Collection Arrangement and Description
Table of Contents
Record Group I: Personal/Political/Office Files (P/P/O Files)
40 linear ft.
Boxes 1-40
Span Dates 1901-2003
Bulk Dates 1967-2000
Content Note: Correspondence, personal papers, memoranda, speeches, newspaper articles, photographs, campaign files, political cartoons, publications, and awards.
Restrictions: Box 1, folders 13-41, Box 2, folders 1-8, and Boxes 11-16 are closed until 10 years after donor’s death.
For more information, contact deinfo@dehistory.org.
Personal Files
1 linear ft.
Boxes 1-2
Dates 1901-2003
Content Note: Includes biographical information, the Roth family, education, military service, employment, passports, and correspondence.
Restrictions: Box 1 Folders 13-41 and Box 2 Folders 1-8 are closed until 10 years after donor’s death.
Pre-Congressional Republican Party Activities
2 linear ft. Boxes 2-3 Dates 1954-1966
Content Note: These files include correspondence, press files, political events and activities, press releases, statements, and speeches. Includes Roth’s involvement in the
Republican State Committee and the Young Republicans of Delaware.
Political Files
1 linear ft.
Boxes 4 and 497
Dates 1943-2000
Content Note: These files include political humor and general elections.
Campaign/Election Files
6 linear ft.
Boxes 5-10 and 498 Dates 1960-2000
Content Note: These files are organized chronologically and alphabetically for each election. They include material from WVR’s campaigns for lieutenant governor in 1960,
U.S. House of Representatives in 1966 and 1968, and U.S. Senate races in 1970, 1976, 1982, 1988, 1994, and 2000. The files contain correspondence, research, Republican
Party platform information, office files, statistics, and press files.
VIP Files
3 linear ft.
Boxes 11-16
Dates 1955-2001
Content Note: These files are organized alphabetically and chronologically by folder. They include VIP Correspondence, VIP Presidential Correspondence, VIP Events, and VIP Memorabilia. VIP Correspondence includes correspondence from other U.S. politicians, foreign diplomats, actors, and correspondence signed by WVR. Box 16 contains the original letters signed by Presidents Richard Nixon, Jerry Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George Herbert Walker Bush, and Bill Clinton. These letters were photocopied and copies were placed in VIP Correspondence in boxes 11-15.
Restrictions: Box 11-16 are closed until 10 years after donor’s death. Box 16 is kept in the Library’s manuscript vault.
Photographs
4 linear ft.
Boxes 17-20, 497, and 499
Dates 1935-2003
Content Note: Photographs are organized numerically, but randomly as to date and topic. Formats include black and white photographs, color prints, slides, and negatives. Oversize photographs are located in Boxes 497 and 499, and poster-sized prints are located in a flat file. The collection contains over 950 images.
Awards and Citations
1 linear ft.
Boxes 21 and 500 Dates 1950-2000
Content Note: Includes certificates, awards, and citations received by WVR, arranged chronologically. Oversized certificates and awards are located in Box 500.
Scrapbooks
3 linear ft.
Boxes 22-24
Dates 1968-1988
Content Note: There are three scrapbooks: the 1968 U.S. House campaign, 1974-1976 Delaware Album, and 1988 trip to the Republic of China.
Publications removed from the collection
16 linear ft. Boxes 25-40 Dates 1955-2000
Content Note: Contains books, manuscripts and drafts of works by WVR, journals and periodicals, and publications removed from subject files on the impeachment of President Bill Clinton.
Record Group II: Legislative Files
138 linear ft.
Boxes 41-178
Dates 1967-2000
Content Note: Bills of legislation sponsored and cosponsored by WVR, voting record, Congressional Record, subject files, committee files, and correspondence.
Restrictions: Boxes 138-139 are closed until 10 years after donor’s death. Boxes 146-175 are closed until 2025 or 10 years after donor’s death, whichever is later.
Bills of Legislation sponsored and cosponsored by WVR
7 linear ft.
Boxes 41-47
Dates 1967-2000, 90th Congress First Session to the 106th Congress Second Session Content Note: Bills of legislation sponsored and cosponsored by WVR. Boxes 41-45: Bills of Legislation Boxes 46-47: List of legislation prepared by the Library of Congress
Congressional Record
10 linear ft.
Boxes 48-57
Dates 1967-2000
Content Note: The Congressional Record is broken down into two series, one organized chronologically and the other by subject.
Boxes 48-53: Congressional Record statements organized chronologically Boxes 54-57:
Congressional Record statements organized by topic
Voting Information
17 linear ft.
Boxes 58-74
Dates 1967-2000
Content Note: Voting Information is divided according to voting record from the Congressional Record and lists created by the Congressional Reference Service, voting history, voting record by subject from the Congressional Record, voting record for individual use, vote study by interest group, vote study by issue, and record vote analysis.
Box 58: Voting record Boxes 58-60: Voting history
Boxes 61-62: Voting record organized by subject Boxes 63-64: Voting record for
individual use Box 64: Vote study by interest group
Box 64: Vote study by issue area
Boxes 65-74: Record vote analysis
Subject Files
71 linear ft.
