Legislative, 1865-1958

Series

Identifier: CAC_CC_053_3_0000_0000_0000

Staff Only

Most of the material in the Thomas Collection was created during his senatorial years. Because Thomas served over half of his years in the Senate during the Great Depression and World War II, the collection is an excellent source on the history of the nation and Oklahoma during the 1930s and 1940s. The files reflect the national debate over these two major crises and include opinions of colleagues, figures in the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration, and other prominent personalities. Because of his role on the Indian Affairs Committee as well as the sizable Indian constituency in Oklahoma, there is a large number of documents on Indians in the collection. The papers also contain much information on almost every federal construction and social project that occurred in Oklahoma. Researchers can find information on agriculture, drought relief, monetary policy, the Veteran Bonus Bill, social security, Roosevelt's court-packing attempt, defense, demobilization after World War II, and the Marshall Plan. Special correspondence files reveal letters from Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover, and Harry Truman. These same files contain a large amount of correspondence with Scott Ferris (former congressman and Democratic national committeeman from Oklahoma) about politics in the state and nation. Because Thomas was so interested in the welfare of his constituents, it comes as no surprise that the collection is a treasure trove on how Oklahomans were meeting the challenges of the times. Finally, the collection includes a typescript of "Forty Years a Legislator," Thomas's memoirs.

Dates

1865-1958

Language of Materials

English

Conditions Governing Access

Certain series of this collection are stored off-site and require prior notice to access. If you wish to view these materials, please contact the Congressional Archives staff to arrange an appointment.

The following series are stored off-site: Constituent Services, Miscellaneous, and Office Series.