Reminiscences of Michael Straight, 1982
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- Name
- Straight, Michael Whitney (Interviewee)
- Jessup, Frederick Peterson, 1920-2005 (Interviewer)
- Title
- Reminiscences of Michael Straight, 1982
- Abstract
- Family background, NEW REPUBLIC founded by parents; mother's remarriage to Leonard K. Elmhirst, founding of Dartington Hall, 1926; schooldays at Dartington, travel and adventures with brother Whitney; left wing activities, London School of Economics; Cambridge University, 1935-1937: president, Socialist Society, member of Apostles, association with Anthony Blunt, Guy Burgess; student tour of the So viet Union, 1936; economist, United States State Department, 1937; speechwriter, Department of the Interior, 1938-1940; Air Force Officers Training School and pilot training, 1942-1945; writer-editor, NEW REPUBLIC: political orientation, readership, financial difficulties; Henry Wallace's third party candidacy, 1948; author MAKE THIS THE LAST WAR, 1943, TRIAL BY TELEVISION, 1954; novelist: CARRINGTON, 1960, A VERY SMALL REMNANT, 1963; National Endowment for the Arts: decision to refuse chairmanship, search for chairman, role as deputy chairman; cooperation with Federal Bureau of Investigation and British Intelligence, 1964; judge, Moscow feature film competition, 1969; National Endowment for the Arts during Johnson administration, chairman Roger Stevens; appointment of Nancy Hanks to chairmanship, 1969; council directors in Hanks administration; organization and operation under Hanks; operational policy as set up in 1965 Arts and Humanities Act; obtaining appropriations; personal nominations to Endowment executive council; description of personalities, policies and programs of Endowment: architecture and design, dance, arts and education, literature, special projects, training and fellowships for professionals, music, public media, the American Film Institute, theater, cultural exchanges, union involvement in the arts; interference in programming decisions and cultural exchange, visual arts; relationship between National Endowment and State Arts Councils, funding conflicts; relationship with individual senators Javits and Pell; utilization of grant funds for projects, operations, individuals, and institutions; rationalization of expenditures, philosophy behind public funding of the arts; travel; 1976 presidential election; acting chairman of Endowment, 1977; procedure for choosing new chairman, Livingston Biddle
- Collection Name
- Individual interviews oral history collection
- Subjects
- Editors; Authors; Federal aid to the arts; Espionage; Great Britain Intellectual life 20th century; Soviet Union Description and travel; Straight, Michael Whitney; Progressive Party (U.S. : 1948); National Endowment for the Arts; United States. Department of State; United States. Department of the Interior; United States. Army Air Forces
- Format
- oral histories; sound recordings
- Genre
- Interviews
- Date
- 1982
- Note (Biographical)
- Author, editor
- Note
- Interviewed by Frederick Peterson Jessup
- Language
- English
- Library Location
- Columbia Center for Oral History, Columbia University
- Catalog Record
- 15645813
- Persistent URL
- https://dx.doi.org/10.7916/46yr-z978
- Related URLs
- Available digital content for this interview.