The papers of Abby Aldrich Rockefeller primarily consist of correspondence, including personal correspondence to family and relatives, biographical materials; art collection files, and files pertaining to her philanthropic activities.

This collection contains the personal and professional papers of Celia Adler and Lazar Freed, including theatrical materials such as scripts, programs and sheet music, correspondence, newspaper clippings, assorted publications, and photographs of many of the members of the Adler family and their friends from the Yiddish theater. These materials reflect the wide scope of the Adler acting family and their immense influence on Yiddish theater, Broadway and motion pictures.

Correspondents include Barbara Blum; Herbert G. Birch; Orville G. Brim, Jr.; Urie Bronfenbrenner; Hillary Rodham Clinton; Lewis B. Cuyler; Charles Dollard; Jessie Emmet; Nevil Ford; Alice FitzGerald; Charlayne Hunter Gault; George J. Hecht; Mavis Hetherington; Jerome Kagan; Sheila Kamerman; Trude Lash; Emily McFarland; Leonard Mayo; Evelyn Moore; Kathleen Mortimer; Emil Pattberg; Stephen A. Richardson; Mary French Rockefeller; Milton J. E. Senn; Heidi Sigal; Chester Swinyard; Ruby Takanishi; Ray Valdivieso; George Wheatley; and Nicholas Zill.

The collection contains Pachter's writings in history, economics, current events, the social sciences and other topics. The bulk of the collection consists of Pachter's published essayistic writings, both for journals (including numerous articles for Dissent) and for newspapers.

This collection documents the personal and political life of Herbert H. Lehman, who served as lieutenant governor, governor, and senator of New York, and as director-general of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration.

Jacques Judah Lyons, hazzan, rabbi and community leader, was born in Surinam and emigrated to Philadelphia in the early 1800s. Minister of the New York Congregation Shearith Israel for 38 years, he gathered extensive materials on early Jewish history in the United States, Canada and the West Indies. His papers include manuscripts, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, notebooks, photographs and a Sansom ship's log book. Contains material relating to Jews in North and South America generally and more specifically to Congregation Shearith Israel and the Jews in New York, the Touro Synagogue and cemetery and the Jews in Newport, Rhode Island, Philadelphia and the West Indies. Also contains material relating to Jews in the wars of the United States, correspondence of the Jews with George Washington and items relating to Haym Salomon. Collection consists of manuscript material and five notebooks and three scrapbooks of Lyons. Contains also material not listed in calendar consisting of sermons by Lyons, a manuscript prayer book used in Surinam and a guide for religious ceremonies at Congregation Shearith Israel, as well as letters written during the Civil War period and correspondence relating to the personal life and career of Lyons.

This series contains a portion of the office files of Arthur Massolo, who served in the Appointments Office during Nelson A. Rockefeller's third gubernatorial term. This incomplete selection of papers is composed entirely of correspondence with individuals seeking employment in the Rockefeller administration. As Assistant Appointments Officer to the Governor, Massolo forwarded the correspondence to the appropriate department. Massolo often included cover memoranda with recommendations on the individuals to the directors, commissioners, or secretaries of the many New York State departments.

This series documents portions of Nelson A. Rockefeller's public activities from 1953 to 1973. Diane Van Wie was on Nelson A. Rockefeller's executive staff prior to and while he was Governor of New York. She was one of two assistants to Ann Whitman, executive assistant to the governor, in the Albany office.

The material in this series was created and maintained by Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller's Press Office. The series includes copies of press releases documenting his governmental and political activities and some background material used in the creation of the releases. Also included is a small collection of statistical analysis reports used by the Governor's office to gauge public opinion on various issues.

This series contains Rockefeller's reading copy of speeches and transcripts of his remarks at press conferences. Some files contain drafts of speeches. Broad topics include both New York state and national government, politics, and public policy issues. Also included are speeches he made during his campaigns for the Republican presidential nomination in 1960, 1964, and 1968.

This series contains a portion of Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller's political correspondence on state and national issues. The correspondence reflects his role as a national political figure and was filed separately from correspondence generated while serving as Governor of New York.

This series is made up of Nelson A. Rockefeller's personal copies of correspondence, reports, and other documents gathered during his service in the federal government in ten presidential appointments between 1940 and 1969. All manner of documents can be found in these files, from handwritten notes to printed reports. Marginal notes found in Rockefeller's handwriting are not uncommon. These records both duplicate and complement official government records held in the National Archives and in presidential libraries.

Types of records includes: photographs.

This series of photographs, originating from the Rockefeller family office (Room 5600), comprehensively documents Nelson A. Rockefeller's life and career including his personal, professional and political activities. Family and personal photographs include invidividual formal and informal portraits, group portraits and events, as well as Rockefeller family homes, a selection of images of his art collection, and travel prints. There is a large selection of images of dignitaries and friends, as well as photographic documentation of Nelson Rockefeller's business activities, philanthropic activities, and government service. The series also includes a wide variety of images of gubernatorial appearances and campaign activities as well as photographs pertaining to Nelson's service as Vice President of the United States.

The Business Interest series documents the Rockefeller Family's investments and financial involvement in a variety of industries, companies, and geographic areas, including banks, oil, iron mining, timber, railroads, Rockefeller Center, and South America.

