Collection Summary
Dagmar S. Hamilton Correspondence 1969-1978
(bulk 1970-1973)
1969-1978
(bulk 1970-1973)
MSS85942
Hamilton, Dagmar S.
600 items
3 containers
1 linear foot
English
Collection material in English
Manuscript Division, Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
Lawyer and educator. Chiefly
correspondence to Hamilton from Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas pertaining to
her work in assisting Douglas in writing and editing several books. The letters also
reflect their close friendship and contain insights from Douglas about the business of
the Supreme Court.
Selected Search Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the LC Catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically.
People
Douglas, Cathleen, 1943- --Correspondence.
Douglas, William O. (William Orville), 1898-1980--Correspondence.
Douglas, William O. (William Orville), 1898-1980--Impeachment.
Douglas, William O. (William Orville), 1898-1980.
Douglas, William O. (William Orville), 1898-1980. Go East, young man, the early years : the autobiography of William O. Douglas. 1974.
Douglas, William O. (William Orville), 1898-1980. Holocaust or hemispheric co-op: cross currents in Latin America. 1971.
Douglas, William O. (William Orville), 1898-1980. International dissent: six steps toward world peace. 1971.
Douglas, William O. (William Orville), 1898-1980. Points of rebellion. 1970.
Douglas, William O. (William Orville), 1898-1980. The court years, 1939-1975: the autobiography of William O. Douglas. 1980.
Hamilton, Dagmar S.
Hamilton, Meredith--Correspondence.
Organizations
United States. Supreme Court.
Subjects
Conservation of natural resources.
Constitutional law--United States.
Law--United States.
Presidents--United States--Election--1972.
Pro-life movement--Ohio--Cleveland.
Places
United States--Politics and government--1945-1989.
Titles
Dagmar S. Hamilton papers
Pentagon Papers.
Occupations
Educators.
Lawyers.
Provenance
The correspondence of Dagmar S. Hamilton, lawyer and educator, were purchased by the
Library of Congress in 2014.
Related Material
A related collection in the Manuscript Division is the [William O. Douglas Papers] .
Copyright Status
The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of Dagmar S. Hamilton is
governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.).
Access and Restrictions
Restrictions apply governing the use, photoduplication, or publication of items in
this collection. Consult reference staff in the Manuscript Division for information
concerning these restrictions. In addition, many collections are stored off-site and
advance notice is needed to retrieve these items for research use.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information:
Container number, Dagmar S. Hamilton Correspondence, Manuscript Division, Library of
Congress, Washington, D.C.
Biographical Note
Date
Event
1932, Jan. 10
Born, Philadelphia, Pa.
1953
A. B., Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pa.
1953
1955
J.D., University of Chicago Law School, Chicago, Ill.
1961
J. D., American University, Washington, D.C.
1962
1973
Editor and researcher for Justice William O. Douglas, United States Supreme
Court
1965
1966
Attorney, Civil Rights Division, United States Justice Department, Washington,
D.C.
1966
1971
Assistant instructor, University of Texas, Austin, Tex.
1971
1972
Lecturer, law school of the University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz.
1972
1973
Editor and researcher for the autobiography of Justice William O. Douglas for
Random House
1973
1974
Staff counsel, Judiciary Committee, United States House of Representatives, in
the impeachment inquiry of President Richard M. Nixon
1974
1977
Assistant professor, Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, University of
Texas, Austin, Tex.
1975
1976
Editor and researcher for Justice William O. Douglas, United States Supreme
Court
1977
1983
Associate professor, University of Texas, Austin, Tex.
1983
1987
Associate dean, University of Texas, Austin, Tex.
1983
2006
Professor, University of Texas, Austin, Tex.
2007
Professor emeritus, University of Texas, Austin, Tex.
Scope and Content Note
The correspondence of Dagmar Strandberg Hamilton (1932- ) spans the years 1969-1978,
with the bulk of the material dating from 1970 to 1973. The papers are in English.
The majority of the Dagmar S. Hamilton correspondence consists of letters to Hamilton
from William O. Douglas, associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
Hamilton assisted Douglas in writing several of his books including
International
Dissent: Six Steps Toward World Peace
,
Points of Rebellion
,
Holocaust or Hemispheric Co-Op: Crosscurrents in Latin America
,
Go East, Young Man, The Early Years: The Autobiography of William O.
Douglas
, and
The Court Years, 1939-1975: The Autobiography of William
O. Douglas
, which are treated in this correspondence. The letters document
both the professional and the close personal relationship between Hamilton and Douglas.
The two shared an interest in environmental issues that is chronicled in the
correspondence. Douglas often sent Hamilton newspaper clippings, pages from the
Congressional Record
, and other documents relating to environmental
matters. Other topics treated are the attempt to impeach Douglas by members in the House
of Representatives in 1970, the presidential campaign of 1972, references to Court
decisions such as the Pentagon Papers case (letters of 20 June 1971 and 27 June 1971),
and Douglas’s frustration with the assignment of opinions by Chief Justice Warren Burger
in 1972, and his increasing workload because he had to write more dissenting opinions.
The letters also include descriptions of Douglas’s speaking engagements, including an
account of being heckled by anti-abortion protesters in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1973, and
his struggles with his health during his tenure on the Court.
The collection also includes two letters from Douglas to Hamilton's daughter, Meredith,
a few notes from Douglas’s secretaries, and a letter from Cathy Douglas in January 1975,
after Douglas suffered a debilitating stroke. Also included in the files are notes by
Hamilton relating to her editorial work for Douglas and a page of detailed notes
chronicling her trip to see Douglas in Washington, D.C., in May 1971.
Arrangement of the Papers
This collection is arranged chronologically.
Container List
Container
Contents
X 1
1969-1970
1969-1970
(20 folders)
X 2
1971
1971
(14 folders)
X 2
1972
1972
X 2
Jan.-May
Jan.-May
(8 folders)
X 3
June-Dec.
June-Dec.
(6 folders)
X 3
1973-1978, undated
1973-1978, undated
(7 folders)