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Bess Furman (Armstrong) Papers - Project materials pertaining to a history of the U.S. Public Health Service

 Collection
Identifier: MS C 202

Abstract

Manuscript copy, and related materials, of Furman's history of the Public Health Service, 1798-1948, ending with the administration of Dr. Thomas Parran.

Dates

  • 1962-1969

Extent

13.44 Linear Feet (32 MS boxes)

Creator

Physical Location

Materials stored onsite. History of Medicine Division. National Library of Medicine

Language of Materials

Collection materials primarily in English

Restrictions

Collection is not restricted. Contact the Reference Staff for information regarding access.

Copyright and Re-use Information

Donor's copyrights were transferred to the public domain. Archival collections often contain mixed copyrights; while NLM is the owner of the physical items, permission to examine collection materials is not an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. It is the user's responsibility to research and understand any applicable copyright and re-publication rights not allowed by fair use. NLM does not grant permissions to publish.

Privacy Information

Archives and manuscript collections may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in any collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications for which the National Library of Medicine assumes no responsibility.

Biographical Note

Bess Furman (1894-1969) was born in Danbury, Red Willow County, NE. A pioneering woman journalist, she was White House correspondent for New York Times, and developed a lasting friendship with Eleanor Roosevelt while covering the First Lady as her principal Associated Press assignment in the 1930s. She also used her writing talent and public position to champion women's rights and influence the role of women in the nation's political life.

Furman's father edited and published the Danbury News. By the time Furman was ten years old, she was helping report local news, set type and arrange papers for delivery. Furman graduated from Kearney State Teacher's College in 1918, and was the first woman editor of the school's newspaper. Her first professional reporting position was with the Omaha Daily News as a street reporter, often using the pseudonym "Bobbie O'Dare." A prize-winnning report of an Omaha visit by presidential candidate Al Smith in 1928 earned her a post at the Associated Press, where she insisted on being assigned to Washington, D.C. After covering the House of Representatives for two years, she became White House beat reporter from 1932-1936.

After freelancing with her sister from 1937 to 1941, Furman was offered a job with the Office of War Information during the early years of World War II. In 1943, she moved to the New York Times, replacing Eleanor Darnton as the "woman-interest" reporter in Washington. She remained with the Times until 1961, when she joined the Dept. of Heath, Eudcation and Welfare as a public affairs assistant. In 1962 she became head of HEW's Press Information Section and took a three year position to write a history of the Public Health Service, A profile of the United States Public Health Service, 1798-1948 (1973).

Furman was married to Robert B. Armstrong, Jr., a Los Angeles Times photographer and reporter whom she met while covering the U.S House of Representatives. He died in 1955. Bess Furman died in 1969 in Woodacres, MD. Her 1949 autobiography is titled Washington By-Line.

Collection Summary

Correspondence, drafts, diaries, and copies of primary and secondary sources researched for A profile of the United States Public Health Service, 1798-1948. Materials are arranged by chapters. Correspondents include Richard H. Creel, Robert H. Felix, Lister Hill, Luther L. Terry, and R. C. Williams.

Abstract

Manuscript copy, and related materials, of Furman's history of the Public Health Service, 1798-1948, ending with the administration of Dr. Thomas Parran.

Physical Location

Materials stored onsite. History of Medicine Division. National Library of Medicine

Provenance

Acquired in 1967.

Related Materials/Collections

See also Papers of Bess Furman, 1728-1967 (bulk 1900-1966) in the Library of Congress, Manuscripts Division.

General

Processed by
HMD Staff
Encoded by
Dan Jenkins
Title
Finding Aid to the Bess Furman (Armstrong) Papers - Project materials pertaining to a history of the U.S. Public Health Service1962-1969
Status
Unverified Partial Draft
Author
HMD Staff
Date
2000
Language of description
English
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
Finding aid is written in English
Edition statement
Version 1.0

Collecting Area Details

Part of the Archives and Modern Manuscripts Collection Collecting Area

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