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Henry R. Luce papers

Call Number

MS 3014

Date

1894-2004 (bulk, 1932-1967), inclusive

Creator

Grover, Allen, 1900-1993
Time, inc.
Luce, Clare Boothe, 1903-1987

Extent

101.2 Linear feet in 205 boxes of various sizes and 13 folders with oversize materials.

Language of Materials

Material is predominantly in English. Some materials are in Italian, French, Chinese, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and Finnish.

Abstract

The Henry R. Luce papers include documents related to Luce's personal and professional life and highlight his legacy as a major publisher and an active participant in the public affairs of the 20th century. Files with correspondence, memoranda and printed materials from and about publishers, members of the clergy, politicians, businessmen, editors, journalists, syndicated columnists, ambassadors, military officers and generals, foreign dignitaries and other individuals make up a large portion of the collection. In addition there are original drafts and final versions of articles and speeches; letters to his parents and siblings; trip files; reel audio tape recordings; financial files; and photographs. There are also Time Inc. memoranda dealing with editorial policy, personnel, management, and publishing. Some of the records are those of Clare Boothe Luce, the wife of HRL, and Allen Grover, HRL's personal assistant. Subjects frequently addressed include international relations, Communism, the rule of law, Luce's vision for the United States, the mission of the press, China, economics, and private enterprise.

Administrative History

Henry R. Luce (hereafter HRL) directed that all his files before 1933 be thrown out when his new secretary, Corinne Thrasher, arrived and found them unmanageable, leaving a relatively small number of records in his papers prior to the 1930s. Upon his death in 1967, HRL's remaining files and those of his personal assistants were reviewed item by item and divided into records classified as personal and business. Records classified as business became part of the Time Inc. archives while those considered personal became part of the Henry R. Luce papers. In the initial division the personal papers included correspondence pertaining to HRL's outside interests and activities, family correspondence and personal correspondence with outsiders, as well as photographs and financial records. Some of his files during the division were given to the Library of Congress with copies of the more prominent records retained in his papers. The arrangement of the papers was partially determined by the needs of Robert Elson who was given the task of writing a corporate history of Time Inc. Between 1967 and early 2000s additional materials were added to the collection.

(The above note was based on information found in Series I, folder "Files and Personal Papers of HRL.")

Biographical Note

Henry Robinson Luce (hereafter HRL) was born on 3 April 1898 in Tengchow (currently Penglai), China to Presbyterian missionaries Reverend Dr. Henry Winters Luce (1868-1941) and Elizabeth Middleton Luce (1870-1948). HRL spent the first 14 years of his life in China, apart from a visit to the United States in 1906-1907. He attended Chefoo School, a British run preparatory institution in northern China. In 1912, when he was 14, HRL travelled to England to briefly study in St. Albans School, before returning to the U.S. and entering the Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut the following year.

In 1916 HRL began attending Yale University where he served as managing editor of the Yale Daily News and actively contributed to other university publications. A member of the Yale ROTC Field Artillery Unit, he left college to train army recruits during World War I and was discharged as Second Lieutenant at the end of 1918. Returning to Yale, he graduated in 1920.

Following graduation, HRL spent a year studying history at Oxford University, coming back to the United States in 1921 to take a job as a cub reporter at the Chicago Daily News and then the Baltimore News. HRL quit his job in 1922 to concentrate on the creation of a "news-magazine" with Briton Hadden, a classmate from Hotchkiss and Yale. Together they formed the company Time Incorporated (later changed to Time Inc.) and published the first issue of their magazine, TIME, in New York in 1923.

On 22 December 1923 HRL married Lila Ross Hotz (1899-1999), the couple having two sons: Henry Luce III in 1925 and Peter Paul Luce in 1928. After briefly moving to live in Cleveland, Ohio in 1925, along with the publishing operations of TIME, HRL moved back to New York in 1927. Following Hadden's death in 1929, HRL became the sole head of Time Inc., launching additional ventures throughout the 1930s, including FORTUNE in 1930, THE MARCH OF TIME radio series in 1931 (and short film series in 1935), and LIFE in 1936. HRL divorced Lila Hotz in 1935, marrying Clare Boothe Brokaw (1903-1987), a playwright and former managing editor of Vanity Fair, the same year.

