Doris Duke Foundation records, 1934-2009, bulk 1948-1982
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Summary
- Creator:
- Doris Duke Foundation
- Abstract:
- The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Inc., formerly known as Independent Aid, Inc., was incorporated in 1934 as a philanthropic organization to help Duke better manage the volume of donation requests addressed to her. This collection illustrates the causes and places that she supported through the administrative and financial records of this organization. Acquired as DDF.9, part of the Doris Duke Foundation Historical Archives.
- Extent:
- 45.5 Linear Feet
- Language:
- Material in English.
- Collection ID:
- RL.00318
Background
- Scope and content:
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This collection illustrates the causes and places that Doris Duke supported with her philanthropy through the records of her charitable foundation. Subjects include poverty and underprivileged children, education, medicine, disability, animal welfare, the performing arts (including musical prodigies Lorin Maazel and Dike Newlin), refugees, spirituality, American Indians, and county and municipal services.
Many of the local and state organizations present are/were based in New York City, New Jersey, North Carolina, Rhode Island, and Hawaii--all places with ties to Duke. Several national and international organizations are also represented.
The most common types of material include correspondence, financial records, subject files on donations, photogaphs, and clippings. Duke's own notations can be found in the Subject Files series, demonstrating her very close involvement.
These records were kept at the Foundation's office in New York City until March 1975, then at Duke Farms in New Jersey after (the New York Business Office was located at 30 Rockefeller Plaza until 1971, when it relocated to 505 Park Avenue).
These records appear to have been maintained by the Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Foundation. This included Marion Paschal until her death in 1946 (although records indicate that board member Clarence E. Pickett served as Executive Secretary during this time, Paschal might have been Treasurer or had a different administrative title), Georgea T. Furst from 1946–1953 (after serving as Pickett's assistant from 1943-1946), Sophia van Theis from 1953–1957, and May E. McFarland from 1957-1975.
After the move to New Jersey, these records were maintained by secretary Elisabeth McConville, while the treasurer's duties seem to have been split off and taken on by A. E. Searles.
- Biographical / historical:
-
The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Inc., formerly known as Independent Aid, Inc., was incorporated in 1934 as a philanthropic organization to operate for charitable, educational, and scientific purposes. When Doris Duke turned 21, she decided to organize a foundation in order to better manage the many requests for aid addressed to her. She reasoned that a wisely selected board of directors with broad experience could provide her with valuable input before a final conclusion was reached. She sought to help people to help themselves through education, retraining, or financial assistance during a period of stress due to reasons such as illness, unemployment, and unexpected family burdens.
The officers of Independent Aid, Inc. voted to change the organization's name to the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Inc. in October 1951. At this time, it's interests were primarily in education and welfare, and it did not operate directly but instead made grants to other organizations. It was supported by Duke until her death in 1993 and continues to exist as a private grant-making entity, going by the shortened Doris Duke Foundation (DDF).
- Acquisition information:
- The Doris Duke Foundation records were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book and Manuscript Library as gifts from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation in 2009 and Rebecca G. Trent Kirkland in 2025.
- Processing information:
-
Processed and encoded by Mary Samouelian, October 2011.
Accession 2025-0064 processed by Zachary Tumlin, August 2025.
Accession(s) described in this finding aid: UA2009-0030 and 2025-0064.
- Arrangement:
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The Doris Duke Foundation records are organized into three series: Administrative, Financial, and Subject Files.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Subjects
Click on terms below to find related finding aids on this site. For other related materials in the Duke University Libraries, search for these terms in the Catalog.
Contents
Using These Materials
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Using These Materials
- Restrictions:
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Collection is open for research.
- Terms of access:
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The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the Rubenstein Library's Citations, Permissions, and Copyright guide.
- Before you visit:
- Please consult our up-to-date information for visitors page, as our services and guidelines periodically change.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item], Doris Duke Foundation records, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Historical Archives, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Duke University.
- Permalink:
- https://idn.duke.edu/ark:/87924/m1m030