Benjamin Hitt (1916-2005) was the Managing Editor for the San Jose Mercury News for over 30 years. The collection is a compilation of his early works, personal photographs, and other mementos.

Ben Hitt (1916-2005) was born in Riverside, California and began his editing career early. He was editor of his high school newspaper and went on to become Editor-in-Chief of Fullerton Junior College's Weekly Torch and again and San Jose College's Spartan Daily. Hitt also served in World War II and wrote small articles for the troops newsletter. After the war he settled in Santa Clara Country and eventually worked his way up to Managing Editor at the San Jose Mercury News. His first wife, Anne Hitt, worked for the Mercury and collected records from early Santa Clara history. She died in a car accident, but Hitt's second wife kept the collection and other mementos from Hitt in her garage. Hitt passed away from bone cancer in 2005, but the records and Hitt mementos were not found until 2013 when Hitt's wife's niece was cleaning out her aunt's garage and found the historical items.

1 box, including newspaper clippings and photographs.

Open to the public for research by appointment with the Curator of Library and Archives.