Boxes 75-145
Dates: 1967-2000
Content Note: Subject files about bills of legislation sponsored or cosponsored by William V. Roth, Jr., general and specific subject files for information about files not related to specific bills of legislation including court-ordered busing, defense, Delaware, education, environment, foreign affairs, health, the impeachment of President Bill Clinton, judicial activities, taxes, and trade. Each subject file series is organized chronologically.
Restrictions: Boxes 138-139 are closed until 10 years after donor’s death.
Boxes 75-76: Bills of legislation, 1967-1970
Boxes 76-78: Bills of legislation, 1971-1975
Boxes 78-80: Bills of legislation, 1976-1980
Boxes 80-82: Bills of legislation, 1981-1985
Boxes 82-96: Bills of legislation, 1986-1990
Boxes 86-95: Bills of legislation, 1991-1995
Boxes 95-102: Bills of legislation, 1996-102 Boxes 103-104: Court-ordered busing Boxes
105-106: Defense
Boxes 107-109: Delaware
Box 110: Education
Box 111: Energy
Boxes 112-113: Environment
Boxes 114-122: Foreign Affairs—Asia Boxes 123-125: Foreign Affairs—General Boxes
126-133: Foreign Affairs—NATO Boxes 134-136: General
Box 137: Health
Boxes 138-139: Impeachment of President Bill Clinton (closed) Box 140: Judicial Activities
Boxes 141-142: Taxes
Boxes 143-145: Trade
Committee Files
30 linear ft.
Boxes 146-175
Dates 1971-2000
Content Note: Includes files from the following committees: Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, Committee on Government Operations, Governmental Affairs Committee (GAC), the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (GAC), Joint Committee on Taxation, Joint Economic Committee, Foreign Relations Committee, and Senate Finance Committee. Each series is organized chronologically.
Restrictions: Boxes 146-175 are closed until 2025 or 10 years after donor’s death, whichever is later.
Calendars of the U.S. House of Representatives and History of Legislation
1 linear ft.
Box 176
Dates 1969-2000
Content Note: This material gives the dates when legislation came before the House and Senate. For more information, contact deinfo@dehistory.org.
Issue Index 2 linear ft. Boxes 177-178
Dates 1968-2000
Content Note: Organized by subject and chronologically.
Record Group III: Constituent Services
243 linear ft.
Boxes 179-421
Dates 1967-2000
Content Note: Correspondence, mailings, invitations, requests, thank you letters. Restrictions: Boxes 180-403 are closed until 2015 or 10 years after donor’s death, whichever is later. Box 405 is closed until 2025 or 10 years after donor’s death, whichever is later.
For more information, contact deinfo@dehistory.org.
Official Correspondence
6 linear ft.
Boxes 179-184
Dates 1970-2000
Content Note: These series include Dear Colleague letters to other members of Congress about legislation William V. Roth, Jr., was concerned about (Box 179), executive correspondence including correspondence from U.S. government agencies, foreign correspondence from foreign diplomats and constituents, and administrative correspondence, including office correspondence and memos.
Restrictions: Boxes 180-184 are closed until 2015 or 10 years after donor’s death, whichever is later.
Constituent Correspondence
217 linear ft.
Boxes 185-401
Dates 1967-2000
Content Note: Constituent correspondence includes correspondence from constituents to William V. Roth, Jr., and the form letters sent in response from 1967-2000. The material is divided by year and divided into series according to original order. Legislative correspondence (1967-1978) is organized by subject. Official correspondence (1979-1984) is organized both by subject and in a numerical series. Issue mail (1985-1998) is organized by log number, and issue mail (1999-2000) is organized by date. Boxes with only numbered logs are summarized and do not include each folder listing. These files were weeded, and a sampling kept in the collection.
Restrictions: Boxes 185-401 are closed until 2015 or 10 years after donor’s death, whichever is later.
Casework
2 linear ft.
Boxes 402-403
Dates 1975-1988
Content Note: This material divided into two series, Dover and Wilmington offices, and each is organized chronologically. William V. Roth, Jr., was known for his commitment to constituent casework. These files were heavily weeded by the Senator’s staff before being transferred to the Delaware Historical Society.
Restrictions: Boxes 402-403 are closed until 2015 or 10 years after donor’s death, whichever is later.
Direct Mail
1 linear ft.
Box 404
Dates 1975-1996
Content Note: Organized chronologically. Direct mail includes mass issue mailings sent directly to constituents about specific issues.
Service Academy Nominations
1 linear ft.
Box 405
Dates 1971-2000
Content Note: This series is organized chronologically and includes Senator William V. Roth, Jr.’s nominations to service academies, Academy Night, and Roth Academy Day. Restrictions: Box 405 is closed until 2025 or 10 years after donor’s death, whichever is later.
Invitations
7 linear ft.
Boxes 406-412
Dates 1966-1999
Content Note: Organized chronologically; includes invitations accepted and declined by William V. Roth, Jr. This series was weeded, and a sample was kept in the collection.
Requests
4 linear ft.
Boxes 413-416
Dates 1967-1993
Content Note: This series is organized chronologically and alphabetically by subject within each year. This series was weeded, and a sample was kept in the collection.
