Harry S. Truman Statue Committee Records

The records of the Harry S. Truman Statue Committee consist of balance sheets, bank statements, correspondence, minutes of meetings, paid receipts, lists of contributors, newspaper clippings and other documents related to fundraising for and erection of the Harry S. Truman Statue in Independence, Missouri.

Size: Less than 1 linear foot (about 1000 pages).
Access: Open.
Copyright: No donation of copyright was received with this collection.
Processed by: Carol A. Briley (1981).
Updated by: Joyce A. Burner (2009) as part of the Truman Library Internship Program.
Supervising Archivists: Randy Sowell and David Clark.

The Harry S. Truman Statue Committee was formed in 1973 to oversee fundraising for and erection of a full-figure statue of Truman outside the historic Courthouse on the Square in Independence, Missouri, where Truman had served as Eastern, and later Presiding, Judge of the Jackson County Court from 1922 through 1934. The Committee included four officers, a Steering Committee made up of civic leaders from the Kansas City, Missouri, area, and an Advisory Committee that included state and national dignitaries. Dr. Harry Jonas served as president of the Committee, Mary Dowell served as its treasurer, and Sue Gentry served as its secretary.

The Committee conducted a $70,000 fundraising campaign through the national and local press, soliciting tax-deductible donations from individuals, businesses, and organizations. Sculptor Gilbert Franklin of Providence, Rhode Island, was commissioned to create the bronze statue of Truman. The statue was dedicated on May 8, 1976, by President Gerald R. Ford at a ceremony attended by local and national dignitaries. The dedication coincided with the completion of extensive renovation of the Courthouse Square, as well as the bicentennial of the United States. The Harry S. Truman Statue Committee was disbanded in 1979.

The records of the Harry S. Truman Statue Committee consist of balance sheets, bank statements, correspondence, minutes of meetings, paid receipts, lists of contributors, newspaper clippings and other documents related to fundraising for and erection of the Harry S. Truman Statue in Independence, Missouri.

The collection includes the Certificate of Incorporation of the Harry S. Truman Statue Committee as a general not-for-profit corporation, with the accompanying Articles of Incorporation. These Articles outline the structure, organization, and powers of the Committee.

The collection contains financial records of the Committee, including bank statements from two banks, with cancelled checks and deposit slips; balance sheets showing income and expenses; and paid receipts. Correspondence in the collection includes letters describing or announcing Committee meetings, letters that accompanied contributions, letters from dignitaries responding to the invitation to attend the dedication ceremony, and letters concerning the fundraising, financial operations and expenditures of the Committee.

Also included in the collection are records related to fundraising activities. These records include the donation envelope distributed by the Committee, and postal notices related to delivery of contributions. A handwritten logbook of contributions with names, addresses, and amounts is included.

The collection contains minutes from meetings of the Committee, along with memos. These records document the activities and decisions of the Committee.

The collection includes records related to the dedication ceremony for the statue. These records include press releases, memos regarding the logistics of the ceremony, information on the speakers, and transcripts of speeches. Newspaper clippings in the collection include coverage of the fundraising campaign, announcement of plans for the dedication, and coverage of the dedication and related events.

Related collections at the Truman Library include the Harry S. Truman Centennial Collection and the Records of the Truman Anniversary Concert, Inc.