Lloyd M. Bentsen, Jr., Papers, 1921-1998, Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin
Unrestricted access to material listed on this inventory. The bulk of Secretary Bentsen's papers remain closed to researchers until a later date.
Some material stored offsite. Advance notice required for retrieval. Use of some records may be restricted due to format. Consult archivist.
Printed material and sound recordings make up the bulk of Senator Bentsen's Press Office Files. The subgroup consists of two series: External Communication Files, 1971-1992; and Clippings Files, 1969-1994. The files include Bentsen's statements to his constituents and to national audiences, and the clippings and other reference material assembled by the Press Office for use by the Senator's staff.
The External Communication Files series include newsletters, newspaper columns and editorial essays, press releases, television and radio files, motion picture film and videotape files, and audio tape files. It contains 5 sub-series: Newsletter Files, 1971-1985; Editorial Essays and Columns, 1973-1993; Press Release Files, 1971-1992; Speech and Transcript Files, 1970-1984; Audio Tapes, 1970-1992.
The Assistant or Deputy Press Secretary maintained most of the files in the series. The Newsletter Files date 1971-1985. The Editorial Essays and Columns (1973-1993) series contains material published in both Texas and national newspapers. The press section produced Bentsen's weekly columns for Texas newspapers (1976-1992, incomplete). Bentsen himself and other staff wrote the editorials and opinion pieces published in Texas and national publications (1973-1992). The Press Release Files include releases (1971-1989) and press statements (1972-1992). Press Section staff produced the press releases. Early press release files resemble subject files, and contain clippings and other printed material. The Speech and Transcript Files contain a limited number of scripts and transcripts from media appearances (1970-1984). Audio Tapes (1970-1992) contain material such as recordings of news conferences, radio appearances, and advertisements. Some of tapes appear to be radio feeds, many in Spanish, on subjects such as agriculture, the Bicentennial, the deficit, education, and national defense. Some tapes include collected material related to other politicians.
Press Clippings files (1971-1994, 26 cubic feet) consist of printed material. It contains four sub-series, created by Bentsen's Press Office in filing the material: Press Clippings by Subject, 1971; Press Clippings by Subject, 1972-1989; Press Clippings by Subject, 1971-1992; Secretary of the Treasury Clippings Files, 1988-1994. The third sub-series was still active in Bentsen's Press Office when he retired from the Senate. The second series, clippings from 1972-1989, had been put into storage. The Secretary of the Treasury clippings files include some material generated during Bentsen's Senate career, reflecting the continuity between his Senate and Treasury press staffs.
The files include clippings from Texas and national periodicals, and other printed material such as press releases, reports, and newsletters from various sources. The files are organized by subject, including topics and individuals' names. The Press Office maintained clipping files on Bentsen and his family; national, state, and local political figures, including Bentsen campaign opponents; and various issues and persons of concern to Bentsen and his constituents. The files both recorded information about Bentsen and served as reference for his staff.
The Press Office also maintained much of the material in the Motion Picture Film and Videotapes Series, Photographic Material Subgroup.