Collection context
Summary
- Abstract:
- Pulitzer Prize winning American author. The collection contains material relating to Sinclair's 1934 candidacy for Governor of California under the End Poverty in California (EPIC) platform.
- Extent:
- 1 folder (SC)
- Language:
- English
- Preferred citation:
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
Upton Sinclair Campaign Collection, &su_name;
Background
- Scope and Content:
The Upton Sinclair Campaign Collection consists of campaign letters and literature along with newspaper clippings, all relating to Sinclair's 1934 bid for the governor's seat in California. Included are a wide selection of publications and campaign ads by his opponent.
- Biographical / Historical:
Upton Sinclair (1878-1968) was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American author, best known for his novels exposing corruption and poor social, economic and working conditions. His 1906 novel The Jungle led to reforms in the American meat-packing industry, including passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act. He ran twice for Congress on the Socialist Party candidate, unsuccessfully, and was the Democratic nominee for Governor of California in 1934. The campaign captured a great deal of attention; conservatives portrayed Sinclair as a Communist and circulated quotes from his novels taken out of context in an attempt to prove that he was an enemy of military veterans, lawyers, businessmen, the Knights of Columbus, universities, Christianity, and the Boy Scouts, among other things. He was defeated by his opponent, Frank F. Merriam. The campaign is notable for being one of the first to employ mass media techniques.
- Acquisition information:
- Gift of Richard W. Van Wagenen , 1988.
- Arrangement:
Campaign literature appears first, followed by newspaper clippings and Sinclair campaign letters.
Indexed Terms
- Subjects:
- Literature -- American Fiction
Politics, government and public administration
Radicalism
Campaign literature -- 20th century.
Governors -- California -- Election -- History -- 20th century.
Governors -- Election.
Mass media -- Political aspects -- California -- History -- 20th century.
Political campaigns -- California -- History -- 20th century.
Correspondence.
Clippings (information artifacts)
Pamphlets. - Names:
- Sinclair, Upton, 1878-1968.
- Places:
- California -- Politics and government -- 1850-1950.
Access
- RESTRICTIONS:
-
The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.
- TERMS OF ACCESS:
-
Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.
- PREFERRED CITATION:
-
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
Upton Sinclair Campaign Collection, &su_name;
- LOCATION OF THIS COLLECTION:
-
Special Collections Research CenterSyracuse University LibrariesBird Library, Room 600Syracuse, NY 13244, United States
- CONTACT:
-
315.443.2697scrc@syr.edu