Political Collection

Introduction

Politics and popular culture are a dynamic duo, often intersecting one another whether they mean to or not. It’s hard to imagine a show such as Saturday Night Live ever becoming the institution that it is today without its political commentary or Ronald Reagan achieving the highest office in the United States without his career in film and being the host of General Electric Theater. The call and response between these two are undeniable and it is important to look at this interplay.

Scope and Content

The Political Collection is comprised of newsletters, pamphlets, booklets, transcripts, press kits, and various forms of realia primarily pertaining to American political figures, movements, and causes. The items contained within this collection date as far back as 1892, with a heavy focus on the 1960s and 1970s. This finding aid was prepared by Brian Collins, Library Volunteer, and Dana Nemeth, Reference Archivist, in January 2020.

Collection Description

Subject Files: Presidential Candidates & Political figures, 1923-1996 (1 linear foot)

Boxes 1-2 are organized alphabetically by the name of the candidate/political figure.

Subject Files: Political Organizations & Movements, 1908-1995 (.5 linear foot)

Box 3 is arranged alphabetically by the name of the organization or movement. One such movement is the Students for a Democratic Society. These items are organized between national chapters and chapters located in Ohio and Michigan.

Realia, 1892, 1950s-2016 (4 linear feet)

The realia, both 2D and 3D, in this collection (boxes 4-8) is rather wide-ranging. Everything from commemorative presidential inauguration medals, action figures, political party paraphernalia, to presidential biographical information dials can be found here. The tone of these items varies, too, alternating between the serious and the satirical.

Inventory