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Stuart F. Feldman papers
The Stuart F. Feldman papers date from 1937 to 2011 and includes writings, correspondence, printed matter, typed and handwritten notes, pamphlets, a few photographs, and one audio tape. The collection documents Feldman’s professional career from his years as a consultant in Washington, D. C. to his...
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| Main Author: | |
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| Collection: | Stuart F. Feldman Papers |
| Collection Number: | 3741 |
| Format: | Manuscript |
| Language: | English |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Link to finding aid |
| Item Description: |
Processing Information: Because Feldman constantly referred to his past work throughout his career and made many photocopies of his articles, writings, and source materials, there is considerable overlap between papers in all three series of this collection. Though some initial weeding of duplicates was completed, they could not all be culled and discarded due to time restraints, and many duplicate papers remain in the collection.
Included with the collection but not inventoried is an old computer hard drive, which is restricted from use. Once its contents can be accessed, any material that can be made available from it will be added to the collection. |
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| Physical Description: |
34.8 Linear feet ; 88 boxes, 2 volumes |
| Access: |
The collection is open for research. |
| Summary: |
The Stuart F. Feldman papers date from 1937 to 2011 and includes writings, correspondence, printed matter, typed and handwritten notes, pamphlets, a few photographs, and one audio tape. The collection documents Feldman’s professional career from his years as a consultant in Washington, D. C. to his turn towards legal and socially minded work in Philadelphia. The collection is a rich resource for those studying twentieth century history generally, and in particular, the plight of veterans after the Vietnam War, the history of Philadelphia's National Constitution Center, and the creation of national memorials such as the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, D. C. While the papers provide in-depth coverage of Feldman's many jobs, there is little in the collection that documents his personal life save for some scattered correspondence and a short series of daily journals (Box 86, folders 1-2). The collection is arranged into rough chronological order and there may be duplicate copies of some material throughout the collection.
The collection has been divided into three series, two of which have been divided further into multiple subseries. The first series, Washington, D. C. papers, includes records on Feldman's initiatives for Vietnam veterans, his work with CSX Railroad, as well as his essays, writings, and proposals for a television sitcom and a Harry S. Truman television documentary series. Notable items in this series include papers related to the G.I. Bill education benefits for Vietnam veterans, specifically the “Hope for Education” initiative (Box 6, Folder 6) and the split-jobs and employment programs (Box 4, Folder 5 and Box 5, Folders 1-5), as Feldman played an instrumental role in pushing for these programs.
The second series, Philadelphia papers, contains material relating to Feldman’s work in and writings about the Philadelphia area. These materials include correspondence, articles, essays, notes, and notes that cover Feldman's involvement with the National Constitution Center, the Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial, and G.I. Bill Alumni Association. This series also contains papers on Feldman's role as a lobbyist and his participate in electoral policies, including the 2008 Democratic presidential campaign, elections and lobbying. There are also items on education and miscellaneous local and national issues.
Both the first and second series contains assortments of printed matter and miscellaneous papers. Some of these materials have only been roughly sorted and there may be some overlap between materials in each series.
The third and final series, Writings, highlights Feldman's aptitude for putting his thoughts on any number of topics on paper, whether for professional articles and op-ed pieces or for personal reflection and contemplation. This series contains various drafts and copies of Feldman’s prolific essays and proposals, as well as numerous journals and notebooks he kept throughout his career and planning material for a manuscript titled "Why Doesn't Somebody Do Something?" about his role in securing benefits for Vietnam veterans during the 1960s and 1970s.
Stuart F. Feldman (1937-2010) was a lawyer, author, consultant, and independent advocate who was active in a wide variety of civic and cultural programs and projects. Initiatives that he proposed and successfully spearheaded included creation of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia; legislation that made billions of dollars available to Vietnam veterans for education, counseling, and jobs; and the Martin Luther King Memorial in Washington, DC. Mr. Feldman worked for the Securities and Exchange Commission (1961-1963), Appalachian Regional Commission (1965-1967), Department of Transportation (1967-1969), U.S. Conference of Mayors (1969-1979), and as senior vice president of the National Constitution Center (1994-1997), among other positions. Born in Philadelphia, he graduated from Cheltenham High School and received a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Pennsylvania, 1958, and a doctoral degree from Penn’s Law School, 1961. The Stuart F. Feldman Papers include subject files, correspondence, minutes, typed and handwritten notes, reports, clippings, pamphlets, and other items. The papers provide substantial documentation of Feldman’s ideas and work, both public and behind the scenes, across a wide variety of topics and over several decades. Most of the material concerns Feldman’s professional activities but there are also a few typed journal entries and scattered letters that discuss his personal life. |