Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Stored off-site. Users must request boxes 48 hours in advance of desired use. Neither drop-in nor next-day requests can be fulfilled. For additional information, contact Special Collections.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

Papers of William   B  . Spong  , Accession #9838, Special Collections Dept., University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Acquisition Information

This collection was originally loaned to the University of Virginia Library on December 15, 1972, by Senator William   B  . Spong  , Jr., of Portsmouth, Virginia. The deposit was changed to a gift on November 17, 1988.

Biographical/Historical Information

Who's Who in America , 47 edition, 1992-1993, p. 3195, Vol. 2, L-Z. See also the guide to 9838- b   for additional information about Senator Spong  .

Scope and Content Information

This collection consists of ca. 291,000 items (194 cubic boxes; 2 card trays and 1 oversize folder; ca. 245 linear shelf feet) ca. 1965-1974, and contains papers pertaining to the political career of William   B  . Spong  , Jr. (1920- ) of Portsmouth, Virginia, in the United States Senate, including campaign material, legislative files, speeches and news releases, correspondence, daily carbons, printed material, photographs, casework files, reel-to-reel tape recordings, videotape, constituent correspondence, research material, and bound volumes.

Decisions concerning the processing and retention of individual files were made by the Curator based upon the recommendations in Records Management Handbook for United States Senators and Their Repositories by Karen Dawley Paul, Archivist Senate Historical Office.

The first and largest series contains legislative files and are arranged alphabetically according to the Senate Committee System of the [then]seventeen standing committees with a small section based on legislation generated by special, select, & joint committees. These standing committees include: Aeronautical and Space Sciences; Agriculture and Forestry; Appropriations; Armed Services; Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; Commerce; District of Columbia; Finance; Foreign Relations; Government Operations; Interior and Insular Affairs; Judiciary; Labor and Public Welfare; Post Office and Civil Service; Public Works; Rules and Administration; and Veteran's Affairs.

Spong   served on the following committees and subcommittees:

1967-1968
Committee on Banking & Currency: Subcommittees on International Finance, Production: Stabilization, Securities, Small Business.
Committee on the District of Columbia - Fiscal Affairs (Chairman).
Committee on Public Works: Subcommittees on Air & Water Pollution, Pubic Roads, Special Subcommittee on Economic Development.

1969-1970
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittees on Consumer Engergy: Natural Resources & the Environment, Merchant Marine.
Committee on the District of Columbia - Fiscal Affairs: Subcommittee on Public Health, Education, & Safety (Chairman).
Committee on Public Works: Subcommittees on Air & Water Pollution, Public Roads, Special Subcommittee on Economic Development.

1971-1972
Committee on Commerce: Subcommittees on Aviation, Consumer, Environment, Merchant Marine, Oceans & Atmosphere.
Committee on Foreign Relations: Subcommittees on European Affairs, Oceans: International Environment, Western Hemisphere Affairs.
Select Committee on Equal Education Opportunities.
Select Committee on Standards & Conduct.

Each committee has a file at the beginning with more general correspondence before the files with subheadings which warrant a separate folder. Many of the files with subheadings often have related and earlier material in the general files so it is best to also consult these to make sure no material pertaining to a research topic is missed. The legislative files contain a mixture of constituent correspondence, correspondence with fellow legislators and legislative research material and memoranda.

The second series consists of the federal files containing files pertaining to the various federal departments, agencies, boards, and commissions which make up the major components of the Executive Branch of the Government. This series contains a mixture of correspondence from representatives of government agencies, constituents, and other legislators. There are also two much smaller subseries of independent agencies of the Judicial Branch and the Legislative Branch, including the Supreme Court, Tax Court, General Accounting Office, Government Printing Office, Library of Congress, etc.

