Collection Summary
William Edward Dodd
Papers
1895-1955
(bulk 1900-1940)
1895-1955
(bulk 1900-1940)
MSS18697
Dodd, William Edward,
1869-1940
22,000
items
64 containers plus 1 oversize
25.4 linear feet
English
German
French
Collection material in
English and
German with
French
Manuscript Division, Library of
Congress
Washington, D.C.
Historian and diplomat.
Correspondence, diaries, speeches, writings, autobiographical notes, printed
matter, photographs, and other papers relating to Dodd's work as an author,
professor of history at the University of Chicago, and ambassador to
Germany.
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
Baker, Newton Diehl, 1871-1937--Correspondence.
Becker, Carl L. (Carl Lotus), 1873-1945--Correspondence.
Beveridge, Albert Jeremiah, 1862-1927--Correspondence.
Bowers, Claude Gernade, 1879-1958--Correspondence.
Brett, George P. (George Platt), 1858-1936--Correspondence.
Butler, Nicholas Murray, 1862-1947--Correspondence.
Daniels, Josephus, 1862-1948--Correspondence.
Dodd family--Correspondence.
Dodd, Martha Johns, -1938--Correspondence.
Dodd, Martha, 1908-1990--Correspondence.
Dodd, William E. (William Edward), 1869-1940.
House, Edward Mandell, 1858-1938--Correspondence.
Hull, Cordell, 1871-1955--Correspondence.
Moore, R. Walton (Robert Walton), 1859-1941--Correspondence.
Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945--Correspondence.
Roper, Daniel C. (Daniel Calhoun), 1867-1943--Correspondence.
Sandburg, Carl, 1878-1967. Carl Sandburg poetry drafts.
Schacht, Hjalmar Horace Greeley, 1877-1970--Correspondence.
Turner, Frederick Jackson, 1861-1932--Correspondence.
Organizations
University of Chicago.
Subjects
Diplomatic and consular service, American--Germany.
World politics--20th century.
Places
Chicago (Ill.)--Politics and government.
Europe--Description and travel.
Germany--Foreign relations--United States.
Illinois--Politics and government.
United States--Foreign relations--Germany.
United States--History.
United States--Politics and government--20th century.
Occupations
Diplomats.
Historians.
Provenance
The papers of William Edward Dodd, historian and diplomat, were
received by the Library as a deposit in 1945 and 1953 from Dodd's son, William
E. Dodd, Jr., and daughter, Martha Dodd Stern. Stern added further papers as
gifts in 1964, 1969, and 1972, and as a deposit in 1981. In 1965 the 1945
deposit was converted to a gift. Additional material came through gift and
purchase, 1952-1979. In 1989, the remainder of the collection was converted to
a gift.
Processing History
The papers of William Edward Dodd were arranged and described in
1963-1964. The collection was expanded and revised in 1979 and 1982. The
finding aid was revised again in 2011.
Copyright Status
The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of William Edward
Dodd is governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17,
U.S.C.).
Access and Restrictions
The papers of William Edward Dodd are open to research. Researchers
are advised to contact the Manuscript Reading Room prior to visiting. 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, William Edward Dodd Papers, Manuscript
Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Biographical Note
Date
Event
1869, Oct. 21
Born, Clayton, N.C.
1897
B.S. and M.S., Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg,
Va.
1899
Ph.D., University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
1901
Married Martha Johns
1900
1908
Professor of history, Randolph-Macon College, Ashland,
Va.
1908
1933
Professor of history, University of Chicago, Chicago,
Ill.
1933
1937
Ambassador to Germany
1934
President, American Historical Association
1938
1940
Returned and resided in the United States
1940, Feb. 9
Died, Round Hill, Va.
1941
Publication of
Ambassador Dodd's Diary, 1933-1937
. New
York: Harcourt, Brace and Co.
