A. Willis Robertson Papers

Access and use

Location of collection:
College of William and Mary
Special Collections Research Center
Earl Gregg Swem Library
College of William and Mary
400 Landrum Drive
PO 8795
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
Contact for questions and access:
Phone: (757) 221-3090
Fax: (757) 221-5440
Restrictions:

Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.

Terms of access:

Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from the Manuscripts and Rare Books Librarian, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library. Series VII: Addressee Copies, 1944-1966, available only on microfilm.

Summary

Extent:
380.00 Boxes
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

This collection is housed off-site. At least 72 hours advanced notice is required for retrieval.

Papers, 1921-1967, of A. Willis Robertson, U. S. Congressman and Senator from Virginia. Chiefly his senatorial office files, 1946-1966. Robertson was a conservative Democrat, serving at the same time as Harry F. Byrd, Sr.

Subjects in the collection include national defense, agriculture, taxation, banking, government employees, the Moral Rearmament movement,anti-Communism, Vietnam, segregation, wildlife conservation, national parks, the humane slaughter of animals and the humane treatment of research animals. The papers were kept in the same order as they were in Robertson's office files. The legislative files consist of correspondence arranged by Congressional session. The miscellaneous subject files are arranged by year as are the invitations. The addressee copies which are Robertson's copies of letters sent to correspondents are indexed to the legislative files. They are arranged alphabetically by groups of years. The speech material is arranged by subject and contains background information on cities, counties and individuals within the commonwealth. The speech files are in chronological order. There are news releases in both the news release files and in the speech files.

A People magazine article about Pat Robertson, son of A. Willis Robertson, and a lawsuit over Pat Robertson's war record, dated March 14, 1988 is filed at the beginning of box 1.

Biographical / historical:

Absalom Willis Robertson was born in Martinsburg, Berkeley County, W. Va. 27 May 1887. He graduated from the University of Richmond where he also received his law degree. He practiced law in Rockbridge County, Va. He served in the Virginia State Senate, 1916-1922 and as an officer in the U. S. Army during World War I. He was the Commonwealth's Attorney for Rockbridge County and was named as Chairman of the Virginia Commission of Game and Inland Fisheries. Robertson was a Congressman from 1933 to 1946. He served in the United States Senate from 1946 to 1966. He was defeated in the Democratic primary of 1966 and died in 1971.

Acquisition information:
Gifts
Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into 15 series.

Physical / technical requirements:

Part or all of this collection is stored offsite. Consult a staff member for assistance.

Physical description:
200,000 Items