doi:10.7916/d8-ckjp-ms91Oral history interview with Eli N. Evans, 1999Evans, Eli Noral historiesmixed materialExecutives--United StatesSpeechwriters--United StatesEndowments--PhilosophyEndowments--Officials and employeesEvans, Eli NCharles H. Revson FoundationCarnegie Corporation of New YorkBorn, Durham, North Carolina; family background: Jewish immigrant grandfather, son of E.J. Evans, mayor of Durham 1950-1963, Zionist upbringing; education: University of North Carolina, B.A., Yale Law School J.D.; early professional experience: speech writer for governor Terry Sanford, the Lyndon B. Johnson campaign 1964, the Barry M. Goldwater campaign; White House staff of resident White House intellectual Eric F. Goldman, rejoined Terry Sanford as staff director of the Future of American States, a Carnegie Corporation of New York [Carnegie] funded enterprise; senior program director of the Carnegie Corporation 1967-1977; president of Charles H. Revson Foundation 1977-2003; author of The Provincials: A Personal History of Jews in the South; discussion of Carnegie presidents Frank Keppel, John Gardner, Alan Pifer, David A. Hamburg; activities at the Carnegie Corporation: funding of projects in favor of the civil rights movement, Children's Television Workshop, Israeli-Palestinian Sesame Street, Children's Defense Fund; reflections on the limits of Carnegie, philosophy of philanthropy, states as engines of experimentation, public library system, art of grant-making, role of venture philanthropists