Congratulations
0.5 linear ft. Box 417
Dates 1968-1997
Content Note: This series is organized chronologically. This series was weeded, and a sample was kept in the collection.
Thank You Letters
1.5 linear ft.
Boxes 417-418
Dates 1972-2000
Content Note: Organized chronologically. This series was weeded, and a sample was kept in the collection.
Form Letters
1 linear ft.
Box 419
Dates 1967-1999
Content Note: This series is organized chronologically. Form letters were sent in response to constituents about specific issues.
Legislative Activities
2 linear ft.
Boxes 420-421
Dates 1970-2000
Content Note: Two series about general legislative activities and the Bill Roth Youth Leadership Conference are organized chronologically.
Restrictions: Boxes 420-421 are closed until 2025 or 10 years after donor’s death, whichever is later.
Record Group IV: Public Relations/Media Activities (PR/Media Activities)
69 linear ft.
Boxes 422-490
Dates 1967-2000
Content Note: Speeches and statements, correspondence, mailings, press releases, and newspaper articles.
For more information, contact deinfo@dehistory.org.
Speeches and Statements
15 linear ft.
Boxes 422-436
Dates 1967-2000
Content Note: This series is organized chronologically. No speeches or statements were added to the collection after the papers were transferred to the Historical Society of Delaware. This series may not represent all the speeches and statements made by William V. Roth, Jr.
Boxes 422-423: no date, 1967-1970
Boxes 423-425: 1971-1975
Boxes 425-428: 1976-1980
Boxes 428-431: 1981-1985
Boxes 431-433: 1986-1990
Boxes 433-435: 1991-1995
Boxes 435-436: 1996-2000
Press Releases
6 linear ft.
Boxes 437-442
Dates 1967-2000
Content Note: Press releases are organized chronologically and divided into two series. One represents the press releases sent from the congressional offices of William V. Roth, Jr., and the second includes press releases from the Governmental Affairs Committee, Joint Economic Committee, North Atlantic Assembly (NATO), and Senate Finance Committee.
Newsletters and Mailings
1 linear ft.
Box 443
Dates 1967-1994
Content Note: Organized chronologically; includes questionnaires and newsletters sent to constituents.
“Thoughts from Washington” (newspaper column written by WVR)
2 linear ft.
Boxes 444-445
Dates 1969-1997
Content Note: Organized chronologically. “Thoughts from Washington” was a newspaper column sent
to newspapers by the office of William V. Roth, Jr., on bills of legislation and national issues.
Opinions and Editorials (Op-Eds)
1 linear ft.
Box 446
Dates 1967-2000
Content Note: Organized chronologically and includes newspaper articles written by William V. Roth, Jr.
Press Administrative Files
1 linear ft.
Box 447
Dates 1970-1998
Content Note: Organized chronologically and includes articles, mail reports, postal budget, and correspondence with media programs.
Radio and Video Tapes (typescripts) and Radio Beepers
1 linear ft.
Box 448
Dates: 1967-1989
Content Note: Organized chronologically and includes transcripts of radio broadcasts and interviews with William V. Roth, Jr.
Video Tapes
19 linear ft.
Boxes 449-464 and 501-503
Dates: 1970-2000
Content Note: Divided into series by media formats including Betacam, U-Matic, and VHS. The VHS video tapes include video from interviews and campaign advertisements. This collection was weeded and organized chronologically. Larger format video tapes are in oversize boxes 501-503.
Audio Tapes
0.75 linear ft.
Boxes 465-466
Dates: 1968-1998
Content Note: Divided into two series including audio cassettes and audio reel tapes.
These tapes are organized chronologically.
Press Resource Files
19 linear ft.
Boxes 467-485
Dates: 1970-2000
Content Note: This series is organized alphabetically by subject and includes newspaper articles about significant issues that concerned WVR. Box 467: A-B
Box 468: B-C
Box 469: C-D
Box 470: D-F
Box 471: F-G
Boxes 472-473: G
Box 474: G-J
Box 475: J-P
Boxes 476-477: P
Box 478: P-R
Box 479: R-S
Box 480: S-T
Boxes 481-483: T
Box 484: T-W
Box 485: W-Y
William V. Roth, Jr., Press Files
1 linear ft.
Box 486
Dates: 1967-2000
Content Note: This series is organized chronologically and includes newspaper articles about WVR.
National/Regional Press Files
1 linear ft.
Box 487
Dates: 1968-1989
Content Note: This series is organized chronologically and includes newspaper articles about national and regional issues.
Delaware Press Files
2 linear ft.
Boxes 488-489
Dates: 1962-1986
Content Note: This series is organized chronologically and includes newspaper articles concerning Delaware.
Delaware Political Press Files
1 linear ft.
Box 490
Dates: 1961-1996
Content Note: This series is organized alphabetically and includes newspaper articles about Delaware politicians Joseph R. Biden, J. Caleb Boggs, Thomas R. Carper, Elbert N. Carvel, Michael N. Castle, Pierre S. du Pont IV, Thomas B. Evans, and John J. Williams.