This series reflects primarily the activities of John D. Rockefeller, Jr., but significant documentation on the political and civic concerns of each of his sons is also present. In addition to extensive files on family support of the Republican Party on the national, state, and local level, separate folders exist on specific candidates, such as President Dwight D. Eisenhower, New York City Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, and New York Governor Thomas Dewey. There are substantial files on family support for Nelson Rockefeller during his first gubernatorial campaign and immediately afterward. However, very little material exists in this series on his presidential effort in 1960.

The Cultural Interests series reflects the Rockefeller family's involvement and contributions in the areas of the arts, museums, parks, and historic restorations. The series contains correspondence between members of the Rockefeller family and the Family Office Staff on the one hand, and officials and members of the various institutions and organizations on the other. Most of the material concerns unsolicited appeals for donations. Some members of the family were also members of or were active in several of the organizations, and some of the correspondence reflects this activity.

The Office of the Messrs. Rockefeller (OMR) materials document the increasing role assumed by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. in the management of Rockefeller affairs and amply document his business and philanthropic affairs. They also chronicle the entrance of JDR Jr.'s sons, John D. 3rd, Nelson A., Laurance S., Winthrop, and David, into the world of business, philanthropy, civic leadership, and politics as they joined the office.

The files found in this series include correspondence by members of the Rockefeller family and their representatives and the officials of various institutions. Most of the material is unsolicited requests for aid. The material on institutions in which the family took an active interest, such as the International Houses, includes analysis, reports, general correspondence, contributions, and administration.

The Friends and Services series is primarily John D. Rockefeller, Jr.'s personal correspondence with his friends and relations. Other files deal with a variety of support, service, and administrative activities such as the operation of the Family Office, family membership in social clubs, family doctors, management of family garages and stables, and arrangement for the biographies of John D. Rockefeller and John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

The Homes series documents the management of four of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.'s and John D. Rockefeller, Jr.'s estates and their New York City homes. The estates are Ormond Beach, Florida; Lakewood, New Jersey; Pocantico Hills, New York; and Seal Harbor, Maine. The New York City homes are 4, 10, and 12 West 54th Street and the apartment at 740 Park Avenue. There is also information regarding John D. Rockefeller 3rd's apartment at One Beekman Place. Most of the material deals with property purchases, employees, the construction of homes, out buildings, and private roads, relations with neighbors and local communities, the contents of the houses (particularly art collections), and the general maintenance and operation of the various homes. The correspondence is between members of the family and the family office on the one hand, and estate managers, employees, contractors, real estate agents, neighbors, members of the various communities, and art dealers on the other.

The Office of the Messrs. Rockefeller (OMR) materials document the increasing role assumed by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. in the management of Rockefeller affairs and amply document his business and philanthropic affairs. They also chronicle the entrance of JDR Jr.'s sons, John D. 3rd, Nelson A., Laurance S., Winthrop, and David, into the world of business, philanthropy, civic leadership, and politics as they joined the office.

The 35 boxes in this series cover the years 1898-1961. The Messrs. Rockefeller, Sr. and Jr., Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, Abby Rockefeller Mauze, the five brothers, and their spouses are all represented in this series. Mr. Rockefeller, Jr., John D. 3rd, and Laurance S. Rockefeller are have the most connection to thse records.

The Religious Interests series reflects the Rockefeller family's interest in and contributions to various churches and religious organizations. The files contain correspondence between members of the family and the family office, as well as officials and members of the various religious institutions. In some cases, the files include financial information on the appealing institutions. The miscellaneous files generally contain unsolicited appeals for donations. The series illustrates family contributions to religious organizations up to 1962. The contributions were made to a wide spectrum of organizations and activities, such as missionary movements, interdenominational cooperation, and religious education.

The Boards represented in this series are the most important philanthropies that have been developed from the Rockefeller fortune: the Bureau of Social Hygiene; the China Medical Board of the Rockefeller Foundation and its successor, the China Medical Board, Inc.; the Davison Fund; the General Education Board; the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial; the Rockefeller Brothers Fund; the Rockefeller Foundation; the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research (now known as Rockefeller University); the Rockefeller Sanitary Commission; the Sealantic Fund; and the Spelman Fund of New York.

The materials in this series represent the Rockefeller family's involvement over the course of more than half a century with mainstream charitable and philanthropic organizations. With certain important exceptions, these papers focus on maintenance organizations, i.e., groups handling the chronic problems of the disabled, alcoholics, juvenile delinquents, orphans, the elderly, and the sick. For this reason, much of the correspondence and other material contained here is of a routine nature and constitutes what was once called the "citizenship" obligations of the Rockefeller family.

The World Affairs series reflects the Rockefeller family's contributions toward national defense and international relations. The series is divided into seven sections: Foreign Policy, including the Foreign Policy Association and the Council on Foreign Relations; Institute of Pacific Relations; National Defense, which includes material on war preparedness, veteran's organizations, civil defense, the Commander Byrd expeditions and the New York City Airport Authority; Post-War Reconstruction; Peace Plans, which contains material on peace organizations, the League of Nations and the United Nations (including material on John D. Rockefeller, Jr.'s gift of the site for the United Nations headquarters); War Relief; and National War Fund.