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Guide to the Frank Oppenheimer Papers, 1902-1985
BANC MSS 98/136 c  
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Table of contents What's This?

Container List

Carton 1, folders 1-51

Series 1: Correspondence, 1932-1985, n.d.

Scope and Content Note

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically, then chronologically.
Divided into 2 sub-series: Incoming and Outgoing. Both sub-series include personal and professional correspondence and consist of letters regarding Oppenheimer's research and teaching careers. Includes letters from Hans Bethe, Giuseppe Occhialini and many other leaders in the field of physics.
 

Subseries 1.1: Incoming, 1945-1985, n.d.

carton 1, folder 1

A miscellaneous 1950-1983

carton 1, folder 2

B miscellaneous, including 1949-1984, n.d.

 

Bethe, Hans Albrecht, 1906-

 

Bhabha, Homi Jehangir, 1909-1966

carton 1, folder 3

C miscellaneous 1958-1984

carton 1, folder 4-5

Cole, K.C. 1977-1983, n.d.

carton 1, folder 6

D miscellaneous 1958-1984, n.d.

carton 1, folder 7

Eklund, Sigvard 1947-1977, n.d.

carton 1, folder 8

F miscellaneous 1948-1984

carton 1, folder 9

G miscellaneous 1960-1984, n.d.

carton 1, folder 10

Gould, Jackie 1978-1984, n.d.

carton 1, folder 11

H miscellaneous 1958-1984

carton 1, folder 12

Hein, Hilde S., 1932- 1977-1984, n.d.

carton 1, folder 13

I-J, miscellaneous 1965-1984

carton 1, folder 14

K miscellaneous, including 1948-1985

 

Kabir, P. K.

carton 1, folder 15

Keim, Liz 1981-1985

carton 1, folder 16

L miscellaneous, including 1947-1984

 

Littauer, Sebastian B.

carton 1, folder 17

Lewis, Roger 1945-1983, n.d.

carton 1, folder 18

M miscellaneous, including 1960-1984

 

Marquit, Erwin, 1926-

 

Morrison, Douglas R. O.

 

Morse, Philip P.

carton 1, folder 19

N miscellaneous 1961-1981

carton 1, folder 20

Occhialini, G.P.S. 1976-1982

carton 1, folder 21

P miscellaneous 1949-1984

carton 1, folder 22

R miscellaneous, including 1963-1983

 

Reali, Mario

carton 1, folder 23

S miscellaneous, including 1947-1984, n.d.

 

Stannard, Russell

carton 1, folder 24

T miscellaneous 1968-1984

carton 1, folder 25

U-V miscellaneous 1948-1979

carton 1, folder 26

University of Colorado at Boulder 1964-1969

carton 1, folder 27

W miscellaneous 1947-1983

carton 1, folder 28

Y-Z miscellaneous 1974-1983

 

Subseries 1.2: Outgoing, 1932-1984, n.d.

carton 1, folder 29-51

Miscellaneous 1932-1984, n.d.

Carton 1, folders 52-76; Carton 2, folders 1-54

Series 2: Writings, 1936-1984, n.d.

Scope and Content Note

Arrangement

Arranged hierarchically, then chronologically.
Divided into 5 sub-series: Books, Articles and Essays, Lectures and Speeches, Book Reviews and Miscellaneous. Throughout this series, untitled writings appear in brackets and have been assigned titles based on their subject.
 

Subseries 2.1: Books, 1980-1984

Scope and Content Note

Books consists of correspondence, contracts, and drafts for Sentimental Fruits of Science, which was never published and written with K.C. Cole.
 

Sentimental Fruits of Science

carton 1, folder 52

Correspondence 1980-1984

carton 1, folder 53

Contract 1982

carton 1, folder 54-61

Drafts, Chapters 1-6 1983-1984

carton 1, folder 62

Notes 1983-1984

 

Subseries 2.2: Articles and Essays, 1936-1982, n.d.

