Julius B. Richmond Papers

Administrative material, correspondence, reports, publications, minutes, and personal items (92 linear feet; 1941-2004) document the career of Julius B. Richmond, pediatrician, public health official, and university professor. The papers are a complete and comprehensive documentary record of his service and activities. The main focus of the collection is on his career in the academic world as well as service to the public, including his tenure as the U.S. Surgeon General (1977-1981). The health and well-being of children were of particular concern and dominated his career. The bulk of the material in the collection relates to his career after 1965, which includes his time as Surgeon General and Harvard Medical School (1971-1988), as well as the various programs he helped implement, such as Head Start (1965) and Healthy People.

The correspondence series (Series 2) comprises the bulk of the collection and contains documents all areas of his professional life. This series has been subdivided into three subseries: individuals, institutions/subjects, and other. Communication between individuals such Joseph Califano, Edward Kennedy, Sargent Shriver, and Benjamin Spock as well as institutions such as the Department of Health and Human Services, Harvard University, and the National Library of Medicine are contained in this series.

Series 3 contains material documenting his time as Surgeon General and focuses on his administrative, program development, and public outreach work rather than his individual research which is better reflected in Series 5: Child Development. The Head Start and Healthy People programs have their own series (Series 6 and 7) separate from the Surgeon General series.

Series 5: Child Development is the second largest series in the collection and the most complex, serving as the main subject files series for this topic. This series is subdivided into 7 subseries, all being further subdivided. Each subseries highlights a particular phase of physiological growth or a specific research issue regarding child development and covers his work from all stages of his professional life. These subseries include: prenatal, infant mortality, infant development, children, adolescents, family, and special needs. Reports, minutes, proposals, publication reprints, papers, and speeches document topics that also include children of alcoholics, poverty, and mental health.

Richmond's work in the mental health and psychiatry arenas is reflected in Series 8 and 11 (Mental Health and Carter Center). The Mental Health series particularly emphasizes his work with national professional organizations. It is subdivided into 9 subseries: American Psychiatric Association (APA), American Psychosomatic Society (APS), Mind/Body Medical Institute, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, publication/papers, meetings, reports, mental retardation, and general. His work for the Carter Center focuses on mental health's impact on families and children, as well as another indicator of Richmond's career-long mission for the development of local health care services and capacities.

Series 4: Harvard University again contains much of the same subject material as other series but only during his service under the auspices as an employee of Harvard; there is little documentation about his teaching activities. The bulk of the series documents his post-Surgeon General career at Harvard of the 1980s-1990s, yet reflects his continued work towards public health awareness and building local services. It includes material such as reports, proposals, minutes, and papers.

Series 8: International Projects documents Richmond's efforts to spread his messages to an international audience about global health care. This series highlights trips, conferences and work in and for international locations. It has been subdivided into 11 subseries, including specific locations like Egypt as well as international organizations like Trust Through Health. Items include minutes, correspondence, proposals, papers, minutes, and ephemeral material.

Richmond's participation in conferences and meetings is concentrated in Series 14 although similar materials can be found is the specific topical series throughout the collection. The same can be said for locating his publications and reprints, although there is also a separate Publications series (15).

Two other small series document Richmond's work with cancer awareness and prevention and child dental care. Materials related to Richmond's service with the Institute of Medicine is also present.