USDA History Collection

The USDA History Collection documents the work of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), its staff, and its agencies. It is particularly strong concerning the activities of the Secretaries of Agriculture, their assistants and staffs, especially for the administrations of Henry Agard Wallace, Ezra Taft Benson, and Orville Lothrop Freeman. Large sections of the records relate to the USDA's response to such crises as World War I, World War II, and the Great Depression; droughts, floods, and other disasters; and changes brought about by the economic and technological developments of the 20th century. In addition, there are records or copies of records documenting the department’s earliest years, as well as material covering the entire history of agriculture in the Americas. The collection includes letters, memoranda, reports, speeches, press releases, organizational charts, statistical tables, pamphlets, booklets, clippings, newsletters, scrapbooks, annual reports, audio and video tapes, oral histories, and photographs, relating to the activities of the USDA and the history of agriculture. Also included are papers and writings of USDA staff and other individuals on agricultural history, correspondence and other records of the Agricultural and Rural History Section, and a small group of letters, account books, diaries, and other manuscript materials relating to U.S. agriculture dating from the late 18th to the early 20th centuries.

Subjects covered include the production, distribution, and marketing of agricultural commodities; price supports and the management of surpluses; research, education, and technology; land use and conservation; rural development and other sociological aspects of agriculture; international trade, international food aid, and technical assistance; the administration of the USDA; and the USDA's relationships with the U.S. Congress and the Executive Branch, with states and counties, and with agricultural interest groups and citizens.

A small, but unique and very valuable segment includes manuscript material such as letters, account books, diaries, and other items relating to agriculture dating from the late 18th to the early 20th centuries. There are also photographs, oral histories, and the papers of former members of the Agricultural and Rural History Section. While many of the documents are duplicates gathered from departmental files, including carbon copies, photocopies, and transcriptions, there are many original letters, memoranda, reports, and newspaper clippings in the collection, including materials received or collected from sources outside of USDA. Many of these records may be duplicated in other repositories, but to find all the materials on a given topic, a researcher might have to consult several different record groups or collections at a number of institutions. The greatest strength of these records lies in their grouping as a whole as the best single resource for the history of USDA.

The USDA History Collection was created by historians who gathered material from many sources, and organized it to suit their research needs. For many researchers, the unique organization of these documents will enhance the value of the collection. Much of this material may be available elsewhere, since the collection contains many secondary sources (printed items, or duplicate copies of letters and memoranda), but here it is arranged in a system, based on detailed subject breakdowns concerning agricultural topics and USDA activities, that brings together items that may be widely scattered in other repositories.

Also, much primary source material can be found in this collection, including original correspondence, memoranda, drafts of government reports, and manuscripts of books and articles. The Historical Manuscripts in Series X are only one special case. Such documents are located throughout the collection, often filed as large blocks that almost constitute discrete sub-collections, but frequently mixed among secondary materials as well. The presence of unique and rare material is highlighted throughout the collection guide in the detailed scope and content notes for each series.