Scope and Content Note
The papers of William Edward Dodd (1869-1940) span the years 1895 to
1955, with the bulk of the material dating from 1900 to 1940. The papers are in
English and German with French and are organized in six series:
[
General
Correspondence
](gencor),
[
Speeches and
Writings
](speech),
[
Miscellany
](misc),
[
Family
Correspondence
](famcor),
[
Addition
](add),
and
[
Oversize
](ov).
Included are two pocket diaries from 1928 and 1931, articles, speeches, book
material, autobiographical notes relating to Dodd's life before 1930, a
correspondence file, much of it within the family, from 1895 until 1953 long
after his death, and letters written by Dodd during a trip to Europe,
1928-1929. The earlier papers relate to Dodd's work as an historian, author,
and citizen-scholar interested in local, state, national, and international
politics. The greater part of the papers concern Dodd's career as professor of
history at the University of Chicago and as ambassador to Germany.
Prominent correspondents include Newton Diehl Baker, Carl L. Becker,
Albert Jeremiah Beveridge, Claude Gernade Bowers, George P. Brett, Nicholas
Murray Butler, Josephus Daniels, Edward Mandell House, Cordell Hull, R. Walton
Moore, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Daniel C. Roper, Hjalmar Horace Greeley Schacht,
and Frederick Jackson Turner, as well as many other scholars and diplomatic
colleagues. Family correspondents include Dodd's wife, Martha Johns Dodd, and
their daughter, Martha Dodd (Stern).
Arrangement of the Papers
This collection is arranged in six series:
-
[
General
Correspondence, 1900-1953
](gencor)
-
[
Speeches and
Writings, 1911-1938
](speech)
-
[
Miscellany,
1928-1941
](misc)
-
[
Family
Correspondence, 1895-1953
](famcor)
-
[
Addition,
1929-1955
](add)
-
[
Oversize,
1935
](ov)
Catalog Record: [https://lccn.loc.gov/mm78018697]
Container List
Container
Contents
1-57
General Correspondence,
1900-1953
1900-1953
Correspondence.
Arranged chronologically by year and alphabetically therein.
1
1900-1903
2
1902-1904
3
1904-1905
4
1905-1907
5
1907
6
1907-1908
7
1909-1910
8
1910-1912
9
1912-1913
10
1913-1914
11
1914-1915
12
1916-1917
13
1918-1919
14
1919
14
A-S
15
T-Z
15
1920
15
A-Z
16
N-Z
16
1921
17
1921, Sept.-1922,
Apr.
17
1922
17
A-G
18
H-Z
18
1923
19
1923, Oct.-1925, Mar.
19
1924
19
A-Q
20
R-Z
20
1924, Oct.-1925, Mar.
20
1925
20
May-July
20
A-H
21
K-Z
21
Aug.-Sept.
21
Oct.-Dec.
21
A-L
22
M-Z
22
A-Z
22
1925, American Historical
Association program
22
1925
23
1926
24
1926
25
1927
25
Jan.-Apr.
25
A-H
26
K-Z
26
Apr.-July
27
July-Oct.
27
Oct.-Dec.
27
A-G
28
S-Z
28
1928, Jan.-May
29
1928
29
Jan.-Apr.
29
May-July
29
A-F
30
C-Z
30
July-Aug.
30
A-L
31
M-Z
31
1928-1929
31
Late 1928-early 1929, trip to
Europe
31
A-M
32
N-Z
32
1929-1930
33
1929-1930
34
1929-1930
35
1930
36
1930
36
1931
36
Mar. 16-May 1
36
A-O
37
A-C
38
D-Z
38
1931, Dec.-1932, May
38
A-O
39
P-Z
39
1932
40
1933
40
A-F
41
G-L
42
M-R
43
S-Z
43
1934
43
A-C
44
E-M
45
M-Z
46
1935
46
A-K
47
L-S
48
T-Z
48
1936
48
A-G
49
H-R
50
S-Z
50
1937
50
A-C
51
D-G
52
H-Z
53
1938
53
Jan.-Feb.
54
Jan.-Apr.
55
Mar.-July
56
July-Oct.
57
Sept.-Dec.
57
1939
57
Jan.-Apr.
57
A-D
58
E-Z
58
May-Nov.
