Elizabeth R. Gatov (#79)

An Inventory of Her Personal Papers
1948-1977
In the John F. Kennedy Library
National Archives and Records Administration

Administrative Information
Biographical Note
Collection Overview
List of Series
Series Description


Administrative Information

Abstract
Papers 1948-1977
Government official, California political figure. Democratic National Committeewoman from California (1956-1965); Treasurer of the United States (1961-1962); volunteer board member, Planned Parenthood (1965-1977). Correspondence, memorandums, speeches, reports, minutes, agenda, news clippings.

Access
Open.

Usage Restrictions
According to the deed of gift signed May 1978, copyright of these materials has been retained by the donor. Upon the donor’s death, all said rights shall pass to the United States. Documents in this collection that were prepared by officials of the United States as part of their official duties are in the public domain. Users of these materials are advised to determine the copyright status of any document from which they wish to publish.

Copyright
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excesses of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law. The copyright law extends its protection to unpublished works from the moment of creation in a tangible form. Direct your questions concerning copyright to the reference staff.

Provenance
Received from Elizabeth Gatov of Kentfield, CA, in April 1978 (Acc. 1978-035).

Extent
About 21,000 pages (9 linear feet, 2 linear inches ; 10.5 cubic feet)

Withdrawn Items: 26
Selected folders may contain withdrawal sheets where twenty-six documents, in accordance with the donor's deed of gift, were removed from the collection. These include documents which may be used to injure or harass any living person. All withdrawn documents have been placed under seal and upon request the Kennedy Library will review any material which has been closed for a period of not less than 2 years for the purpose of opening items which no longer require restrictions. Researchers should consult the reference staff to obtain the appropriate form(s).

Items Separated
Photographs and items deemed valuable in the files have been replaced with photocopies of the originals. Original photographs have been placed in the Audiovisual Archives of the John F. Kennedy Library.

Date Opened
October 1988

Processed by
Donna L. Hanlon and Amanda Mayo

Encoded by
James M. Roth

Related Collections
Elizabeth Gatov Oral History Interview, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library
Elizabeth Gatov Oral History Memoir, “Grassroots Party Organizer to Treasurer of the United States,” Regional Oral History Office of the University of California at Berkeley

The The Personal Papers of Elizabeth R. Gatov (1911-1997)

Biographical Note

[Further biographical information may be found in Personal: Elizabeth S. Gatov, Biographic Material, box 20; U.S. Treasury, 1960-1963: News clippings, Treasurer Nomination, 12/60, box 13; and Other Organizations, Interests and Activities: Armstrong College, 1973-1977, box 21.  See also her Oral History .]

Collection Overview
The papers of Elizabeth Smith Gatov consist of her personal papers for the period 1948-1977. They document her work as Treasurer of the United States, as an active member of the California and national Democratic Parties, and as a volunteer with the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. The bulk of the material is from the period 1956-1976. Prior to 1956 there is only personal correspondence and memorabilia. After 1976 there is only a fragment of material related to Gatov's career as a lecturer in political science at Armstrong College in Berkeley, California. The papers include correspondence, speeches, memoranda, minutes, agenda, reports, membership and mailing lists, brochures, manuals and other printed material, legislative bills, personal memorabilia, photographs, press releases, news clippings, reprints, manuscripts and handwritten notes. The collection has been arranged in six series: Democratic Party; Speeches; U.S. Treasury; Planned Parenthood; Personal; and Other Organizations, Interests and Activities.

The Democratic Party material is especially valuable in providing information about political concerns on the state, local and national level, the California gubernatorial and senatorial elections 1958-1976, and the presidential elections of 1960 and 1964. The Speeches series provides information on Gatov's view's on politics, financial matters, family planning and capital punishment. Also included in the Speeches series are speeches by President John F. Kennedy, Abraham Ribicoff, Wilbur Cohen, Edward R. Murrow and Chester I Bowles. The U.S. Treasury series documents both the responsibilities of her appointed office as Treasurer of the United States and her political duties and concerns as Democratic National Committeewoman from California. The Planned Parenthood series contains information on the programs and goals of the organization during this period including sex education, abortion, family planning, and world population. The Personal series contains correspondence and memorabilia from 1948-1974. The Other Organizations, Interests and Activities series contains material compiled while Gatov served as a Democratic National Committeewoman, Chairman of the Marin County Democratic Central Committee, and a member of the California Democratic Central Committee. Other organizations included are the Coro Foundation Smith College, Northern California Merchants Association, Rudel Machinery Co., Ltd., San Rafael Savings and Loan Association, and Armstrong College.