Scope and Content Note

Articles and Essays includes drafts and reprints of writings on a range of topics including atomic weapons, education, and other social and political issues.
carton 1, folder 63

A View from the Top 1936

carton 1, folder 64

Prevention of War 1948

carton 1, folder 65

The Role of Universities 1948

carton 1, folder 66

Recovery ca. 1949

carton 1, folder 67

The Freedom to Create 1950

carton 1, folder 68

Teaching Mathematics 1958

carton 1, folder 69

Science and Fear - The Centennial Review 1961

carton 1, folder 70

Traffic in Watertown Square 1962

carton 1, folder 71

The Character of a University 1964

carton 1, folder 72

The Mathematics of Destruction - The Saturday Review 1965

carton 1, folder 73

Persuasion, Coercion, and Overpowering 1965

carton 1, folder 74

Amnesty 1966

carton 1, folder 75

Statistics 1966

carton 1, folder 76

Stacked Deck - Colorado Daily 1968

carton 2, folder 1

A War in the Shadow of the H-Bomb - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 1968

carton 2, folder 2

Prediction and Invention 1968

carton 2, folder 3

Science and Invention 1968

carton 2, folder 4

Science and Immunity - Scientific World 1969

carton 2, folder 5

Position Paper for the Council on Physics in Education 1972

carton 2, folder 6

The Freedom to Create 1982

carton 2, folder 7

Reflections After a Trip to New York 1982

carton 2, folder 8

An Alternative to Warring n.d.

carton 2, folder 9

Analytic Comparison n.d.

carton 2, folder 10

Chips and Choices n.d.

carton 2, folder 11

Communication: Physicists and Poets n.d.

carton 2, folder 12

[Creativity] n.d.

carton 2, folder 13

Cultural Procreativity n.d.

carton 2, folder 14

Desert People n.d.

carton 2, folder 15

Distortion: Bending the Sure Thing n.d.

carton 2, folder 16

European Education In the Seventeenth Century n.d.

carton 2, folder 17

A Factor of a Thousand n.d.

carton 2, folder 18

The Getting Used to the World n.d.

carton 2, folder 19

How Would an Angel Look at a Triangle? n.d.

carton 2, folder 20

Let the Teachers Teach and the Learners Learn n.d.

carton 2, folder 21

Mountain People n.d.

carton 2, folder 22

Paris to London n.d.

carton 2, folder 23

Science and the Ethics of Coercion n.d.

carton 2, folder 24

Science and Moral Responsibility n.d.

carton 2, folder 25

[Scientific Progress] n.d.

carton 2, folder 26

Simple People n.d.

carton 2, folder 27

The Sounds of Science n.d.

carton 2, folder 28

Vague Fears and Concrete Worries n.d.

carton 2, folder 29-33

Miscellaneous untitled writings n.d.

 

Subseries 2.3: Lectures and Speeches, 1945-1981, n.d.

Scope and Content Note

The bulk of Lectures and Speeches pertains to issues of world security and atomic weapons and were delivered in the years immediately following the Second World War.
carton 2, folder 34

The Implications of Atomic Power 1945

carton 2, folder 35

Speech to California CIO Council 1945

carton 2, folder 36

[Potentialities of Atomic Energy] 1946

carton 2, folder 37

Science and Peace 1946

carton 2, folder 38

[International Control of Atomic Energy] 1947

carton 2, folder 39

[Atomic Energy and World Peace] 1947

carton 2, folder 40

Public Welfare in the Atomic Age 1948

carton 2, folder 41

Talk Delivered to the Pagosa Springs P.T.A. 1957

carton 2, folder 42

Pagosa Springs High School Commencement 1960

carton 2, folder 43

Talk delivered to University of Colorado Alumni 1964

carton 2, folder 44

The Importance of the Role of Pedagogy in the Developing Nations 1965

carton 2, folder 45

Nuclear Film Forum lecture 1981

carton 2, folder 46

[Modern Physics and the Atomic Bomb] n.d.

