This collection focuses on President Harry S. Truman's efforts to pass a National Health Insurance law during the second term of his presidency. The collection includes documents covering the years 1945 through 1953. Supporting materials include photographs, oral history transcripts and public papers.
President Truman’s Fight for National Health Insurance, 1949-1953
Documents
1945
- Letter from Murray Latimer to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, January 19, 1945 (NAID: 296762041)
- Correspondence Between President Harry S. Truman and Ambassador John G. Winant (NAID: 169049082)
- Correspondence Between President Harry S. Truman and Mary Lasker, with Attachment, December 1945 (NAID: 169049073)
- Letter from Harold T. Low to President Harry S. Truman, with a Reply by Surgeon General Thomas Parran, with Internal Memoranda (NAID: 169049058)
- Letter from George Huff to President Harry S. Truman, with a Reply from William D. Hassett, November 1945 (NAID: 169049045)
- Letter from Charles Herbert Church to President Harry S. Truman, with a Reply from William D. Hassett, November 1945 (NAID: 169049039)
- Letter from F. C. LeBlond to President Harry S. Truman, November 27, 1945 (NAID: 169049033)
- Telegram from Thurgood Marshall to President Harry S. Truman, with a Reply from William D. Hassett, November 1945 (NAID: 169049030)
- Correspondence Between President Harry S. Truman and Mary B. Chiles, November 1945 (NAID: 169049027)
- Letter from I. Duke Avnet to President Harry S. Truman, with a Reply from William D. Hassett, November 1945 (NAID: 169049021)
- Telegram from George Addes to President Harry S. Truman, November 5, 1945 (NAID: 169048998)
- File Memorandum, November 19, 1945 (NAID: 169048949)
- Letter from Arthur J. Todd to President Harry S. Truman, with Attched Clipping, October 1, 1945 (NAID: 169048942)
1946
- Letter from Bernarr Macfadden to Charles Ross, with a Reply from Brigadier General Wallace Graham, October 1946 (NAID: 169049195)
- Telegram from Ernest Boas to Richmond Keech, with Internal Memoranda, April 1946 (NAID: 169049171)
- Letter from Mark Bittner to Senator James E. Murray, with Attachment, April 2, 1946 (NAID: 169049163)
- Letter from President Harry S. Truman to Watson Miller, with Internal Memoranda, March 1946 (NAID: 169049151)
- Correspondence Between President Harry S. Truman and Senator James E. Murray, with Attachment and Internal Memoranda, March 1946 (NAID: 169049143)
- Letter from W. I. Sargent to President Harry S. Truman, January 4, 1946 (NAID: 169049094)
1947
- Memorandum from Clark Clifford to President Harry S. Truman, May 10, 1947 (NAID: 301668116)
- Speech Draft on Health Insurance, May 7, 1947 (NAID: 301668110)
- Correspondence Between Charles Ross and Paul B. Magnuson, with Attachment, December 1947 (NAID: 169049387)
- Letter from Felix Jager to President Harry S. Truman, with Attachment, with a Reply from Charles Ross, October 1947 (NAID: 169049379)
- Correspondence Between President Harry S. Truman and Dr. Lewis J. Moorman (NAID: 169049298)
- Note from John R. Steelman to President Harry S. Truman, with Attached Press Release and Drafts, May 1947 (NAID: 169049274)
- Letter from George H. Coleman and the National Physicians Committee, with Attachments (NAID: 169049266)
- Health Insurance Fact Sheets, with Attached Legislation (NAID: 169049224)
1948
- White House Press Release, Address of President Harry S. Truman at the Indiana War Memorial in Indianapolis, Indiana, October 15, 1948 (NAID: 312302431)
- Correspondence Between Clark Clifford and Mary Lasker with Attachments, October 1948 (NAID: 301669462)
- Letter from William A. Lydgate to President Harry S. Truman, with Attached Newspaper Clipping, December 16, 1948 (NAID: 169049477)
- Letter from Agnes E. Meyer to President Harry S. Truman, with Attached Pamphlet, December 2, 1948 (NAID: 169049469)
- Letter from Lillie Faye Renegar to President Harry S. Truman, with Attached Newspaper Clipping, September 7, 1948 (NAID: 169049454)
- Letter from Ralph Hamer to President Harry S. Truman, with Attachments, with a Reply from William D. Hassett, September 1948 (NAID: 169049449)
- Letter from William Black to President Harry S. Truman, with a Reply from Charles Ross (NAID: 169049445)
1949
- Transcript of Columbia Broadcasting System Interview with Oscar Ewing, December 13, 1949 (NAID: 400152934)
- Press Release, United States Information Service, Statement by Federal Security Administrator Oscar Ewing, December 9, 1949 (NAID: 400152931)
- Press Release, Publicity Division, Democratic National Committee, March 20, 1949 (NAID: 301669454)
- Resolution from the Montana Association of Life Underwriters, June 22, 1949 (NAID: 296762045)
- Pamphlet, "Compulsory Health Insurance (Politically-Controlled Medicine): A Threat to Health - A Threat to Freedom!" (NAID: 169050010)
- Appointment Request, October 11, 1949 (NAID: 169049921)
- Letter from F. W. Finke, Jr. to John R. Steelman, September 13, 1949 (NAID: 169049912)
- Letter from John L. Thurston to President Harry s. Truman, with Attachment and Internal Note, July 1949 (NAID: 169049903)
