Short, Beth Campbell (1909-1988), Papers, 1927-1968 (C3994)
.6 linear feet
INTRODUCTION
The papers of Beth Campbell Short, a journalist from Oklahoma who primarily worked in Washington, D.C. covering Eleanor Roosevelt for the Associated Press, consist of correspondence, newspaper clippings, speeches, reports, and photographs.
DONOR INFORMATION
The Beth Campbell Short Papers were donated to the University of Missouri by her children, Alexander C. Short and Victoria Smith on September 26, 2003 (Accession no. 4855). The papers are part of the National Women and Media Collection.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Beth Campbell Short was born in Rogers County, Oklahoma, in 1909. She attended Christian College in Columbia, Missouri, from 1925 to 1926 and graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1929 with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. Following her graduation, she served as a reporter for the Springfield (Missouri) Leader and the Daily Oklahoman before joining the Associated Press in 1936 to cover Eleanor Roosevelt.
In Washington, D.C. she met her future husband Joseph Short, who was also an Associated Press correspondent. In 1950, he was named White House press secretary by President Harry S Truman. Shortly after her husband’s sudden death on September 18, 1952, Truman appointed Short as his correspondence secretary and she held this position until 1953. From 1953 to 1956, she worked as the Publicity Director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. In 1957 she became press secretary to U.S. Senator A.S. Mike Monroney of Oklahoma. In 1966 she left Monroney’s office to join the Office of Research and Statistics in the Social Security Administration as a special assistant for research and development. She retired in 1978 and died in 1988.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
The papers consist of reports, publications, speeches, correspondence, newspaper articles, and photographs.
The bulk of the collection consists of newspaper articles written by Short while working for the Associated Press and cover Eleanor Roosevelt and social life in Washington, D.C. Other topics include editorials and columns on family life and social customs throughout the country.
The first two folders contain a report, “Protecting the Unprotected—Under Social Security” written by Short. This report describes the accomplishments of the Social Security Administration and details those that receive benefits and why.
The fifth folder contains a publication concerning Washington press correspondents titled, “Covering Washington for the New York Times,” and a publication by the White House News Photographers Association titled, “16th Annual Photo Exhibit.”
FOLDER LIST
| f. 1-2 | “Protecting the Unprotected—Under Social Security,” 1968 |
| f. 3 | Speeches, n.d. |
| f. 4 | Correspondence, 1935-1966, n.d. |
| f. 5 | Publications, 1959, n.d. |
| f. 6 | Newspaper articles, 1927-1930 |
| f. 7 | Newspaper articles, 1931-1933 |
| f. 8 | Newspaper articles, 1933-1937 |
| f. 9 | Newspaper articles, 1937 |
| f. 10 | Newspaper articles, 1937-1938 |
| f. 11-13 | Newspaper articles, 1939 |
| f. 14 | Newspaper articles, 1939-1966 |
| f. 15-32 | Newspaper articles, n.d. |
| f. 33 | Photograph, n.d. |
INDEX TERMS
These index terms are the subjects, people, places, etc. under which this collection is listed in all available indexes at the Western Historical Manuscript Collection-Columbia. If you are interested in a specific index term, please contact the reference staff.
| Index Terms | Location |
| Air pilots--Women | f. 21, 25, 31 |
| Associated Press | f. 3 |
| Bootlegging | f. 7 |
| Caff, Carrie Chaman (1859- ) | f. 10 |
| Civil War--Battle of Wilson's Creek, 1861 | f. 7 |
| Clothing and dress | f. 22 |
| Dall, Curtis Roosevelt (1930- ) | f. 14 (pictorial material) |
| Dall, Eleanor (1927- ) | f. 14 (pictorial material) |
| Daughters of the American Revolution | f. 17 |
| Diplomats | f. 9 |
| Earhart, Amelia (1897-1937) | f. 8 |
| Elizabeth I (1900-2002) | f. 11-13, 18, 23, 24 |
| Fashion, 1930s | f. 11, 12, 14, 18 |
| Foreman, Grant (1869- ) | f. 28 |
| George VI (1895-1952) | f. 11-13, 18, 23, 24 |
| Hicks, J.C. (1838- ) | f. 7 |
| Lindbergh, Anne Morrow (1906-2001) | f. 7 |
| National Women and Media Collection | f. 1-33 |
| Red Cross | f. 14 |
| Roosevelt, Eleanor (1884-1962) | f. 3, 8, 10-13, 15-23 |
| Roosevelt, Franklin D. (1882-1945) | f. 3, 19, 21 |
| Short, Beth Campbell (1909-1988) | f. 8, 33 (pictorial material) |
| Short, Beth Campbell (1909-1988) | f. 1-33 |
| Short, Joseph (1904-1952) | f. 3 |
| Social security beneficiaries, 1960s | f. 1, 2 |
| Truman, Harry S (1884-1972) | f. 3, 9 |
| Washington, D.C. | f. 1-33 |
| Women air pilots | f. 21, 25, 31 |
| Women journalists | f. 1-33 |
| Women--Employment | f. 3, 14 |