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SUMMARY

BIOGRAPHICAL/HISTORICAL NOTE

Harvey Goodwyn Fields was born in Marksville in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, in 1883. He was the son of Theodore Thomas Fields, newspaper editor in Avoyelles Parish, and Carrie Goodwyn Fields. In 1908, he married Evelyn Sanders and they had two sons, T.T. and Harvey, Jr., and a daughter, Doris. Fields attended Louisiana Polytechnic Institute (now Louisiana Tech) and Tulane Law School, and served in the Louisiana Senate from 1916-1920. He was also a District Attorney for Union Parish (1922-1925), Chairman of the Louisiana State Democratic Central Committee (1926-1929), a member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission (1928-1936), and United States Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana (1937-1941). Fields was a colleague and avid supporter of Huey Long. He was also a law partner of Long for a short time in Shreveport, Louisiana.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

Papers consist of correspondence addressing political issues in Louisiana, the State Democratic Central Committee, Franklin Roosevelt and some New Deal programs, and Huey Long. Political files consist of speeches, minutes of Democratic Executive Committee meetings, a number of political circular letters, and notes dealing with local election returns. Newspaper clippings, magazine articles, and printed volumes are included which deal with Louisiana politics and political figures, and a number of political fliers concern Louisiana politicians, including Huey Long.

LIST OF SERIES AND SUBSERIES

I, Correspondence, 1925-1961, undated

Subseries 1, Personal Correspondence, 1932-1961

Subseries 2, Political Correspondence, 1925-1961, undated

II, Political files, 1909-1937

III, Printed items, 1924-1961, undated

Subseries 1, Newspaper clippings, ca.1928-1961, undated

Subseries 2, Magazine articles, 1932-1934

Subseries 3, Political fliers and circulars, 1924-1944, undated

Subseries 4, Printed volumes, 1926-1945, undated

IV, Scrapbook, 1925-1938, undated

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

Series I, Correspondence, 1925-1961, undated

Subseries 1, Personal Correspondence, 1932-1961

Personal correspondence consists of letters between Harvey Fields and his sons, T.T. and Harvey, Jr. Fields writes to his son Harvey, Jr., about family news and his son’s possible discharge from the Navy (December 30, 1940-January 30, 1941), and he writes to T.T. of family members and political news. T.T. writes to his father from Italy discussing building bridges, practicing defensive maneuvers, and he mentions the upcoming Paris Peace Conference and the fact that he does not “think that Tito will march in” (June 15, 1946). The majority of letters are written to Harvey Fields’ children after his death and express condolences for the loss of their father (April-June 1961). Some correspondents include Tom C. Igoe, Senator Allen J. Ellender, James A. Farley, Overton Brooks, and Russell Long.

Subseries 2, Political Correspondence, 1925-1961, undated

Letters of congratulation address Fields’ election to the Chairmanship of the State Democratic Central Committee (1927) and subsequent letters discuss the state of the Democratic Party in Louisiana and the protocol of selecting National Convention delegates in other states (1927). A letter from the Franklin D. Roosevelt campaign discusses Roosevelt’s political goals and ideas (ca. 1932). A number of letters to Fields contain requests for various positions around the state as well as letters of recommendation by Fields for job applicants (1928-1935). Some of these letters request references for service in the Civilian Conservation Corps (1933) and a letter from O.K. Allen asks for Fields’ help in filling a position in the Department of Health (August 21, 1933). Correspondence from the Department of Labor and from the Emergency Relief Administration addresses Fields’ concerns of mismanagement in the selection of men for the Civilian Conservation Corps in Louisiana (November 1933).

A letter from Huey Long asks Fields to distribute O.K. Allen election literature (January 6, 1932) and a number of other letters from Long are addressed to his constituents and discuss his political views for the state (July-August 1933, undated). In addition to this, a letter from R.H. Bruce tells Fields about an incident in which Long exhibited ungentlemanly behavior at a social event at Sands Point Bath and Country Club in New York and he warns Fields not to become a puppet of Long, like O.K. Allen (September 9, 1933).

A great deal of correspondence discusses political matters around the country such as the Motor Carrier Act of 1934 (June 1934, August 1935), the debate surrounding the teaching of evolution in public schools (October 27, 1925 and undated), and the American Liberty League (August 30, 1934). Fields writes to Upton Sinclair applauding his decision to run for governor of California (August 29, 1934) and to Herbert Hoover expressing his appreciation for Hoover’s article, “The Challenge to Liberty” in The Saturday Evening Post (September 11, 1934; a copy of the article is located at OS:F). Many letters to James Farley and one to Huey Long focus on the Democratic nomination for the Congressional race in Union Parish (August-September 1934), and a letter from

Fields to Huey Long, Sr., the father of Huey P. Long, invites Long to the memorial service of his son (October 14, 1935).

