Inventory
Series I. Correspondence
The bulk of this series details Mr. Roberts's dual role as a state and national leader. His relationship to the national Democratic Party is reflected in the Butler, Kefauver, Kennedy, Stevenson and Democratic National Committee and Convention records. Of particular importance is the Governor's close relationship with John F. Kennedy, which began at the 1956 National Convention and blossomed when Mr. Roberts helped to organize support in the western states during the Senator's drive in 1959 and 1960 for the presidential nomination.
Also at the national level, the Eisenhower correspondence concerns Mr. Roberts's appointment to the United States delegation to the United Nations. As Governor of Rhode Island, his correspondence with the Rhode Island delegation to Congress, Fogarty, Forand, Green and Pastore, provides valuable insights into the relationship between the federal government and the State of Rhode Island.
The Rhode Island political scene is surveyed in the Cote and Rao correspondence and in the folders pertaining to Roberts's unsuccessful bid for the Democratic nomination for the United States Senate in 1960.
Also included in this series are notes of thanks, requests for speaking engagements, and correspondence of a personal nature with Fordham University, Providence College, and La Salle Academy.
Arrangement: This series is arranged alphabetically.
Series II. Clippings
This series contains newspaper clippings reporting on a variety of subjects from 1951 to 1968 that were of interest to Governor Roberts during his tenure as governor and in the years following his governorship.
The topics reported by the news clippings in this series encompass issues such as Rhode Island industry and it's economy, education, state and national politics, the state constitutional conventions (including special sessions), Rhode Island infrastructure, natural disasters, such as hurricanes and flood control, and the environment.
Arrangement: This series is arranged alphabetically, then chronologically within each topic.
Series III. JFK Library
This series details the creation and operation of the Rhode Island Committee for the John F. Kennedy Memorial Library, headed by Dennis J. Roberts and Mrs. Clairborne Pell. The series reveals the efforts of Rhode Island to raise funds for the construction of the library. Records of committees, the correspondence of contributors, lists of donations, advertising and promotional materials, press releases, news clippings and the state fundraising plan, are included.
Arrangement: This series is arranged alphabetically.
Series IV. Political Speeches
The political speeches within this series cover a broad range of Roberts's public career, including his time as Mayor of Providence, Governor of Rhode Island, and well after his governorship. His tenure as mayor is addressed through the inclusion of his inaugural speeches and the public talks he gave from 1948 until 1950.
The inaugural addresses from his tenure as governor and public speeches he gave during the 1950s is incorporated along with campaign speeches given by both Roberts and his more prominent supporters. In addition, this series includes speeches made by Roberts from 1961 through 1972, highlighting his continued influence in the political sphere.
Arrangement: This series is arranged chronologically.
Series V. Press Releases
The press releases within this series pertain to Roberts's administration as governor from 1950 to 1958. These are copies of statements and decisions given to the media for the purpose of informing the public on state and local affairs. They lend insight into policies and procedures of the executive branch under Governor Roberts.
Arrangement: This series is arranged chronologically.
Series VI. Publications
This series contains publications relating to pertinent issues which were of interest to Roberts during his time as both Mayor of Providence, and Governor of Rhode Island. Many of these publications were employed by Roberts to help shape his policies.
The series includes a wide array of subjects such as public health initiatives and studies, the Rhode Island economy, the Democratic Party in Rhode Island, state education programs, the development of Rhode Island's infrastructure, state social policies and departments, financial reports, and Rhode Island state elections (1948, 1956, and 1958).
Arrangement: This series is arranged alphabetically.
Series VII. Rhode Island State Government
The Rhode Island State Government series details the procedures and policies taken by the Roberts Administration in the 1950s to address the crucial issues affecting the state.
Much of the focus in this series is on social welfare, employment security, business regulation, taxation, the budget, Rhode Island fiscal matters, education, scientific research, engineering, internal development, the construction and maintenance of public works, aeronautics, agriculture and conservation, the military and revisions to election laws.
Arrangement: This series is arranged alphabetically.
Series VIII. Roberts and McMahon
This series sheds light onto the nature of the professional relationship between Dennis J. Roberts and his partner John J. McMahon as they dealt with the financial, legal and personal issues which arose from managing a law firm. Included in the correspondence are letters between Roberts and clients, advisors and Rhode Island judiciary figures.
Arrangement: This series is arranged chronologically.
Series IX. Subject Files
The Subject Files which make up this series pertain to a number of key events which categorize different periods in Roberts's life.
The bulk of materials relate to issues which arose during his governorship.
Topics include education, industry and the economy, fiscal policies, Home Rule, his re-elections, and the functioning of the Rhode Island State Government, particularly in regards to the Constitutional Convention of 1959.
In addition, there are files which deal with his role in the Rhode Island Constitutional Conventions of 1964 until 1966.
Arrangement: This series is arranged alphabetically.