List of Series
Series 1. Democratic Party, 1952-1976
Series 2. Speeches, 1959-1975
Series 3. U.S. Treasury, 1960-1963
Series 4. Planned Parenthood, 1960-1975
Series 5. Personal, 1948-1974
Series 6. Other Organizations, Interests and Activities, 1957-1977

Series Description

Series 1. Democratic Party, 1952-1976.
Boxes 1-10.
Arrangement: chronological by subject.

Democratic National Committee correspondence, with political associates and government officials, followed by subject files pertaining to elections, conferences, legislation, patronage and Elizabeth Gatov's activities in the Democratic Party. Contains correspondence, reports, memoranda, membership and mailing lists, brochures, manuals and other printed material, press releases, newsletters, news clippings, reprints, agenda, speeches, addresses by political colleagues and handwritten notes. There is also related correspondence in the “Political Invitations and Responses, 1961-1965” folder (Box 6).

Series 2. Speeches, 1959-1975.
Boxes 11-12.
Arrangement: chronological by speaker.

Texts of speeches by Elizabeth Gatov and others including President John F. Kennedy, Abraham Ribicoff, Wilbur Cohen, Edward R. Murrow, and Chester Bowles. It also includes Gatov’s research materials.

Series 3. U.S. Treasury, 1960-1963.
Boxes 13-15.
Arrangement: chronological by type.

Personal and professional correspondence with political associates and government officials, report of the Senate Committee on Finance Hearing and official documentation, news clippings, articles and photographs.  There are papers related to Elizabeth Gatov’s nomination, professional responsibilities, patronage, and resignation as U.S. Treasurer.

Series 4. Planned Parenthood, 1960-1975.
Boxes 16-20.
Arrangement: chronological.

Correspondence, minutes, reports, agenda, newsletters, news clippings, articles, periodicals, pamphlets, press releases, reports, legislative bills, mailing lists, from 1964-1975 with 1960-1961 background material on Family Planning in Japan.   Topics include abortion, sex education, family planning, world population, national legislation and fundraising.  There is a reprint of a book review of Sex Code of California, A Compendium , Elizabeth R. Gatov, editor and Gatov’s "Contra Costa Speech."

Series 5. Personal, 1948-1974.
Boxes 20-21.
Arrangement: chronological by type or subject.

Personal correspondence and memorabilia from 1948-1974, including "This is Your Life," a biographical comedy skit written for Elizabeth Gatov; "I Henry. ..," a short story by Gatov, appointment calendars (1962 and 1963 only), wedding memorabilia and photocopies of photographs. There is material relating to the death of President John F. Kennedy; correspondence, outline and a draft manuscript fragment of a proposed book by Elizabeth Gatov and William M. Shear; and travel brochures and handwritten notes.

Series 6. Other Organizations, Interests and Activities, 1957-1977.
Box 21.
Arrangement: alphabetical by subject.

This series consists of materials compiled while Elizabeth Gatov served as a Democratic National Committeewoman, Chairman of the Marin County Democratic Central Committee, and a member of the California Democratic Central Committee. There is also information pertaining to Gatov’s role as a former graduate fellow and staff member of the Coro Foundation; alumna of Smith College; the Northern California Merchants Association with regard to her careers as director for Rudel Machinery Co., Ltd.; vice president of the San Rafael Savings and Loan Association; and instructor of political science at Armstrong College. The series includes correspondence, memoranda, reports, legislative bills, brochures, photographs, address lists, news clippings and articles.