Series Part VII, III: Special Subjects, 1963-1969

Series

Call Number: MS 628, Series Part VII, III

Scope and Contents

This series is a combination of what originally was a clippings file, arranged by subject, and a subject file of materials used in the writing of Bowles' autobiography,Promises to Keep. The series is arranged in three subseries.

1) U.S. Mission to India

2) India

3) Other Countries and Areas

In each subseries one may find staff memoranda giving subject information, reports, printed material, notes by the Ambassador or his staff, and clippings.

1)United States Mission to India: a collection dealing specifically with the functioning of the Embassy in New Delhi, the U.S. Information Service, the Peace Corps, and with Americans then in India as representatives of the U.S. Government. The largest amount of material in this section deals with the Ambassador's office, and Bowles' functioning within that office. Here there are memoranda from staff members on such topics as important meetings, Congressional delegations to India, mail, scheduling, etc. There is also a set of appointment books. Included in this section is a file for each trip taken by Bowles outside of New Delhi to give a speech, to take a vacation, or to meet with representatives of other governments as, for example, his mission to Cambodia in 1968. These files may contain schedules, thank-you letters for hospitality, staff memoranda with background material on the area and people to be visited, pictures, and Bowles' own notes and reports on the trip.

2) India: a useful source of information on the history and culture of India and a fairly complete reference to the events and developments in India between 1963 and 1969. The material is arranged under nearly 50 subject headings, i.e., Family Planning, Food and Agriculture, etc. The information comes from a wide range of sources: summary memoranda by Mission staff members, printed material from both Indian and U.S. government sources, universities, and philanthropic foundations and the public press. The clippings in this section are particularly useful since many of the clippings come from Indian newspapers not always available in the United States. Most of these are English language papers though some clippings are in the various Indian languages and there are many from the Communist press.

3) Other Countries and Areas: a less complete section than the other two. Only the section on Pakistan contains important memoranda and extensive background material.

Dates

1963-1969

Physical Description

(21 boxes)

Conditions Governing Access

From the Collection: Boxes 220-223, which contain constituent correspondence, are restricted until 2035 Jan 1.

The transcript of the oral history interview with Douglas Bennet, Jr. in Box 399b is closed until the deed of gift is secured from Bennet.

Box 408, which contains restricted personal and financial papers is closed until 2025 Jan 1.

Box 409, which contains audio tapes of oral history interviews with Bowles's associates, is not open to researchers.

Original audiotapes, videotapes, and motion picture films, as well as preservation and duplicating masters, may not be played. Researchers must consult use copies, or pay for the creation of a use copy, retained by the repository, if none exist.