The third series contains general files pertaining to the state of Virginia, Virginia and national politics, administrative office files, files pertaining to public activities such as awards, chairmanships and memberships, public relations files, and campaign files for both 1966 and 1972 (for additional files on these campaigns see the guide for 9838- b  ). Lists of notable correspondents from several of these folders include:

National Politics: Spiro T. Agnew (1968 Dec 17); Daniel B  . Brewster (1968 Dec 4); W.C. "Dan" Daniel (1969 Jan 30); Thomas N. Downing (1969 Jan 22); Hubert H. Humphrey (1972 Jan 6); Lyndon B  . Johnson (1969 Jan 17); George McGovern (1969 Jan 17; 1971 Dec 23); Walter Mondale (1968 Oct 18); Frank E. Moss (1971 Jan 7); James R. Shepley, Time (1967 Dec 11).

National Politics - Committee Assignments: John O. Marsh, Jr. (1971 Feb 2); Jennings Randolph (1971 Feb 8); Stuart Symington (1971 Jan 30); Ambassador H.G. Torbert, Jr. (1971 Feb 12); and George M. Warren, Jr. (1971 Jan 26).

National Politics - Democratic Convention: William   M. Abbitt (1968 Jul 8); John B  . Criswell (1968 Apr 18); Abe Ribicoff (1968 Sep 9); and Stanley C. Walker (1968 Aug 9).

National Politics - Democratic Senatorial Committee: Bill Chappell (1969 Jul 11); Frank N. Hoffman, Executive Director (1969 Oct 1; 1971 Jun 11); and Daniel K. Inouye (1969 Mar 12).

National Politics - Hubert H. Humphrey: Muriel Humphrey (1968 Sep 16)

National Politics - 1968 Presidential Election: W.M. Abbitt, W.C. "Dan" Daniel, John O. Marsh, Jr., and Edmund S. Muskie (clipped together 1968 Nov 15); and Walter Mondale (1968 May 22).

Public Activities - Invitations Accepted: Henry Bellman (1971 Feb 4); Thomas J. Bliley, Jr. (1971 Jan 29); Harry F. Byrd, Jr. (1971 Feb 8, Apr 12); Clifford P. Case (1971 Jan 27); Lawton Chiles (1971 May 26); Frank Church (1971 Feb 12, 22); William   E. Fears (1972 Feb 12); Albert Gore (1971 Jul 22); Mark O. Hatfield (1971 May 4); Ernest F. Hollings (1971 Apr 28, Jul 29, Nov 4; 1972 Feb 10, 16); Harold C. Hughes (1971 May 21); Hubert H. Humphrey (1971 Nov 4); Daniel K. Inouye (1972 May 16); Henry M. Jackson (1971 Jan 27, Feb 19, Mar 10 & 29); Jacob K. Javits (1971 Nov 3); B  . Everett Jordan (1971 Jan 19; 1972 Apr 18); George N. McMath (1972 Feb 14); Warren G. Magnuson (1971 Feb 19); Mike Mansfield (1971 Mar 9); Admiral Tom H. Moorer (1972 Mar 21); Frank E. Moss (1971 May 13); Gaylord Nelson (1971 Mar 9); Bob Packwood (1971 Feb 4); Jennings Randolph (1972 Jun 19, 21); Abe Ribicoff (1971 Mar 12); Admiral H.G. Rickover (1971 Nov 3); David E. Satterfield III (1971 Mar 18; 1972 May 8); William   B  . Scott (1971 Jun 10); Stuart Symington (1971 Nov 30); Daniel G. Van Clief (1971 Jul 16); G. William   Whitehurst (1971 Sep 3).

Public Activities - Speakers: Edward W. Brooke (1968 Feb 21); John H. Chafee (1969 Apr 7); Alan A. Diamonstein (1969 Apr 7); Albert Gore (1968 May 15); Hubert H. Humphrey (1970 Mar 5); Walter F. Mondale (1968 Apr 18); Dean Rusk (1970 Feb 8); Stuart Symington (1969 Feb 10); Stewart L. Udall (1968 Feb 19); John A. Volpe (1969 Mar 7, attached to Mar 18); G. William   Whitehurst (1970 Mar 16).

Public Relations - Speeches includes press/news releases, statements, excerpts from The Congressional Record , texts of Spong's   speeches, announcements, and interviews. For an alphabetical index to the topics of Spong's   speeches by year see Box 195.