 

Subseries 2.4: Book Reviews, 1968-1982, n.d.

Scope and Content Note

Book Reviews relate to writings about Oppenheimer's brother J. Robert Oppenheimer, nuclear security issues, and science education.
carton 2, folder 47

Lawrence and Oppenheimer 1968-1969

carton 2, folder 48

The Oppenheimer Case: Security on Trial ca. 1969

carton 2, folder 49

Protest and Survive ca. 1982

carton 2, folder 50

From Nucleus to Universe n.d.

 

Subseries 2.5: Miscellaneous, 1936-1984, n.d.

Scope and Content Note

Miscellaneous writings include bibliographies, editorials, and several short essays about J. Robert Oppenheimer.
carton 2, folder 51

Bibliography 1936-1983

carton 2, folder 52

Forward to Sympathetic Vibrations by K.C. Cole 1984

carton 2, folder 53

Writings about J. Robert Oppenheimer n.d.

carton 2, folder 54

Editorials n.d.

Carton 2, folders 55-75, Carton 3, folders 1-65, Carton 4, folders 1-9

Series 3: Professional Activities, 1911-1984, n.d.

Scope and Content Note

Arrangement

Arranged hierarchically, then chronologically.
Divided into 4 sub-series: Teaching, Research, Conferences, and Subject Files.
 

Subseries 3.1: Teaching, 1948-1984, n.d.

Scope and Content Note

Teaching consists of correspondence and course materials relating to Oppenheimer's teaching career and to the Library of Experiments, a set of laboratory experiments he developed at the University of Colorado. These records include proposals, articles, instructions for laboratory experiements and photographs.
carton 2, folder 55

Letters of appointment and contracts 1948-1968

carton 2, folder 56

An Introduction to Special Relativity ca. 1960

 

The Library of Experiments

carton 2, folder 57-58

Proposals 1961-1968, n.d.

carton 2, folder 59

"A Library of Experiments" by Frank Oppenheimer and Malcolm Correll 1964

carton 2, folder 60

"The Library of Experiments at the University of Colorado" 1964

carton 2, folder 61

"Sophomore-Laboratory Experiment on the Viscosity of Air" 1964

carton 2, folder 62-73

Experiments A-Z ca. 1964

carton 2, folder 74-75

Photographs ca. 1964

carton 3, folder 1-9

Laboratory instructions ca. 1964-1976

 

Unfragmented Course Program

carton 3, folder 10

Proposals 1966-1968, n.d.

carton 3, folder 11-12

Comments by students and professors 1967, n.d.

carton 3, folder 13

San Francisco Art Institute Courses 1980-1984

carton 3, folder 14

Introductory Physics Course n.d.

 

Subseries 3.2: Research, 1944-1970, n.d.

Scope and Content Note

Research is further divided into Projects and Papers.
 

Projects

Scope and Content Note

Projects includes materials relating to Oppenheimer's work in physics, and consists primarily of technical papers concerning research on the Berkeley Proton Nuclear Accelerator, cosmic rays, and bubble chambers, as well as correspondence and secrecy orders regarding patents for inventions created by Oppenheimer while under contract to the government. Research notes are also included.
 

Radiation Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley

carton 3, folder 15

Photograph of Radiation Laboratory staff ca. 1947

carton 3, folder 16

Berkeley Proton Linear Accelerator 1953

 

Cosmic Ray Research

carton 3, folder 17

Apparatus for Cloud Chamber Investigation with Free Balloons 1949

carton 3, folder 18

Permission for travel to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba 1949

carton 3, folder 19

Resolution of the Disagreement Between Measured and Computed Atmospheric Tritium n.d.