In January 1941, Fields wrote to a number of colleagues asking for their support and for references concerning his reappointment to U.S. District Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana. These letters as well as the letters of recommendation of prominent citizens, such as Newt Mills and J. Hugo Doré, are included (January 1941). A letter from Fields to a U.S. senator is also found in the collection, in which Fields expresses outrage at General Patton’s conduct in an incident in which he slapped a young soldier (November 29, 1943).

Series II, Political Files, 1909-1937

The Political files series includes speeches, minutes, political circular letters, and notes and lists of poll tax payments and election returns. Speeches consist of radio addresses of Harvey Fields discussing the Democratic Party in Louisiana (undated), endorsing Griffin T. Hawkins for U.S. Senate (undated), and discussing Americanism on behalf of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks of Shreveport (March 1, 1939). Also included is a speech sent to Fields and to be delivered by Texas Congressman Wright Patman before the Veterans of Foreign Wars at Louisville, Kentucky (October 1, 1934). Minutes from meetings of the Democratic Executive Committee of the Fifth Congressional District of Louisiana are also found in the collection (July 3, 1934-October 5, 1935).

Congressional election returns for some Louisiana parishes (ca. 1936), lists of poll tax payments (undated), political circular letters written about or by Harvey Fields (including one in French, undated) discussing figures in Louisiana politics and issues such as farm relief, labor legislation, the handling of state funds, New Deal legislation, and public utilities, (ca.1933-1937, undated) are also included, as well as letters concerning Upton Sinclair and the End Poverty League (undated). Three certificates are also found in the collection, one authorizing Fields as attorney to assist the tax collector in Union Parish (January 27, 1909), one declaring Fields District Attorney for the fourth judicial district of Louisiana (August 3, 1923), and one declaring Fields member of the Public Service Commission from the Third Public Service Commission District of Louisiana (December 5, 1930). Also included is a House of Representatives resolution of condolence for the death of Harvey Fields (undated).

Series III, Printed Items, 1924-1961, undated

Subseries 1, Newspapers and clippings, ca.1928-1961, undated

Newspaper clippings come from newspapers around the state including the Times Picayune, Hammond Vindicator, Sport Journal, and The Ruston Daily Leader. Topics include Huey Long, Harvey Fields, Democratic candidates in Louisiana, the Union Parish Democratic Executive Committee, and various issues affecting the Public Service Commission. Full issues of the following newspapers are included.

Subseries 2, Magazine articles, 1932-1934, undated

Magazine articles address local and national political issues from publications such as Public Utilities Fortnightly, The Atlantic Monthly, New Outlook, and Nation’s Business. A number of articles concern Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal.

Subseries 3, Political fliers and circulars, 1924-1944, undated

These printed items consist of political circulars, House of Representatives bills and resolutions (1933, ca.1934, undated), and fliers for political candidates such as Huey Long, Newt V. Mills, W. B. Clarke, and Riley J. Wilson. Also included are instructions for U.S. Civil Service examinations (1934), a chart showing the scope of the Motor Carrier Act of 1934, a program for the American Democratic National Convention Caucus (June 1944), and two political newsletters from Alexandria, La., entitled The Bumble Bee (ca. 1933).

Subseries 4, Printed volumes, 1926-1945, undated

The printed volumes consist of pamphlets, handbooks, and reports dealing with political issues. Some concern entities such as the Public Service Commission, Civilian Conservation Corps, and State Democratic Central Committee, and others deal with acts of Louisiana legislation and political speeches.

Series IV, Scrapbook, 1925-1938, undated

The scrapbook consists of newspaper clippings and magazine articles arranged by Fields alphabetically according to subject. The materials have been removed from the scrapbook for preservation purposes, but the order has been maintained. A number of articles come from The Saturday Evening Post, Time, Public Utilities Fortnightly, and Congressional Record. Also included is an excerpt from The Item-Tribune entitled “The Story of Senator James A. Reed” (ca.1928) as well as full issues of the following newspapers:

INDEX TERMS

Materials relating to these people, places, and things can be found in the series indicated, as represented by their numbers.

CONTAINER LIST