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Kempton (Grace A.; and Willett Main) family papers
M2004
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Table of contents
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Title: Grace A. Kempton and Willett M. Kempton family papers
source:
Kempton, Grace Arrington
Creator:
Kempton, Grace Arrington
Creator:
Kempton, Willett Main
Identifier/Call Number: M2004
Identifier/Call Number: 19051
Physical Description:
21.5 Linear Feet
(55 boxes, 1 map folder)
Physical Description:
116 gigabyte(s)
(2 flash drives)
Date (inclusive): 1916-1978
Date (bulk): 1940-1945
Abstract: Correspondence and printed material largely related to World War II from Grace Kempton, who worked for the Army Public Relations
Office and later joined the Women's Army Corp, and her husband Willett Kempton, who worked for the Office of War Information.
Gift of John Houston Kempton. Accession 2014-016.
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.
The materials are open for research use, with the exception of the digital materials, which are closed until processed.
The Kempton Family Collection contains correspondence and printed material relating to World War II from Grace Arrington Kempton
and her husband Willett Main Kempton, both of whom were journalists involved with morale and propaganda efforts.
Willet Kempton was Grace's journalism instructor at the University of Georgia. They were married in 1939 and Grace Kempton
began writing a column for Southern newspapers. In 1942 she started working with the Army Public Relations Office. The following
year, Grace enlisted in the Women's Army Corps, working in the Pentagon for the Bureau of Public Relations' Morale Services.
There she managed information about the WACs and published articles in magazines such as
Yank and
Overseas Woman.
During the war, Willet Kempton was Department Director of Information for the Office for Emergency Management, which later
transitioned to the Office of War Information. Willet wrote the syndicated "Home Front" and" Answers to Your War Questions"
columns, as well as tracking and reviewing other war news. In 1943 he was in charge of radio relations for the agency. In
this capacity, Kempton was involved with the United Nations conference in San Francisco in 1945. He later taught at American
University, eventually becoming chair of the Department of Communications.
The collection contains correspondence, diaries, memoranda, notes, typescripts, press releases and drafts of articles, as
well as many newspapers and clippings, including camp newsletters and other publications with limited distribution.
There are also related materials from family members Judson Kempton (who served as a medic in England in the late 1930s) and
Homer Arrington (who served as a navigator in the Air Force in Europe during World War Two). Also included is a genealogy
chart prepared by John Houston Kempton (son of Willett and Grace Kempton).
Collection has been minimally processed with a folder listing only. No physical rearrangement or preservation has been performed.
Some folders contain fragile and damaged material. Some of the more egregiously damaged material was photocopied for preservation.
Grace Arrington Kempton
Grace Arrington was born in Rome, Georgia in 1916. She earned an A.B. in English literature from Shorter College, then a B.A.
in journalism from the University of Georgia in 1940. She married one of her journalism instructors, Willett Main Kempton,
on August 5, 1939.
Her journalism career began as a society columnist for the Banner Herald in Athens, GA in 1940, and she was later a reporter
for the Atlanta Constitution (1942) and the Army Public Relations Office (19421943) before writing society columns for Palm
Beach (FL) Life (1947) and the McLean Providence Journal (19521953).
Grace enlisted in the army in 1943, and served in the Women's Army Corps at the Pentagon during World War II, where she attained
the rank of captain before departing in 1945.
She was ever active in her community, and was a member of the Women's Board of the George Washington University Hospital (1953),
the Northern VA board of Realtors, the VA Real Estate Association, the American
Newspaper Women's Club, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Chi Omega, Women in Communications, the Heritage Foundation,
and the Capital Speakers Club.
Grace served as publicity chairman of the Fairfax County Cancer Society (1953), director of the McLean Horse Show Association,
and in 1975, President of the Georgia State Society.
She founded and ran a public relations firm, the "Embassy Service Bureau" (1946 – 1947), then served as an administrative
assistant to congressman Henderson Lanham (GA) from 1947 – 1948. She founded in 1955 the Grace A. Kempton Realty Company in
Mclean, which she ran until the late 1980's. Her husband, Willett, died in 1962. (source: Money & King Funeral Home obituary,
February 2012)
Willett Main Kempton
Willett Kempton was born in Mt.Carroll, Illinois in 1900, graduated from Culver Military Academy and received his Master's
degree from the University of Wisconsin. During World War II Kempton was Department Director of Information for the Office
of Emergency Management, later known as the Office of War Information (OWI). From 1943 to 1945, he was in charge of radio
relations for the OWI. From 1946 to 1948, he was Director of Radio for the Department of Interior, working with President
Truman on radio broadcasts. Considered a pioneer in the emerging field of Communications, he became chairman of the Department
of Communications at American University in 1947 and worked there until his death in 1962 (Excerpted from American University
obituary, November 29th, 1962)
[identification of item], Grace A. Kempton and Willett M. Kempton family papers (M2004). Dept. of Special Collections and
University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, Calif.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
World War, 1939-1945 -- Women -- United States -- Correspondence.
World War, 1939-1945 -- Correspondence -- Sources
Kempton, Grace Arrington
Kempton, Willett Main
United States. Army. Women's Army Corps
United States. Office of War Information