: Katherine Gray Kraft
- Anthony, Susan B. (Susan Brownell), 1820-1906
- Anti-communist movements
- Coolidge, Calvin, 1872-1933
- Daughters of the American Revolution
- Harding, Warren G. (Warren Gamaliel), 1865-1923
- Hoover, Herbert, 1874-1964
- Inter-American Conference on Problems of War and Peace (1945 : Mexico City, Mexico)
- Labor laws and legislation
- Lowell (Mass.)--Politics and government
- Massachusetts--Politics and government
- Nixon, Richard M. (Richard Milhous), 1913-1994
- Nurses
- Politicians
- Politics, Practical
- Speeches
- Taft, Robert A. (Robert Alphonso), 1889-1953
- United States. Veterans Administration
- Veterans--Medical care
- Women in war
- Women--Political activity
- World War, 1939-1945--Medical care
- World War, 1939-1945--Participation, Female
Creator
- Rogers, Edith Nourse, 1881-1960 (Person)
- Title
- Rogers, Edith Nourse, 1881-1960. Papers of Edith Nourse Rogers, 1854-1961 (inclusive), 1881-1961 (bulk): A Finding Aid
- Author
- Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America
- Language of description
- eng
- EAD ID
- sch00294
Repository Details
Part of the Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute Repository
The preeminent research library on the history of women in the United States, the Schlesinger Library documents women's lives from the past and present for the future. In addition to its traditional strengths in the history of feminisms, women’s health, and women’s activism, the Schlesinger collections document the intersectional workings of race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and class in American history.