58
1939-1953, undated
59-60
Speeches and Writings,
1911-1938
1911-1938
Writings by Dodd, including autobiographical notes, academic
articles and reviews, speeches, editorials, and book material.
Arranged chronologically by year and alphabetically by title
therein, with untitled items at the end.
59
Undated, autobiographical
notes
59
1911, "The Fight for the
Northwest, 1860," papers read before the American Historical Association, Dec.
30, 1910:
American Historical Review,
XVI, no. 4,
July 1911
July 1911
59
1925
59
"Little Men of Great Influence:
Lecture III, Robert Walker; Lecture IV, Theodore Roosevelt"
59
"When Washington Tried
Isolation,"
Arts and Sciences
59
1928, "Cross Currents in American
Politics," outline of Cincinnati, Ohio, speech, Jan. 27
59
1929, book review of
The Tragic Era
, by Claude Bowers
59
1932, "George Washington," Study
for Vanderbilt Lectures, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn., Feb.
22-23
59
1933
59
"Back to the Land?" editorial
59
"The Federal Constitution and
Its Application, 1789 to 1933"
59
"The Federal Constitution and
the Economic Effects of Its Administration"
59
"The First Stratified Society
in the United States," Munich, Germany,
Dec. 5
Dec. 5
59
"Frank Stringfellow,"
sketch
59
"German Contribution to
American Life," radio address,
Oct. 6
Oct. 6
59
"Greatest Blunder in Modern
History"
59
"Martin Luther," Berlin,
Germany,
Nov.19
Nov.19
59
"What Is the Matter with the
Country?"
59
"The Worse Economic Dilemma of
Modern History," editorial
59
"Preface" to book by Helmut
Magers,
Oct.
Oct.
59
Untitled dinner address,
June 23
June 23
59
1934
59
"A Troubled World," Bremen,
Germany,
Sept. 9
Sept. 9
59
"Subjects of Study," Berlin,
Germany,
June 26
June 26
59
"Woodrow Wilson,"
Encyclopaedia of the Social Sciences
59
Book review of
Woodrow Wilson
, by Edith Gittings
59
Untitled article for Griffin of
the
Chicago Tribune
,
May 16
May 16
59
1935
59
"Abraham Lincoln and His
Problem, 1861," Berlin, Germany,
June 14
June 14
59
"The International
Dilemma"
59
"The Problem of
Recovery"
59
"The Urgent Problems," Berlin,
Germany,
Nov. 28
Nov. 28
59
Untitled speeches,
June 4 and July 24
June 4 and July 24
59
1936
59
"The Problem of Modern
Civilization"
59
"On Wilson's 80th Birthday,"
New York Times
,
Dec. 27
Dec. 27
59
"The Struggle for Democracy,"
Chicago, Ill.,
July 7
July 7
59
"Thomas Jefferson," Berlin,
Germany,
Apr. 16
Apr. 16
59
Statements to radio and
press
59
Aug. 16, re: Olympic
Games
59
Nov. 4, re-election of
Franklin D. Roosevelt
59
Untitled radio speech, Berlin,
Germany,
Oct. 6
Oct. 6
59
Untitled speech brief,
Cleveland, Ohio,
July 22
July 22
59
1937
59
"Can Democracy Be Preserved?"
Williamstown, Mass.,
Sept. 3
Sept. 3
59
"The Dangerous Drift of
To-day," Washington & Lee University, Lexington, Va.,
Sept. 17
Sept. 17
59
"Do unto Others as You Would
Have Others Do unto You," Berlin, Germany,
May 30
May 30
59
"George Washington and the
American Union," Leipzig, Germany,
Dec. 16
Dec. 16
59
"The Unique Function of
Education in American Democracy"
59
"Von Steuben," Magdeburg,
Germany,
May 21
May 21
59
Untitled radio speech,
Williamstown, Mass.,
Sept. 3
Sept. 3
60
1938
60
"Arrival Message," New York,
Jan. 8
Jan. 8
60
"The New German Education"
60
"Racial-Religious Reforms in
Germany"
60
"The Threatening German
Dictatorship"
60
Undated
60
"Better Government,"
editorial
60
"The Curious German State"
60
"The Emergence of the First
Social Order in the United States"
60
"Henry White Davis, Embittered
Statesman"
60
"Karl Lamprecht and
Kulturgeschichte"
60
"Lessons of the Great War"
60
"The Place of Nathaniel Macon
in Southern History"
60
"Should Not the Majority
Govern?"
