Sidney Hertzberg papers, 1924-1984.

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Creator

Hertzberg, Sidney.

Location

Manuscripts and Archives Division

Extent

• 35.5 linear feet (70 boxes)

Access Restrictions

Restricted access; Manuscripts and Archives Division; Permit must be requested at the division indicated. Audiovisual Materials in Series VIII are unavailable for use pending preservation treatment, as of February 2000.

Scope/Contents Notes

The Sidney Hertzberg Papers contain correspondence, organizational records, research notes, writings, printed ephemera and audio-visual materials that document Hertzberg's career as editor, journalist, writer and publicist.

Correspondence and organizational files chronicle Hertzberg's work as reporter and editor for such publications as Common Sense, Current, and The Hindustan Times; his publicity work on behalf of such organizations as the Socialist Party, the Liberal Party of New York State, the India League of America, the United Nations Appeal for Children and CARE; his role as special consultant to Hubert H. Humphrey during the 1968 presidential election campaign; and his longstanding interest in Indian affairs. Research notes, drafts of articles, galley proofs and book outlines document Hertzberg's professional interest in such topics as consumer protection, Mahatma Gandhi, John F. Kennedy, Jawaharlal Nehru, Vietnam, and Zionism. The papers also include family correspondence, address and pocket memorandum books, biographical material, financial records,photographs, films and sound recordings.

Biographical/Historical Notes

Sidney Hertzberg was an editor, journalist and publicist noted for his strong interest in the labor movement, progressive politics and Indian affairs.

Hertzberg was born in New York City in 1910, was educated in the New York public schools, and briefly attended the University of Wisconsin. In 1929 he took a job as a copy boy at the New York Times, and was soon promoted to reporter. Hertzberg remained with the paper until 1934, then worked in a variety of editorial positions for such publications as The New Leader, Time, Fortune, The Nation, The New Republic, and the New York Post. He was publicity manager for the 1936 presidential campaign of Norman Thomas, and supported numerous socialist and labor movement causes. Immediately prior to World War II, Hertzberg was national publicity director ofthe America First Committee, organized the Writers Anti-War Bureau and co-edited the news sheet Uncensored. In 1943 he became editor of Common Sense, a monthly public affairs magazine. He served from 1945-1947 as editorial consultant for Commentary.

During the 1940s, Hertzberg became increasingly interested in Indian political affairs. He aided efforts by the India League of America to provide support for the Indian nationalist movement, and in 1946 participated in the India Famine Emergency Committee's American Famine Mission to India. Hertzberg met with Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, and established friendships with prominent Indian politicians. He traveled in Asia as a regional representative of the United Nations Appeal for Children, and became a special consultant on Asia for CARE. From 1950-1956 Hertzberg was special correspondent in America for The Hindustan Times, a New Delhi newspaper edited by Davidas Gandhi. In 1959 he founded Current, a monthly magazine which he edited until 1964. Hertzberg then served as editorial director of the Consumers Union (publisher of Consumer Reports), and was engaged in a variety of free-lance editorial assignments for the Ford Foundation, the Columbia Broadcasting System, and Life magazine. He worked as a special consultant to presidential candidate Hubert H. Humphrey during the 1968 election campaign. Sidney Hertzberg died of lung cancer in1984.

Controlled Access Terms

• Hertzberg, Sidney.
• America First Committee.
• Asia Society.
• CARE (Firm)
• Columbia Broadcasting System, inc.
• Consumers Union of United States.
• Gandhi Smarak Nidhi.
• India League of America.
• League for Industrial Democracy.
• Liberal Party of New York State.
• Socialist Party (U.S.)
• Time, inc.
• University of Wisconsin. Experimental College.
• Commentary.
• Common sense.
• Current (New York, N.Y. : 1960)
• Hindustan times.
• Uncensored (New York, N.Y. : 1939)
• American periodicals.
• Consumer education -- United States.
• Editors -- United States.
• Journalism -- United States.
• Journalism, Socialist.
• Periodical editors -- United States.
• Periodicals -- United States.
• Periodicals -- Publishing.
• Presidential candidates -- United States.
• Socialist parties.
• Socialism -- United States.
• World War, 1939-1945 -- Protest movements -- United States.
• India -- History -- 20th century.
• India -- Politics and government -- 20th century.
• Audiotapes.
• Correspondence.
• Motion pictures.
• Authors.
• Editors.
• Journalists.

Additional Creator Names

• Baldwin, Roger Nash, 1884-
• Barnes, Harry Elmer, 1889-1968.
• Baruch, Bernard M. (Bernard Mannes), 1870-1965.
• Benton, William, 1900-1973.
• Biṛalā, Ghanaśyāmadāsa, 1894-1983.
• Bowles, Chester, 1901-
• Bromfield, Louis, 1896-1956.
• Buttinger, Joseph.
• Cousins, Norman.
• Deutsch, Babette, 1895-1982.
• Fischer, Louis, 1896-1970.
• Friendly, Fred W.
• Fulbright, J. William (James William), 1905-
• Grattan, C. Hartley (Clinton Hartley), 1902-1980.
• Humphrey, Hubert H. (Hubert Horatio), 1911-1978.
• Isaacs, Harol Robert, 1910-
• Kristol, Irving.
• Mayer, Milton Sanford, 1908-
• Roosevelt, Eleanor, 1884-1962.
• Thomas, Norman, 1884-1968.