Hilda Phelps Hammond papers, 1908-1951 | Louisiana Research Collection

By LAC Group

Printer-friendly |

Collection Overview

Title: Hilda Phelps Hammond papers, 1908-1951

ID: LaRC/Manuscripts Collection 705

Primary Creator: Hammond, Hilda Phelps.

Extent: 2.0 Boxes

Arrangement: The collection is arranged as follows: correspondence, manuscripts, other papers, and transcripts of hearings and testimony about campaign corruption. The collection consists of two boxes.

Date Acquired: 06/01/1984. More info below under Accruals.

Subjects: Elections -- Corrupt practices -- Louisiana., Hammond, Hilda Phelps., Long, Huey Pierce, 1893-1935., Louisiana Women's Committee., Overton, John Holmes, 1875-1948., Women authors, American -- 20th century.

Forms of Material: Biographies., Correspondence., Photographs., Short stories., Speeches., Typescripts.

Languages: English, French

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The collection consists of correspondence between Hilda Phelps Hammond, who was chairwoman of the Louisiana Women's Committee (established in 1933) and members of the United States Senate. She fought for years to force the Senate to investigate charges of corruption and election fraud against Senators Huey P. Long and John Overton. Letters from other members of the Committee are also included. There is a bound copy of the transcripts of the 1933 Overton hearings before a Special Senate Committee, and a fragment of a speech made by Hammond attacking Long. In addition, there are photographs, obituaries, typescripts of unpublished short stories by Hammond, and a newspaper clipping about the election of Hilda Phelps as president of the 1909 Newcomb College senior class.

Biographical Note

Hilda Phelps Hammond (1890-1951) was an activist, author, and civic leader in New Orleans. Her father was Ashton Phelps, who was in the cotton business and president of the Times-Democrat, which later became the Times-Picayune. Hammond married Arthur Browne Hammond in New Orleans in 1917. They had four children, Arthur Hammond, Jr., Blanche Hammond (Mrs. Nauman Scott), Lillian Hammond (Mrs. J. Robert Waterhouse), and John Phelps Hammond. Hammond was chairwoman of the Louisiana Women's Committee (established in 1933). She fought for years to force the Senate to investigate charges of corruption and election fraud against Senators Huey P. Long and John Overton. She wrote Let Freedom Ring in 1936 and Pierre and Nanette in Old New Orleans in 1946, as well as other short stories. She was president of Newcomb's 1909 senior class and a friend of Martha Robinson and Natalie Scott.

Subject/Index Terms

Elections -- Corrupt practices -- Louisiana.
Hammond, Hilda Phelps.
Long, Huey Pierce, 1893-1935.
Louisiana Women's Committee.
Overton, John Holmes, 1875-1948.
Women authors, American -- 20th century.

Administrative Information

Repository: Louisiana Research Collection

Accruals: Additional material added to the collection 1984 June 13.

Access Restrictions: Collection is open to the public. No known restrictions.

Use Restrictions: Physical rights are retained by the Louisiana Research Collection. Copyright is retained in accordance with U.S. copyright laws.

Acquisition Source: Blanche Hammond Scott (daughter).

Acquisition Method: Gift.

Preferred Citation: Hilda Phelps Hammond papers, Manuscripts Collection 705, Louisiana Research Collection, Howard-Tilton Memorial Library, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118.

Processing Information: Collection processed by JSC.

Finding Aid Revision History: Finding aid information entered in Archon by LAC Group in 2011.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Box:

[Box 1: Correspondence, short stories, speeches, clippings, obituaries, photographs, and biography],
[Box 2: Hearings and committees],
[All]

Box 1: Correspondence, short stories, speeches, clippings, obituaries, photographs, and biography

Folder 1: Correspondence, 1933: Correspondence of Hilda Phelps Hammond and members of the Louisiana Women's Committee with members of the Senate Investigating Committee overseeing the charges of corruption and fraud in the election of Senators Huey Long and John Overton. Letters in the collection are from Senators Robert D. Carey, Harry F. Byrd, and Senator Copeland, as well as secretaries in Committees on Appropriations, Rules, Interstate Commerce and Finance.
Folder 2: Correspondence, 1934: Continuance of correspondence with Senators Robert D. Carey, Royal S. Copeland, Robert J. Buckley, as well as letters by and to Hilda Phelps Hammond and members of the Louisiana Women's Committee.
Folder 3: Correspondence, 1935: Letters by Hilda Phelps Hammond to Senators Hastings, Dickinson, Barbour, Buckley, Couzens, in an attempt to declare the Long election fraudulent. Responses by the Senate are included, as well as letters from other members of the committee.
Folder 4: Correspondence, undated: Copy of cover letter sent to Senator Hatch by Hilda Phelps Hammond, along with a list of senators to whom the missing letter was sent.
Folder 5: Correspondence, 1941 August 10: Information on "Young America Wants to Help" and a response from C.B. Hodges, President of Louisiana State University.
Folder 6: Young America Wants to Help, 1942 February 11-12: "Young America wants to Help" - British War Relief Work in Louisiana quotes Hilda Phelps Hammond; letter of response from Cooperative Extension Club State Agent.
Folder 7: Personal correspondence, 1950 November 20: Letter from Mary Dillard Millsaps; copy of a letter from Hilda Hammond's mother.
Folder 8: Correspondence with publishers, 1951 September 18: Letter and blurb from Erick Berry of Charles Scribner's Sons, publishers, New York, requesting Hilda Phelps Hammond to write a work of juvenile history for them.
Folder 9: Three Short Stories: Three short stories and a posthumous letter of rejection. The stories are: The Only Way; The Man Who Forgot; Triangle (typescript).
Folder 10: One short story (in French), 1950 November 5: End of the Line, a short story in French printed in a French newspaper, La Patrie.
Folder 11: Two speeches, circa 1933-1936: Parts of two speeches by Hilda Phelps Hammond.
Folder 12: First flap for Hilda Phelps Hammond book Let Freedom Ring, 1936
Folder 13: Mithras Ball announcement, 1910
Folder 14: Newspaper clipping announcing Hilda Phelps Hammond's election to President of Senior Class at Newcomb College, 1908
Folder 15: Obituaries, 1951 October 21
Folder 16: Telegram from Natalie Scott, 1951 October 21
Folder 17: Three photographs
Folder 18: Biography, one page, written by daughter, Mrs. Nauman Scott
Folder 19: Transcription of hearing in Heflin/Bankhead Case: Typescript.

Browse by Box:

[Box 1: Correspondence, short stories, speeches, clippings, obituaries, photographs, and biography],
[Box 2: Hearings and committees],
[All]

Tulane University Special Collections