 

Bubble Chamber Research

carton 3, folder 20

A Bubble Chamber Study of the Trapping of Λ-Hyperons in Nuclear Matter 1963

carton 3, folder 21

Silicon Controlled Rectifier Circuit for the Control of High Wattage Projection Lamps 1964

carton 3, folder 22

Λ λ -p Elastic Scattering 1964

carton 3, folder 23

Cryptofragment Formation in a Heavy Liquid Bubble Chamber ca. 1964

carton 3, folder 24

Bubble Chamber Film Surveys 1966-1970

carton 3, folder 25

A Bubble Chamber Study of the Reactions Occuring with Stopping K - Mesons in a Mixture of Propane and Freon 1968

carton 3, folder 26

A Bubble Chamber Study of K - Nucleus Interactions at Rest n.d.

carton 3, folder 27

Study of the Reaction n.d.

 

π Π - + p ⇒ π + + π - + n At 2.36 GeV/c

carton 3, folder 28

A Bubble Chamber Study of K - Nucleus Interactions at Rest n.d.

carton 3, folder 29

Notes on future work on K - capture by nuclei n.d.

carton 3, folder 30

Photographs n.d.

 

Patents

carton 3, folder 31

Secrecy orders 1944-1951

carton 3, folder 32

Inventions 1955-1959

 

Notes

carton 3, folder 33-34

Research Notes 1944-1951, n.d.

carton 3, folder 35-38

Notebooks n.d.

 

Papers

Scope and Content Note

Papers includes drafts and published articles regarding his scientific research conducted primarily while at the University of Colorado.
carton 3, folder 39

Polarization by Reflection and Some Optical Constants in the Extreme Ultraviolet 1962

carton 3, folder 40

Absence of Any Temperature Dependence in the Ultraviolet Reflectivity of Platinum and Gold 1962

carton 3, folder 41

Apparatus Notes 1963

carton 3, folder 42

Baryon Exchange Model in Isobar Production 1964

carton 3, folder 43

A Simple Demonstration of the Retinal Evidence Involved in Distance Perception 1965

carton 3, folder 44

Enhancements in π - d Interactions at 2.26 GeV/c 1967

carton 3, folder 45

Proposal: Cartridge-Film-Procedure Demonstration 1967

carton 3, folder 46

Evidence for a I = 5/2 Baryon Resonance of Mass 1640 MeV/c 2 n.d.

carton 3, folder 47

Fission Chain Reactions as a Research Tool In Physics n.d.

carton 3, folder 48

Isobar Production in the Reaction π - + n ⇒ p + π - at 2.26 GeV/c n.d.

carton 3, folder 49

Observation of an I = O π - π + Enhancement in the 1.07 GeV Mass Region n.d.

 

Subseries 3.3: Conferences, 1965-1983

Scope and Content Note

Conferences consists of programs and lists of conference participants for professional meetings and seminars attended by Oppenheimer.
carton 3, folder 50

World Federation of Scientific Workers International Symposium on Problems of the Advancement of Science in Developing Countries 1965

carton 3, folder 51

Smithsonian Conference on Museums and Education 1966

carton 3, folder 52

International Conference on Instrumentation for High Energy Physics 1966

carton 3, folder 53

Seminar on the Developing American Assertion of World Control in an Age of Multi-Revolution on All Continents 1967

carton 3, folder 54

Miscellaneous 1965-1983

 

Subseries 3.4: Subject Files, 1911-1983, n.d.

Scope and Content Note

Subject Files include articles by friends and colleagues, as well as miscellaneous research files.
carton 3, folder 55-57

Kenneth T. Bainbridge 1945-1947, n.d.

carton 3, folder 58-62

K.C. Cole n.d.

carton 3, folder 63

Hilde Hein n.d.

carton 3, folder 64-65

Nuclear Issues 1945-1982, n.d.

carton 4, folder 1-3

Physics 1911-1979, n.d.

carton 4, folder 4

Radioactivity n.d.

carton 4, folder 5-6

Technology 1962-1973, n.d.

carton 4, folder 7

Visual Perception 1956-1975, n.d.

carton 4, folder 8-9

Victor F. Weisskopf 1956-1983, n.d.

