Knight (Goodwin J.) papers, 1896-1988 (inclusive), 1946-1970 (bulk), bulk 1946-1970

Summary

Title:

Goodwin J. (Goodwin Jess) Knight Papers

Dates:

1896-1988 (inclusive), 1946-1970 (bulk), bulk 1946-1970

Abstract:

Goodwin Jess Knight, born 9 December 1896 in Provo, Utah, received his A.B. degree in law from Stanford in 1919 and was admitted to the California Bar in March 1921. In 1935 he was appointed to the Los Angeles Superior Court, in 1946 he became Lieutenant Governor of California, and in 1954 he was elected Governor. Knight died 22 May 1970.

Extent:

230 Linear Feet

Language:

English .

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item] Goodwin J. (Goodwin Jess) Knight Papers , M0244, Dept. of Special Collections, Stanford Libraries, Stanford, Calif.

Background

Scope and content:

The Knight Papers consist of political and personal correspondence, speeches, office claendars, press releases, pamphlets and magazines, information cards, clippings, scrapbooks, condolences, audio-visual materials, photographs, books, memorabilia, legal papers and the manuscript and printed form of a book written by Goodwin Knight as a child, Good's Budget of Stories for Boys (1910). The body of the collection concerns the years 1946-1958 although materials included range from 1910 to 1970.

The political scope of the materials is very broad, touching on such prominent political figures as George Christopher, Earl Warren, Edmund Brown, Richard Nixon, William Knowland and Dwight D. Eisenhower, to mention a few.

The major campaigns covered are: the 1946 and 1950 races for Lieutenant Governor; the gubernatorial race of 1954, and the unsuccessful campaign for U. S. Senate in 1958. Knight ran against Richard Nixon in the Republican primary of 1962 but was forced to retire from the race because of ill health. All campaigns are covered primarily on a statewide basis, although national elections may be highlighted through the printed reference materials.

The personal correspondence mentions many civic, personal and business-oriented organizations to which Knight belonged or by whom he was cited. Some material concerns his early life and education and family matters.

The collection should be of interest to the contemporary historian as it reflects the wake of New Deal politics in California, the impact of unamericanism within the state and the nation, and the rise of a new ecological awareness. Many of the issues raised during the Knight years became the foundations of contemporary problems facing not only California, but the United States as a whole. The correspondence gives substantial insight into the social attitudes of the 1950's.

Materials from the second accession of the Goodwin Knight Papers (M0245) have been incorporated into this larger collection (M0244) of Knight materials. These additions have been noted in the series and subseries descriptions where they occur.

Some of the materials in this section overlap Part I (M0244); the majority, however, pertains to the period from 1958 to 1970. Personal and political correspondence have not been separated. "Personality" files dealing with certain important political figures have been intreduced, which include correspondence and related materials.

The tone of this second segment of the Knight Papers is primarily political and often reflects Knight's political clashes within the Republican Party. Much of the material here will provide invaluable information to the contemporary politcal scientist and historian.

Biographical / historical:

Goodwin Jess Knight, born 9 December 1896 in Provo, Utah, received his A.B. degree in law from Stanford in 1919 and was admitted to the California Bar in March 1921. In 1935 he was appointed to the Los Angeles Superior Court, in 1946 he became Lieutenant Governor of California, and in 1954 he was elected Governor. Knight died 22 May 1970.

Acquisition information:

Gift of Virginia Carlson Knight, 1973-1988 ; Gift of Jonathan Weedman 2020.

Arrangement:

Arranged in ten series: 1. Correspondence, 1896-1970. 2. Printed Reference Materials, 1946-1958. 3. Clippings, 1948-1970. 4. Condolences, 1952. 5. Scrapbooks, 1944-1958. 6. Books. 7. Audiovisual Materials. 8. Photographs. 9. Memorabilia. 10. Addenda

Rules or conventions:

Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Related resources

Other descriptive data:

Disclaimer: the original guide to this collection was created in an era before electronic word processing. Staff emended the guide by hand on numerous occasions. These additions, corrections, and notations have been captured in a good-faith effort by the staff encoding this guide. However, it is likely that researchers will need to work with staff from the Manuscripts Division to verify the location of materials of interest.

Indexed terms

Subjects:

California -- Politics and government -- 1850-1950.

Places:

California -- Politics and government -- 1951-

About this collection guide

Date Encoded:

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2024-03-26 12:48:59 -0700 .

Restrictions:

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.

Terms of access:

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.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item] Goodwin J. (Goodwin Jess) Knight Papers , M0244, Dept. of Special Collections, Stanford Libraries, Stanford, Calif.

Location of this collection:

Stanford University, Manuscripts Division

Department of Special Collections, Green Library

557 Escondido Mall

Stanford, CA 94305-6004, US

Contact:

(650) 725-1022

specialcollections@stanford.edu

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