Robert Clark papers

Access and use

Location of collection:
George Mason University
2400 Fenwick Library
Special Collections Research Center
Fenwick Library MS2FL
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA 22030
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Mieko Palazzo
Phone: (703) 993-2220
Fax: (703) 993-2669
Restrictions:

There are no access restrictions.

Terms of access:

There are no restrictions on personal use. Permission to publish material from the Robert Clark Papers must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.

Preferred citation:

Robert Clark Papers, C0292, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.

Summary

Extent:
7.5 linear ft.
Creator:
Clark, Robert, 1922-2015
Abstract:
Articles and papers from Robert Clark's life and time working at ABC News.
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Robert Clark Papers, C0292, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.

Background

Scope and content:

Series 1: JFK assassination, 1959-2005 contains articles and on-air drafts regarding the JFK assassination and the 25th anniversary of the event. There are reports of the assassination by the Review Board, autopsy reports, investigative reports, statements, and assassination theories. Included is also a binder filled with articles and reports about Kennedy's campaign and the election coverage for ABC News.

Series 2: Politics, 1950s-2004 contains articles, correspondence and on-air drafts about politicians. These include Kennedy family members, Eisenhower, Reagan, Nixon, George H.W.Bush, Billy Graham, and others.

Series 3: Foreign relations, 1965-1999 has articles and on-air drafts on topics such as Iran-Contra, relations with Cuba, Japan, Israel, Korea, India, Soviet Union, Africa and Pakistan.

Series 4: Domestic issues, 1948-1999 has articles and commentary on domestic issues such as women's rights, Medicare, religion, homosexuality, and social security.

Series 5: Personal files: 1940s-1989 has some papers written by Clark while he was a student in the 1940s as well as other materials from his life, a duplicate manuscript, and his personal correspondence.

Series 6: ABC files, 1957-1993 contains most of the drafts Clark wrote for ABC that cover a variety of topics. This series has press messages and articles, drafts from on-air commentary for ABC from the 1960s to the 1990s, perspectives written for ABC, "Issues and Answers" for ABC, negative images of the White House from 1956, radio scripts, drafts from C-SPAN shows (1990s), and interviews.

Biographical / historical:

Robert (Bob) Clark was born in May 1922 in Omaha, Nebraska. He received a B.S. and M.A. while studying journalism and politics. He went on to become a Washington and White House correspondent for ABC News throughout the 1950s and 1970s, but continued to work for ABC until the 1990s. Most notably, he covered the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Robert Kennedy. He was a witness to both assassinations. Later in his life, around the 1990s, he was a guest commentator on C-SPAN. Bob Clark passed away in December 2015.

Acquisition information:
Donated by Douglas and Sandra First on October 7, 2016.
Processing information:

Processing completed by Brittney Falter in November 2016. EAD markup completed by Brittney Falter in December 2016.

Arrangement:

Organized into six series by subject. Doug First arranged the materials before donating them to SCRC.

  1. Series 1: JFK assassination, 1959-2005 (Boxes 1-4)
  2. Series 2: Politics, 1950s-2004 (Boxes 5-9)
  3. Series 3: Foreign relations, 1965-1999 (Box 9)
  4. Series 4: Domestic issues, 1948-1999 (Box 10)
  5. Series 5: Personal files, 1940s-1989 (Box 10)
  6. Series 6: ABC files, 1957-1993 (Boxes 11-19)
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard