Victor S. Navasky (#170)

An Inventory of His Personal Papers, 1954-1976
In the John F. Kennedy Library
National Archives and Records Administration

Administrative Information
Biographical Note
Collection Overview
List of Series
Collection Description

Administrative Information

Abstract
Papers 1954-1976
Journalist. Author, Kennedy Justice (1971). Research materials, drafts, interviews, notes, and correspondence.

Access
Open.

Usage Restrictions
According to the deed of gift signed July 1981, copyright of these materials has been assigned to the United States of America. Users must secure permission from Mr. Navasky in order to quote from his interview material in any subsequent writings.  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 The copyright law extends its protection to unpublished works from the moment of creation in a tangible form.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 Victor Navasky of New York, NY, in August 1976 (Acc. 1976-042).

Extent
About 26,000 items (22 linear feet and 8 linear inches; 26 cubic feet).

Withdrawn Items
Selected folders may contain withdrawal sheets where 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 All withdrawn documents have been placed under seal and upon request the Kennedy Library will review any material which has been closed for a period of not less than 2 years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
Items separated include oversized (OVZ-170) and audiovisual (AV-170) materials.

Date Opened
August 2006.

Finding Aid Prepared by
Erica Boudreau and Heather Campbell.

Related Collections
Martin Luther King, Jr. Oral History Interview, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library

The Personal Papers of Victor S. Navasky (1932- )

Biographical Note
Victor Navasky was born in 1932 in New York City. He graduated from Swarthmore College in 1954, and completed his studies at Yale Law School in 1959. Shortly after receiving his law degree, he became founding editor of the political satire magazine Monocle . Navasky worked as an editor for The New York Times Magazine until 1978, as editor of The Nation magazine from 1978 to 1995, and as publisher and editorial director of The Nation from 1995 to 2005. In 1971, Navasky wrote Kennedy Justice , a book about Robert F. Kennedy’s role as Attorney General. Other works by Navasky include Naming Names (1980), T he Experts Speak: The Definitive Compendium of Authoritative Misinformation (1984, with Christopher Cerf), and A Matter of Opinion (2005).

Collection Overview
This collection of Victor Navasky papers consists of research files relating to his written works, primarily Kennedy Justice and a report on the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA). The collection is arranged into three series: Kennedy Justice Files, Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA) Report Files, and General Subject Files. Note that, in most cases, original folder titles have been retained. Annotated folder titles are bracketed “[]” and have been created by Kennedy Library staff for clarity.

List of Series
Series 1. Kennedy Justice Files, 1954-1971
Series 2. Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA) Report Files, 1975-1976
Series 3. General Subject Files

Collection Description

Series 1. Kennedy Justice Files, 1954-1971.
About 13,700 items.
Arrangement: alphabetical by subject.

This series consists of files created by Navasky for his 1971 monograph Kennedy Justice. This book analyzed the Justice Department under the leadership of Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. Included in the files are documents, notes and interviews relating to the Civil Rights Movement, specifically the integration of the University of Mississippi and the Freedom Riders; organized crime, especially the relationship between Robert Kennedy and Teamster boss Jimmy Hoffa; the relationship between Robert Kennedy and FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover; and issues surrounding wiretapping and other means of government surveillance. The bulk of the series consists of research material, including some original documents such as memoranda and press releases. Other items include interview notes, correspondence, and drafts.

Series 2. Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA) Report Files, 1975-1976.
About 7,500 items.
Arrangement: alphabetical by subject.

This series consists of files created by Navasky as he wrote a report on the state of the LEAA for the 20th Century Fund. The LEAA was established in 1968 within the Justice Department to administer grants to government agencies, educational institutions, and private organizations to improve law enforcement. The bulk of the series consists of research material. Other items include notes and drafts of the report.

Series 3. Subject Files, 1965-1976.
About 3,700 items.
Arrangement: alphabetical by subject.

This series consists of files that were created by Navasky concerning projects that were developed after the publication of Kennedy Justice . These projects include articles on the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Attorney General Edward H. Levi, and District Attorney Robert Morgenthau. The bulk of this series consists of research materials for the above mentioned articles. Other materials include correspondence, notes, and drafts.