Carton 4, folders 10-56

Series 4: Personal Papers, 1902-1985

Scope and Content Note

Arrangement

Arranged hierarchically and chronologically.
Divided into 3 sub-series: Family Papers, United States Congress House Committee on Un-American Activities, and Biographical Materials.
 

Subseries 4.1: Family Papers, 1902-1985, n.d.

Scope and Content Note

Family Papers consist of correspondence, photographs and materials relating to J. Robert Oppenheimer.
 

Correspondence

carton 4, folder 10

Ella Friedman Oppenheimer 1902-1903, n.d.

carton 4, folder 11

Julius Oppenheimer 1930-1937, n.d.

carton 4, folder 12

J. Robert Oppenheimer 1925-1962, n.d.

carton 4, folder 13-14

Jacquenette Oppenheimer n.d.

carton 4, folder 15

Katherine Oppenheimer Silber 1973-1976

carton 4, folder 16

Peter Oppenheimer 1973-1982, n.d.

 

Photographs

carton 4, folder 17

Unidentified photographs n.d.

 

J. Robert Oppenheimer

carton 4, folder 18

Letters to Herbert W. Smith 1922-1925, n.d.

carton 4, folder 19-21

Writings 1945-1965, n.d.

carton 4, folder 22

Obituaries 1967, 1972

carton 4, folder 23-24

Correspondence regarding J. Robert Oppenheimer 1967-1985, n.d.

carton 4, folder 25

"In the Matter of J. Robert Oppenheimer" - playbills and reviews 1969, 1982

carton 4, folder 26

Biographical sketches 1976, n.d.

 

The Day After Trinity

carton 4, folder 27

Correspondence 1977-1981

carton 4, folder 28

Frank Oppenheimer interview 1979

carton 4, folder 29

Transcript 1981

carton 4, folder 30

Reviews 1981

carton 4, folder 31

Correspondence regarding BBC miniseries Oppenheimer 1978-1982

carton 4, folder 32

In the Matter of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Barton J. Bernstein ca. 1981

carton 4, folder 33

Photographs n.d.

 

Subseries 4.2: United States Congress House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC), 1947-1983

Scope and Content Note

United States Congress House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC) includes correspondence, subpoenas, hearing transcripts, clippings, and drafts of statements written for his appearance before the committee. Also includes an essay by Oppenheimer, "The Tail that Wags the Dog," about his harrassment by the FBI, as well as an article regarding HUAC's investigation of the Oppenheimers published many years after the hearings.
carton 4, folder 34

Correspondence 1947-1950

carton 4, folder 35

Clippings 1947-1959

carton 4, folder 36

Subpoenas 1949-1950

carton 4, folder 37

Statements to HUAC ca. 1949

carton 4, folder 38

Transcripts of hearings 1949-1952

carton 4, folder 39

The Tail That Wags the Dog 1950

carton 4, folder 40

"On the Blacklist," by Paul Preuss 1982-1983

 

Subseries 4.3: Biographical Materials, 1912-1984, n.d.

Scope and Content Note

Biographical materials includes Oppenheimer's birth certificate, curriculum vitae, awards and honors, newsclippings, transcripts, and his will, as well as a biography by K.C. Cole and an undated interview.
carton 4, folder 41

Birth Certificate 1912

carton 4, folder 42

Academic transcripts 1933-1959

carton 4, folder 43

Memorabilia 1938-1981, n.d.

carton 4, folder 44

Awards and honors 1945-1982

carton 4, folder 45-47

Paintings 1950-1980

carton 4, folder 48

Clippings 1959-1984

carton 4, folder 49

Curriculum vitae ca. 1960

carton 4, folder 50

Financial records 1970-1981, n.d.

carton 4, folder 51

Legal claims 1971-1980

carton 4, folder 52

Health records 1975-1979

carton 4, folder 53

Passport 1975

carton 4, folder 54

Will 1981

carton 4, folder 55

Biography by K.C. Cole n.d.

carton 4, folder 56

Los Alamos National Laboratory interview n.d.