As a prominent publisher, HRL corresponded with a large number of individuals, including politicians, educators, and businessmen. He traveled extensively, both nationally and internationally, and was frequently invited to speak before professional, academic and church groups. In the early years of World War II, as a member of the Century Group, HRL advocated providing assistance to Great Britain, envisioning an expanded global role for the United States after the conclusion of the war. His vision was laid out in his best known article "The American Century," published in LIFE in 1941.

HRL's increasing interest in politics and world affairs led to his involvement in the 1940 presidential campaign where he served as one of the driving forces promoting the candidacy of Wendell Willkie, the Republican running against Franklin D. Roosevelt. He also led a concerted campaign to provide aid to China under the aegis of the United China Relief. After the war, HRL travelled extensively throughout Europe, Asia and the Middle East, advocating a tough stance against Communism. As a potent force in the Republican Party, HRL and his wife were early supporters of Dwight D. Eisenhower's candidacy for the presidency in 1952 and after the election, Clare Boothe Luce was appointed ambassador to Italy. As a result, HRL opened an office in Rome, splitting his time between Italy and the United States from 1953-1956. In 1954 he launched SPORTS ILLUSTRATED.

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, in addition to his work at Time Inc, HRL was continuously involved in various charities related to the Presbyterian Church, Yale, and China, in addition to being a director, trustee, member, and sponsor of a large number of organizations. Becoming convinced that peace in the world could only be achieved by following the rule of law, he became a strong advocate for that concept. After marking the 40th anniversary of TIME in 1963, he retired from Time Inc. the following year. HRL continued to lecture and travel, as well as staying up-to-date with matters related to Time Inc. after his retirement until his death on 28 February 1967 in Phoenix, Arizona.

(The above note was based on various sources including, among others, Robert T. Elson, Time Inc: The Intimate History of a Publishing Enterprise, 1923-1941; Robert T. Elson,The World of Time Inc: The Intimate History of a Publishing Enterprise, 1941-1960; Curtis Prendergast and Geoffrey Colvin, The World of Time Inc: The Intimate History of a Publishing Enterprise, 1960-1980; Alan Brinkley, The Publisher: Henry Luce and His American Century; and documents in the collection.)

Arrangement Note

Overall Organization

The collection is organized in the following series:

Series I. Biographical and Subject Files, 1916-2004 (bulk, 1930-1967)

Series II. Speeches and Writings, 1916-1967 (bulk, 1930-1966)

Series III. Notable Memoranda, 1931-1967

Series IV. Family Correspondence and School Records, 1898-1973 (bulk, 1898-1948)

Series V. Subject Name Files, 1894-1995 (bulk 1933-1967)

Series VI. Allen Grover Files, 1933-1961 (bulk 1938-1959)

Series VII. Clare Boothe Luce Subject Files, circa 1925?-1995 (bulk 1935-1975)

Series VIII. Financial Files, 1933-1963

Series IX. Photographs, circa 1897?-2001 (bulk 1900-1967)

Specific Notes

With minor exceptions, the collection follows original order with most of the original folder titles having been retained.

The term "includes," when used at the file level, indicates that the item(s) mentioned are just some of the things found in the indicated folder. The term "contains," when used at the file level, indicates that the item(s) described constitute the entire content of the indicated folder.

Box numbers prefaced with "RC" indicate a record carton and those prefaced with "FF" indicate flat files.

Scope and Contents Note

The Henry R. Luce (hereafter HRL) papers include documents related to HRL's personal and professional life and which highlight his legacy as a major publisher and an active participant in public affairs of the 20th century. The collection includes extensive files with correspondence, memoranda and printed materials from and about publishers, members of the clergy, politicians, businessmen, editors, journalists, correspondents, ambassadors, officers and generals, judges, professors, college and university presidents, civil servants, foreign dignitaries, staff members of Time Inc., artists, writers, actors, movie producers and directors, lawyers, missionaries, friends of the Luce family from China and the United States, HRL's former schoolmates and professors, individuals HRL met while traveling, and various others.

