Helen G. Sullivan papers M2149
Malgorzata Schaefer
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
September 2016
Green Library
557 Escondido Mall
Stanford 94305-6064
specialcollections@stanford.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Title: Helen G. Sullivan papers
creator:
Sullivan, Helen G.
Identifier/Call Number: M2149
Physical Description:
0.63 Linear Feet
One legal mb and one half box
Date (inclusive): 1945-1952
Physical Location: Special Collections and University Archives materials are stored offsite and must be paged 36 hours in advance.
Biographical / Historical
Helen Gray Sullivan was born in 1923 and grew up in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She graduated from the Woman's College
of the University of North Carolina in 1944, and then went into service with the Office of the Director of Political Affairs,
a division of the Office of Military Government, United States (OMGUS) and was stationed in Berlin, Germany, where she remained
for several years working for the military government of occupied Germany. She returned to the United States in 1948, and
worked for the United States Foreign Service in Washington, D.C. Helen was the youngest daughter of Ralph Alexander Sullivan
(1888-1974) and Elizabeth Sullivan (1898-1973). She had an older sister, Marjorie, and a younger brother, Ralph.
Content Description
Contains 130 letters, both manuscript and typescript, (99 retained mailing envelopes), plus 137 photographs and 45 pieces
of paper ephemera, all dated 1945 to 1952. The correspondence is between Helen G. Sullivan and her family, mostly written
while Helen was stationed at Berlin in post war occupied Germany working for the Office of the Director of Political Affairs.
The majority of the letters are from Helen to her family members, but the collection also includes letters to Helen from her
mother (Elizabeth Sullivan), Ralph Paxman (a postal officer), and others.
The archive includes 137 black and white photographs taken by Helen Sullivan, as well as postcards from Germany.
Conditions Governing Access
Open for research. Note that material must be requested at least 36 hours in advance of intended use. Audiovisual materials
are not available in original format, and must be reformatted to a digital use copy.
Conditions Governing Use
While Special Collections is the owner of the physical and digital items, permission to examine collection materials is not
an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Any transmission
or reproduction beyond that allowed by fair use requires permission from the owners of rights, heir(s) or assigns
Immediate Source of Acquisition
This collection was purchased for Stanford University, Special Collections in August 2016.
Preferred Citation
[identification of item], Helen G. Sullivan correspondence, M2149. Dept. of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford
University Libraries, Stanford, Calif.
Related Materials
The State Archives of North Carolina Military Collection holds the Helen G. Sullivan Letters (CLDW 11).
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Germany -- History -- 1945-1955
Sullivan, Helen G.
Germany (Territory under Allied occupation, 1945-1955 : U.S. Zone). Office of Military Government
Box 1, Folder 1
Letters - Helen Sullivan to her parents and siblings, January - June 1946
Box 1, Folder 2
Letters - Helen Sullivan to her parents and siblings, July - December 1946
Box 1, Folder 3
Letters - Helen Sullivan to her parents and siblings, January - June, 1947
Box 1, Folder 4
Letters - Helen Sullivan to her parents and siblings, July - December 1947
Box 1, Folder 5
Letters - Helen Sullivan to her parents and siblings, 1948
Box 1, Folder 6
Letters - Helen Sullivan to her parents and siblings, 1951
Box 1, Folder 7
Letters - Helen Sullivan to her parents and siblings, undated
Box 1, Folder 8
Letters - Mrs. Elizabeth Sullivan to her daughter, Helen Sullivan, 1947-1952
Box 1, Folder 9
Letters - Mrs. Elizabeth Sullivan to her daughter, Helen Sullivan, undated
Box 1, Folder 10
Letters to Mrs. Elizabeth Sullivan from Ralph Paxman, postal officer, 1946
Box 1, Folder 11
Letters to Helen Sullivan, various, 1945 -1948
Box 1, Folder 12
Letters to Helen Sullivan, various, 1949-1951
half-box 2, Folder 1
Ephemera, including programs, receipts, Christmas greetings, birthday telegrams, postcards from Helen Sullivan to family
half-box 2, Folder 2
Photographs from loose pages of photograph albums - black and white
Processing Information
Album pages were photocopied and are in the folder. Photographs were removed from the acidic paper and sleeved, attempting
to keep the order. Notations are visible on the photocopies. Loose pages were from at least two separate albums.
half-box 2, Folder 3
Photographs of people, including class photos and portraits - black and white
half-box 2, Folder 4
Photographs of travel - black and white
half-box 2, Folder 5
Photographs of office - black and white
