A Portrait of U.S. Legislation: 1000 boxes reveal the controversial, the patriotic, the unusual.
"We're the only branch of government that explains itself in writing every time it makes a decision."-Supreme Court Justice Byron R. White
That's not exactly true. Committees, congressional aids and individual legislators amass mountains of paperwork doing the business of government. While that paperwork may not explicitly explain decisions, it paints a picture of democracy in America. But in order to be of use to historians, journalists or anyone else wanting to learn more, the papers must eventually find a resting place.
In the summer of 1994, 1150 boxes, containing more than 1000 feet of material, including 430 items of memorabilia, arrived at Bowdoin. The George J. Mitchell Department of Special Collections & Archives, including rare books, manuscripts and college records in addition to the Mitchell collection, will be dedicated February 8 in appreciation for Sen. Mitchell's generosity in donating his papers to Bowdoin and in honor of his distinguished career of public service.
These first thousand boxes were the beginnings of a collection that spans Senator George J. Mitchell's professional and political career, including his work in Senator Edmund Muskie's 1972 presidential campaign, Mitchell's own 1974 gubernatorial campaign, his career as senator from Maine, and his six years as Senate Majority Leader. New additions to the collection are now expanding to document his work on establishing peace in Northern Ireland and in the Middle East. Mitchell's career in the Senate spanned 14 years, six of which he served as Senate Majority Leader, and his papers give insight into legislation that shaped the United States at the end of the 20th century.
Processing the collection - identifying, labeling, cataloging - took two years of work by an archivist, two full-time assistants and several students. (Imagine what's in store for whoever gets Strom Thurmond's papers!)
Among the materials are correspondence, memoranda, reports, financial records, press materials, photographs and other printed matter. But a career in government also means receiving numerous plaques, certificates, paperweights, pens, gavels, plates and much more.
While papers tell the story of the work of government, the memorabilia illustrate the more personal interaction between a public official and the American public. The items range from the sentimental to the unusual.
There are letters from children, a plaque honoring Mitchell as the most respected member of the senate, a poster titled "Humpbacks in love" from the Cetacean society, an Uncle Sam door stop, a bottle opener in the shape of a golfing man, a tricolor knit hat, a 16 mm print of "The War Which Never Happened," and much more. Bowdoin even found itself receiving gifts that the college had once given to Mitchell.
Anyone wishing to view these items needn't make the trip to Maine: nearly all of the memorabilia and many of the photographs are visible online. (http://library.bowdoin.edu/arch/mitchell/index.html)
Libraries are increasingly compelled to put collections online, according to Richard Lindemann, Bowdoin's director of special collections and archives, and Bowdoin made a special effort to make the Mitchell archives available. There's enough online to satisfy the curiosity of many, but for serious researchers, there's no substitute for viewing the papers in person.
"For most researchers, a sampling doesn't get you where you want to go - you need it all," Lindemann said.
The following are only a sample of the legislation Mitchell played an important role in passing or developing:* The Clean Water Act of 1987 and Amendments of 1990 * The Clean Air Act and the Oil Pollution Act of 1990* The North American Wetlands Conservation Act of 1989* The Act for Better Child Care (ABC); the Affordable Housing Act* The Minimum Wage Act of 1989* The Brady Bill; the NAFTA and GATT agreements* The Americans with Disabilities Act.
Mitchell was also active in efforts to pass the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and a universal health care plan, and he served on the Iran-Contra special committee.
"What I find most interesting about the Mitchell Papers is the remarkable range of important issues that appear there - civil rights, environmental matters, commerce and trade, energy, taxation, public health, and education come immediately to mind," Lindemann said. "When we couple Mitchell's legislative programs with his involvement in international relations since his retirement from the Senate, we quickly begin to appreciate how special Senator Mitchell's career has been and how lucky we are in Maine to have benefited from his devotion to public service."
Archives assistant Ian Graham agrees, "What's most interesting about the Mitchell collection to me is the importance and immediacy of the information contained in it. Because Senator Mitchell was Majority Leader for so long and so recently, some of the most important aspects of modern American politics are substantially represented in the collection. This, to me, makes the collection of an almost immeasurable value."
Media Contact: Scott Hood: (207) 725-3256Richard Lindemann: (207) 725-3096
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