State Politics includes: W.M. Abbitt (1970 Nov 5); George S. Aldhizer II (1972 Jan 13);George E. Allen, Jr. (1969 Jul 24); Carl E. Bain (1972 Jan 12); Robert F. Baldwin (1967 Aug 9); Armistead Boothe (1968 Dec 9); Adelard L. Brault (1968 Feb 7); Thomas P. Bryan (1969 Jul 24); C. William   Cleaton (1971 Feb 12); John Warren Cooke (1972 Jan 12); W.C. "Dan" Daniel (1970 Nov 6); Thomas N. Downing (1970 Nov 5); William   B  . Dudley (1972 Jan 13); William   R. Durland (1967 Nov 22); financial disclosure (1970 scattered); Marion G. Galland (1969 Mar 11); Joseph V. Gartlan, Jr. (1972 Jan 13); Duncan C. Gibb (1972 Jan 13); Mills E. Godwin (1967 Oct 10); Edward M. Holland (1972 Jan 13); Linwood Holton (1970 Mar 25); Flournoy L. Largent, Jr. (1970 Nov 27); George N. McMath (1972 Jan 12); J. Harry Michael, Jr. (1972 Feb 9); Andrew P. Miller (1967 Mar 8, Aug 24); Francis Pickens Miller (1968 Feb 15); Herbert N. Morgan (1972 Jan 13); Philip B  . Morris (1972 Jan 12); Lucas D. Phillips (1969 Jul 23); Richard H. Poff (1972 Jan 12); William   V. Rawlings (1968 Feb 5, 27); J. Sargent Reynolds (1969 Jul 24); Arthur H. Richardson (1969 Jul 25); J. Kenneth Robinson (1970 Nov 9); George Green Shackelford (analysis of the upcoming 1969 Governor's Race, 1967 Sep 28); Adlai E. Stevenson III (1970 Nov 11); David A. Sutherland (1972 Jan 13); William   Carrington Thompson (1968 Jan 18); Lawrence Douglas Wilder (1969 Dec 5); Carrington Williams (1969 Dec 2); Murat W. Williams (1968 Dec 10).

The last group of files in the third series is entitled " VIP Correspondence ." This designation was created by the staff of Special Collections to preserve letters from notable correspondents in files not otherwise deemed of permanent historical value and was not part of the original arrangement. These letters were culled from files such as courtesy, congratulations, gifts, greetings, and requests. For lists of these correspondents please see the folder listing for Cubic 162 at the end of the guide. The term "notable correspondent" in this case was limited to those individuals chiefly involved with politics and government.

Daily carbons ("yellows") of the correspondence of Senator Spong's   office comprises the fourth series of files, arranged alphabetically by name of correspondent by the years 1967- 1970, 1971, and 1972. The last and fifth series consists of such miscellaneous material as reel-to-reel tape recordings, video tape, oversize items, and two boxes of 5 x 8 index card files. One box of 5 x 8 cards is the alphabetical by year topical index to Spong's   speeches, statements, and press releases, which are arranged in chronological order under the heading Public Relations - Speeches in the third series. The other box of cards appears to be an index to legislation and amendments introduced in Congress during 1974-1976.

Organization

The collection is arranged in five series based upon the original order imposed by Spong's   office staff with the addition of two series at the end for the daily carbons and miscellaneous materials. The folders are generally in reverse chronological order except for the speeches and press releases in the General Series. The Ivystax box numbers are included in the folder listing with the box numbers. The series are:

Series I: Legislative Files (Boxes 1-90) including:
Senate Special, Select, & Joint Committees (Boxes 89-90)
Legislative Bills & Summaries (Box 90)

Series II: Federal Files
Subseries A: Executive Branch (Boxes 91-131)
Subseries B  : Judicial Branch (Box 132)
Subseries C: Legislative Branch (Box 132)
Subseries D: Casework Files (Boxes 132- 139)

Series III: General Files (Boxes 140-162)

Series IV: Daily Carbons ["Yellows"] (Boxes 162-194)

Series V: Miscellaneous Material (Boxes 195-196)