The Terry Sanford Papers document Sanford's career as a United States Senator from North Carolina from 1986 to 1992. The collection contains papers dated from 1926-1992, with the bulk of the material dated between 1986 and 1992. His senatorial campaigns, views on issues, interactions with constituents, and activities in committees of which he was a member are documented throughout the collection. Sanford served on the following U. S. Senate committees: Select Committee on Ethics (Chair); Special Committee on Aging; Budget; Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, including the Subcommittee on International Finance and Monetary Policy and Subcommittee on Securities; and Foreign Relations, including Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Chair), Subcommittee on African Affairs, and Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere and Peace Corps Affairs.
Senator Sanford's 1986 and 1992 campaigns are portrayed in the Press Files Series, particularly in the Videos Subseries and the Speeches Subseries. The Personal/Political Series contains Sanford's personal files from these campaigns. His views on the topics of education, health care, civil rights, foreign relations, and the environment are also documented in the Videos Subseries in interviews with Sanford and in campaign commercials; in the Speeches Subseries as well as in the Press Issues Subseries of the Press Files Series, and in the Voting Record Subseries of the Legislative Files Series.
Records of Sanford's activities on the committees on which he served (Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Foreign Relations; Budget; Select Committee on Ethics; Environment; and Appropriations) appear in the Legislative Files Series. His ideas and actions on the issues addressed by these committees are reflected in the General Correspondence Subseries of the Personal/Political Series.
Relationships with Sanford's constituents are documented in the Constituent Services Series. Both letters from constituents to Sanford and samples of standard form replies are included. Individual correspondence between Sanford and representatives of corporations and foundations are arranged alphabetically by the subject in the General Correspondence Subseries of the Personal/Political Series. The Videos Subseries of the Press Files Series includes lobbying material from industries.
Material in the Personal Journals Subseries of the Personal/Political Series is closed to patron use during Sanford's lifetime unless written approval from Sanford or his authorized representative has been acquired.
Several other area repositories hold collections pertaining to Senator Sanford's life and career. The Duke University Archives has records pertaining to Sanford's Presidency of Duke. Papers relating to his governorship are in the North Carolina Archives. His personal papers are among the holdings of the Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina.
Addition (1998-0323) is chiefly comprised of correspondence and printed material related to Sanford's political career, involvement in community, and membership in various organizations. They include files regarding the 517th Infantry (chiefly newsletters), a Battle of the Bulge reunion (1990), Central American affairs, and "miscellaneous memberships". Computer diskettes of Sanford's Senate journal document his career in the US Senate. (1982-1991) (780 items) (1.5 linear feet)
Addition (1999-0353) includes photographs and negatives of Sanford produced in 1987 for a senatorial portrait. (1987) (60 items) (.05 linear feet)
Addition (2000-0408) comprises 51 volumes of Sanford's Senate journal that cover June 1987 to August 1991; partial copies of his Senate schedules and 17 related micro-audio cassette tapes from July 1991 to March 1992; and other miscellaneous material concerning his senatorial campaigns of 1986 and 1992 and service in the Senate. This material was acquired from Sanford by Howard Covington and Marion Ellis for their use in writing Terry Sanford: Politics, Progress, and Outrageous Ambitions (Durham: Duke University Press, 1999). (1985-1995) (218 items) (3 linear feet)
Addition (2007-0078) (10 linear ft., 5650 items, dated circa 1986-1996) features material related to Sanford's 1986 senatorial campaign and to his book Outlive Your Enemies (published 1996). Senatorial campaign records include correspondence, voter surveys, campaign files, clippings, event flyers and invitations, videocassettes, and audiocassettes and other materials. The Outlive Your Enemies content consists of research files related to aging.
Addition (2010-0059) (3.6 lin. ft.; dated 1940s-1990s) includes hundreds of photographs from the Sanford family. The majority of these date from the 1980s and 1990s, while there are some earlier black and white prints from the 1940s and 1950s. Most are not labeled. There are also 2 photograph albums of family vacations to Africa (1988) and Europe (1990s). This material requires processing before use.
Addition (2012-0001) (0.2 lin. ft.; 150 items; dated 19602-2000s and undated) includes loose photographs and personal correspondence dating 1960s-2000s. The majority of these date from the 1970s. There are also miscellanous items including a 1987 Congressional Pictorial Directory. This material requires processing before use.
Processed by: John Gribble, Melissa Delbridge, Phoebe Evans, Ian Lekus, Melanie Schoffner, Sara Zdeb, Randy Bryant, Dylan Swift
Completed December 26, 1995
Additions processed at box level by: Don Sechler, Lisa Stark, and Mohammad Hutasuhut
Encoded by Stephen D. Miller and Ruth E. Bryan
Updated by Jill Katte, June 2007
Updated by Meghan Lyon, April 2010
