A Guide to the Allen Duckworth Papers, 1944-1962

Biographical Note

Born in Dallas, Texas, Allen Oliver Duckworth (1911-1966), was the son of Zena McEwin Duckworth, a business agent for the typographical union. He attended Highland Park High School in Dallas, where he began his career in journalism covering sports for the Dallas Morning Newsand the Dallas Dispatch. By 1929, Duckworth had joined the Dallas Journal as the telegraph editor. In 1938, he transferred to the Dallas Morning News as an assistant city editor, becoming the political editor in 1944. Nicknamed the "Senator" for his physical bearing and his prominence in the field of political reporting, Duckworth was said to have traveled with every presidential candidate during his time as political editor. He was even mentioned as the Southwest’s most famous political writer. By 1954, he was the state editor, covering the Austin, Waco, East Texas, and Washington bureaus.

Duckworth had two children, Paula and Allen Jr., with his first wife, Minnie Lila Paul. Tragically, she and their son were killed in a car accident in 1959. Duckworth died on February 28, 1966. He was survived by his daughter, Paula, and his second wife, Martha Miller Suess, to whom he had been married for five days before his death.

Scope and Contents

The Allen Duckworth Papers, 1944-1962, contain notes, drafts of articles, newspaper clippings, political pamphlets, photographs, press releases, correspondence, and other items documenting Duckworth’s career as the political editor for the Dallas Morning News. The papers relate to both national and state politics and cover Democratic and Republican elections and conventions as well as the careers of various Texas politicians. The latter includes Senator William A. Blakely; Thomas C. Clark, U.S. Attorney General and Associate Justice of the Supreme Court; Lyndon B. Johnson; and Les Proctor, District Attorney of Austin, among others. Duckworth’s correspondence illustrates his relationship with several politicians, such as Lyndon B. Johnson, George E. Reedy, and Ben Ramsey.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research use.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Allen Duckworth Papers, 1944-1962, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.

Processing Information

Basic processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with funds from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) for the Briscoe Center’s "History Revealed: Bringing Collections to Light" project, 2009-2011.

Detailed Description of the Papers