60
"The Status of Higher Education
in Virginia"
60
"The University and the
Public"
60
"Introduction" to William T.
Hutchinson's book
60
Untitled and miscellaneous
manuscripts
60-61
Miscellany,
1928-1941
1928-1941
Diaries, photographs, printed matter, and other material.
Arranged by type of material.
60
Reception and dinner lists,
1934-1937
1934-1937
(2
folders)
60
Listing of doctors of
philosophy
60
Printed matter,
1935-1938
1935-1938
61
Miscellaneous newspaper
clippings,
1928-1941
1928-1941
61
Photographs,
1936, undated
1936, undated
61
Diaries,
1928, 1931
1928, 1931
62-63
Family Correspondence,
1895-1953
1895-1953
Correspondence.
Arranged alphabetically by name of correspondent.
62
Dodd, David (brother),
1935-1937, undated
1935-1937, undated
62
Dodd, David, Jr. (nephew),
1937
1937
62
Dodd, Jay Hubbard
(daughter-in-law),
1952
1952
62
Dodd, Martha (daughter)
1926-1937
[
See Container 63, Stern, Martha Dodd](stern63)
1926-1937
62
Dodd, Martha Johns (wife),
1896-1938
1896-1938
(9
folders)
63
Dodd, Roscoe S. (cousin),
1937, Feb. 8-Aug. 10
1937, Feb. 8-Aug. 10
63
Dodd, Walter H.,
Dec. 5, 1933-Oct. 4, 1937
Dec. 5, 1933-Oct. 4, 1937
63
Dodd, William Edward, Jr. (son),
1932, Dec. 13-1952, Oct. 30,
undated
1932, Dec. 13-1952, Oct. 30,
undated
(6 folders)
63
Griffin, Annie Dodd (sister),
1933-1937
1933-1937
63
Haynes, Margaret Dodd (niece),
1934, Oct. 28
1934, Oct. 28
63
Horne, Herman H. (cousin),
1934, Apr.-1936, Dec.
1934, Apr.-1936, Dec.
63
Horne, Ida B. (cousin),
1934, Aug. 9-1936, Mar. 18
1934, Aug. 9-1936, Mar. 18
63
Johns, Clarence D.
(brother-in-law),
1936, Feb. 24-1937, May 15
1936, Feb. 24-1937, May 15
63
Johns, Eva (sister-in-law),
1895-1900
1895-1900
63
Stern, Alfred K. (son-in-law),
1952, July 31- Nov. 20
1952, July 31- Nov. 20
63
Stern, Martha Dodd
(daughter),
1926, Sept. 29-1937, July 25
1926, Sept. 29-1937, July 25
(3
folders)
63
Sturdivant, Evangeline J.
(niece),
1934-1935
1934-1935
64
Addition,
1901-1955
1901-1955
Correspondence, photographs, news clippings, and miscellany.
Arranged alphabetically by type of material with miscellany at the
end.
64
General correspondence,
1901-1955
1901-1955
(13
folders)
64
Writings file, poetry by Carl
Sandburg
64
Miscellany
64
Photographs
(2
folders)
64
Sketches
64
Clippings
64
Lock of hair (Carl
Sandburg)
64
Diploma of William E. Dodd,
Jr.,
1935
[
See Oversize
](diploma)
1935
OV 1
Oversize,
1935
1935
Diploma.
Described according to the series, container, and folder from
which the item was removed.
OV 1
Addition
OV 1
Miscellany
OV 1
Diploma of
William E. Dodd, Jr.,
1935
(Container 64)
1935