In addition there are original drafts and finished versions of articles and speeches given at college convocations and commencements; Time Inc. anniversaries, lunches, and meetings; on radio stations; at award ceremonies; as interviews and testimony; and in front of various religious, civic, business, and professional groups. The articles include those written for LIFE, TIME, FORTUNE, and as book forewords. Of note are original letters written by HRL to his parents and siblings as a young man while living in China, traveling, and while attending school at Hotchkiss, Yale, and Chefoo.

There are also extensive domestic and international trip files; original awards given to HRL; reel audio tape recordings; correspondence, reports, and printed materials received from organizations and institutions HRL was involved with; checkbooks, bank statements, and other financial files; a large number of photographs of HRL as a child, with family members, working, relaxing, attending events, traveling, and with prominent individuals; and internal memoranda dealing with personnel, management, publishing and other issues involving Time Inc.

Subjects frequently found in HRL's speeches, articles, correspondence, and memoranda include international relations and world affairs, Communism and the Cold War, the rule of law and world peace through law, United States politics, public policy, his vision for the United States, the challenges and issues confronting the United States, the mission of the press, Asia and China, economics, religion, private enterprise, and World War II.

Some of the records are those of Clare Boothe Luce and consists primarily of her financial records, clippings, photographs, and subject files. Also included in the collection are records of Allen Grover, a longtime personal assistant to HRL and Vice President at Time Inc. These deal with his activities managing the personal and professional affairs of HRL, Clare Boothe Luce, and other members of the Luce family, as well as those of Time Inc.

Access Restrictions

Open to qualified researchers. Some materials (RC Box 1-18) are stored offsite and advance notice is required for use.

Use Restrictions

Taking images of documents from the library collections for reference purposes by using hand-held cameras and in accordance with the library's photography guidelines is encouraged. As an alternative, patrons may request up to 20 images per day from staff.Application to use images from this collection for publication should be made in writing to: Department of Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5194, rightsandrepro@nyhistory.org.Phone: (212) 873-3400 ext. 282.Copyrights and other proprietary rights may subsist in individuals and entities other than the New-York Historical Society, in which case the patron is responsible for securing permission from those parties. For fuller information about rights and reproductions from N-YHS visit: https://www.nyhistory.org/about/rights-reproductions

Preferred Citation

This collection should be cited as the Henry R. Luce papers, MS 3014, New-York Historical Society.

Location of Materials

Some materials (RC Box 1-18) are stored offsite and advance notice is required for use. Please contact manuscripts@nyhistory.org prior to your research visit to coordinate access. Keep in mind that it will take between two (2) and five (5) business days for collections to arrive, and you should plan your research accordingly.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift received with the records of Time Inc. in 2015.

Related Archival Materials Note

For related materials at the New-York Historical Society please see the Guide to the Time Inc. Records (MS 3009).

Some of Luce's papers are located in the Library of Congress as the Henry Robinson Lucepapers,1917-1967(MSS30767).

Related records may also be found at the Library of Congress in the Clare Boothe Lucepapers,1862-1997(MSS30759).

Collection processed by

Aleksandr Gelfand

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-08-21 15:51:34 -0400.
Using Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language: Description is in English

Processing Information Note

The collection was processed by Project Archivist Aleksandr Gelfand in 2018.

Processing Information Note

With minor exceptions, the collection follows original order with most of the original folder titles having been retained.

The term "includes," when used at the file level, indicates that the item(s) mentioned are just some of the things found in the indicated folder. The term "contains," when used at the file level, indicates that the item(s) described constitute the entire content of the indicated folder.

Box numbers prefaced with "RC" indicate a record carton and those prefaced with "FF" indicate flat files.

Repository

New-York Historical Society
New-York Historical Society
170 Central Park West
New York, NY 10024