Collection Summary
Clark, Tom C. (Thomas Campbell), 1899-1977.
Tom C. Clark Papers
ca. 1910-1977, bulk 1949-1977
The collection consists of the papers of former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Tom C. Clark. A large portion of the papers relate to Justice Clark's activities on the Supreme Court.
524 linear ft. (869 boxes, 20 scrapbooks, @1,000 photographs, @100 oversize items).
Rare Books & Special Collections, Tarlton Law Library, The University of Texas at Austin 727 E. Dean Keeton St., Austin, TX 78705-3224, (512) 471-7263
Historical Background
Tom C. Clark served as Associate Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court from 1949 to 1967, and was the first Texan to serve on the Court. Born in Dallas, Texas, September 23, 1899, Clark received his law degree from the University of Texas in 1922. He joined the Justice Department in 1937 and rose through the ranks. President Truman appointed him U.S. Attorney General in 1945 and to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1949. Clark resigned from the Court in 1967 when his son Ramsey Clark was appointed Attorney General, and afterwards sat on the Courts of Appeal in all eleven U.S. Circuits and in federal district court. An advocate of improved judicial administration, Clark chaired several American Bar Association committees on judicial administration and was the first director of the Federal Judicial Center.
Contents of the Collection
Case files, bench memoranda, docket sheets, briefs, petitions, transcripts, and slip opinions make up virtually a complete record of Clark's activities on the U.S. Supreme Court, describing in detail the internal workings of the Vinson and Warren Courts. Additional case records document his later service on the federal appeals bench. His activities in the American Bar Association and civic organizations are documented through correspondence, speeches, literary productions, scrapbooks, political cartoons, photographs, phonograph records, films, and artifacts. A small portion of the collection comes from the time before Clark joined the Supreme Court. The Clark papers for the years 1945-1949, during which Clark served as U.S. Attorney General, are at the Harry S. Truman Library, Independence, Missouri.
Arrangement of the Collection
Supreme Court materials are organized into the following series: Case files, 1947 to 1959 terms; Case files, 1960 to 1967 terms; Record of circulations on opinions and per curiams, 1953-1967; Bench memoranda, 1949-1967; Docket sheets, 1949-1967; Briefs, petitions, transcripts of record, etc., 1945-1967; Slip opinions, 1924-1974; and Miscellaneous Supreme Court legal material. Other court materials are organized into the following series: United States Court of Appeals case files, 1970-1977; United States District Court case files, 1964-1975; and Miscellaneous court files, 1969-1974. The collection also contains the following series: General office material, 1947-1977; Organizations material, 1945-1977; and Special collections, ca. 1910-1977.
Finding aids for the entire collection are available via the links listed below. Print versions are available in Tarlton Law Library's Rare Books Reading Room.
- 1a. Supreme Court materials: Case files, 1947 to 1959 terms
- 1b. Supreme Court materials: Case files, 1960 to 1967 terms
- 1c. Supreme Court materials: Record of circulations on opinions and per curiams, 1953, 1955-1957, 1959-1967
- 1d. Supreme Court materials: Bench memoranda, 1949-1967
- 1e. Supreme Court materials: Docket sheets, 1949-1967
- 1f. Supreme Court materials: Briefs, petitions, transcripts of record, etc., 1945-1967
- 1g. Supreme Court materials: Slip opinions, 1924-1974
- 2a. Other courts material: United States Court of Appeals case files, 1970-1977
- 2b. Other courts material: United States District Court case files, 1964-1975
- 2c. Other courts material: Miscellaneous court files, 1969-1974
- 3a. General office material: General correspondence and office files, 1947-1977
- 3b. General office material: Speech and travel files, 1949-1977
- 3c. General office material: Literary productions, 1949-1977
- 3d. General office material: Invitations files, 1948-1977
- 3e. General office material: Law clerk applications, 1949-1977
- 4a. Organizations material: American Bar Association files, 1932, 1949-1977
- 4b. Organizations material: Fraternities material, 1945-1975
- 4c. Organizations material: National Conference on Citizenship, 1950-1977
- 4d. Organizations material: Boy Scouts of America material, 1962-1976
- 4e. Organizations material: National Park Foundation material, 1968-1977
- 4f. Organizations material: National Center for State Courts (aka National College for State Trial Judges, National Judicial Center), 1970-1977
- 4g. Organizations material: General clubs and organizations material, 1945-1971
- 5a. Special collections: Sound recordings, 1910-1977 (bulk 1945-1949)
- 5b. Special collections: Scrapbooks, news clippings, and printed materials, 1939-1984 (bulk 1947-1965)
- 5c. Special collections: Photographs, ca. 1910, 1940-1977
- 5d. Special collections: Plaques, honorary degrees and certificates
- 5e. Special collections: Cartoons
- 5f. Special collections: Films, 1949, 1954, 1958, undated
- 5g. Special collections: Artifacts
- 5h. Special collections: Ephemera
- 5i. Special collections: Correspondence and news clippings (photocopies of originals in Truman Library), 1943-1956
Access Restrictions
Phonograph records not available for use due to fragile condition.
Index Terms
Major Subjects
Clark, Tom C. (Tom Campbell), 1899-1977 -- Archives.
United States. Supreme Court -- History -- 20th century.Judges -- United States. Justice, Administration of -- United States.
Related Materials
Tom C. Clark Oral History Collection (Tarlton Law Library, University of Texas at Austin); Tom C. Clark Papers, 1941-1971 (Harry S. Truman Library, Independence, MO).
Administrative Information
Cite As
Tom C. Clark Papers, Tarlton Law Library, University of Texas at Austin.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Mrs. Tom C. Clark, 1977.