Papers of Neil Morgan, prominent San Diego columnist, writer, editor, and civic commentator, who is best known for his column "Neil Morgan" that appeared in the SAN DIEGO EVENING TRIBUNE (1961-1992) and the SAN DIEGO UNION (1992-2004). Morgan was the associate editor (1977-1981) and chief editor (1981-1992) of the SAN DIEGO EVENING TRIBUNE and the associate editor (1992-2004) and senior columnist (1992-2004) of the SAN DIEGO UNION. He is the author of numerous books and magazine articles promoting San Diego and has written extensively on the culture and development of the contemporary American West. The papers contain scrapbooks of pasted-in clippings of Morgan's columns, travel articles, magazine articles, and reviews of his books; subject files for recent columns (1993-2004); typescripts for media projects, including early 1950s radio scripts; editorial memorabilia from his career in journalism; miscellaneous typescript drafts of columns and articles; drafts and notes for speeches and lectures; audio and videorecordings; and miscellaneous awards. Also included are programs and flyers from the Bohemian Grove Club and a small collection of Raymond Chandler correspondence and miscellany. The papers are arranged in sixteen series: 1) SCRAPBOOKS, 2) SUBJECT FILES, 3) BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS, 4) MEDIA PROJECTS, 5) RAYMOND CHANDLER MATERIALS, 6) BOHEMIAN GROVE CLUB MATERIALS, 7) EDITORIAL MATERIALS, 8) COLUMN DRAFTS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS, 9) BOOKS, 10) MAGAZINE ARTICLES, 11) SPEECHES AND LECTURES, 12) AUDIO RECORDINGS, 13) VIDEO RECORDINGS, 14) AWARDS, 15) RICHARD NIXON, and 16) ORIGINALS OF PRESERVATION PHOTOCOPIES.

Neil Bowen Morgan was born in Smithfield, North Carolina, in 1924. He attended Wake Forest University where he edited the student magazine THE STUDENT. During his junior and senior years he worked as the assistant state news editor for the RALEIGH NEWS AND OBSERVER. Morgan graduated in 1943, at the age of 19, and was called up for military service into the Naval Air Corps training program in September 1944. He entered the U.S. Navy's three-month ensign school at Coral Gables, Florida, and was sent to the Western Pacific Command. He came to San Diego when the war ended, finished his military service at the Camp Kearny Naval Auxiliary Air Station, now Miramar, and was released from duty on March 15, 1946.

41.90 linear feet (21 records cartons, 29 archive boxes, 4 card file boxes, and 6 oversize folders)

Publication rights are held by the creator of the collection.