- Resolution from Chester County Medical Society, July 20, 1949 (NAID: 169049900)
- Correspondence Between Matthew Connelly and Charles S. Murphy, with Attachments (NAID: 169049867)
- Flyer, "American Medicine Replies to President Truman" (NAID: 169049853)
- Correspondence Between Albert Lasker and Matthew Connelly, June 1949 (NAID: 169049850)
- Correspondence Between President Harry S. Truman and Harry N. Rosenfield, with Attached Pamphlet, May 1949 (NAID: 169049808)
- Correspondence Between Harris B. McDowell and President Harry S. Truman, with Attachment, May 1949 (NAID: 169049803)
- Correspondence Between Matthew Connelly and Phil E. Gibson and John F. Shelley, May 1949 (NAID: 169049797)
- Correspondence Between Oscar Ewing and President Harry S. Truman, with Attachment (NAID: 169049781)
- Correspondence from Albert and Mary Lasker and President Harry S. Truman (NAID: 169049778)
- Telegram from Ernest Boas to President Harry S. Truman, with a Reply from William D. Hassett (NAID: 169049775)
- Press Release, Special Message to the Congress on the Nation's Health Needs, April 22, 1949 (NAID: 169049756)
- Newspaper Clipping, "Physicians' Group Quits Health Fight," Washington Post, April 19, 1949 (NAID: 169049754)
- Telegram from B. J. Palmer to President Harry S. Truman, April 18, 1949 (NAID: 169049751)
- Letter from Nate Robertson to Charles Ross, with Attachments and Newspaper Clippings (NAID: 169049727)
- Memorandum from Roberta Barrows to Matthew Connelly, April 4, 1949 (NAID: 169049720)
- Appointment Request, February 1949 (NAID: 169049689)
- Correspondence Between Oscar Ewing and Charles Murphy, with Attachments and Related Material, February 1949 (NAID: 169049683)
- Letter from Ted McCastlain to President Harry S. Truman, with Attachment, with a Reply from William D. Hassett, February 9, 1949 (NAID: 169049678)
- Letter from Armstead Brown to President Harry S. Truman, with Attachment, with a Reply from Willam D. Hassett, January 1949 (NAID: 169049510)
1950
- "Capital Comment," Democratic National Committee Newsletter, Volume IV, Number 25, July 1, 1950 (NAID: 400152947)
- "Capital Comment," Democratic National Committee Newsletter, Volume IV, Number 24, June 24, 1950 (NAID: 400152942)
- Correspondence Between President Harry S. Truman and Congressman John Dingell, October 1950 (NAID: 313172674)
- Memorandum from Stephen J. Spingarn to Oscar Ewing, June 7, 1950 (NAID: 313172100)
- Statement by Federal Security Administrator Oscar Ewing, January 17, 1950 (NAID: 313172095)
- Correspondence Between President Harry S. Truman and Congressman John Kee (NAID: 296761194)
- Letter from Dr. Edward L. Young to President Harry S. Truman, with a Reply from William D. Hassett (NAID: 169050228)
- Newspaper Clipping, "A. M. A. Opens $1,000,000 Ad Drive Today", October 7, 1950 (NAID: 169050226)
- Advertising Sheet (NAID: 169050224)
- Correspondence Between President Harry S. Truman and Ray Moseley, with Attached Newspaper Clipping and a Reply from William D. Hassett (NAID: 169050218)
- Letter from John Connorton to Charles S. Murphy, November 13, 1950 (NAID: 169050214)
- Correspondence Between Frederick E. Robin, Committee for the Nation's Health, and Donald Dawson, with Attachments (NAID: 169050193)
- Correspondence Between Frederick E. Robin, Committee for the Nation's Health, and Donald Dawson, with Attachments, September 1950 (NAID: 169050179)
- Letter from Frederick E. Robin, Committee for the Nation's Health, to Matthew Connelly, with Attachments, September 1950 (NAID: 169050171)
- Memorandum from Stephen Spingarn to George Elsey and Kenneth Hechler, with Attached Note, August 1950 (NAID: 169050168)
- Newsletter, Committee for the Nation's Health, June 30, 1950 (NAID: 169050144)
- Booklet, "Administration Health Program: A Training Kit for Leaders," Democratic National Committee, June 1950 (NAID: 169050097)
- Letter from Edythe Tate Perlman to President Harry S. Truman, with Attachments and Related Material (NAID: 169050081)
- Letter from Ralph Crist to President Harry S. Truman, with a Reply from William D. Hassett, January 1950 (NAID: 169050036)
- Resolution from Northern Panhandle District Nurses' Association, January 7, 1950 (NAID: 169050033)
- Letter from Bonnie P. Moen and Others to President Harry S. Truman, with a Reply from William D. Hassett, January 1950 (NAID: 169050030)
- Resolultion from the American Legion Auxiliary, Murray Unit 420 of Ohio, January 6, 1950 (NAID: 169050027)
1951
- Letter from Dr. Dean A. Clark to David Stowe, November 5, 1951 (NAID: 301669577)
- Correspondence Between President Harry S. Truman and David Stowe with Attachment, October 1951 (NAID: 301669568)
- Memorandum from Dr. Howard Rusk to David Stowe with Attachment, November 20, 1951 (NAID: 301669563)
- Memorandum from Milton P. Kayle to David Stowe, December 21, 1951 (NAID: 301669545)
- Memorandum, Suggested Candidates for Presidential Commission on the Health Needs of the Nation (NAID: 296761966)
- Letter from Donald Dawston to Paul B. Magnuson with Attachment and Related Material, November 21, 1951 (NAID: 296761954)
- Letter from Oscar Ewing to Donald Dawson with Attachment, December 7, 1951 (NAID: 296761951)
- Letter from Arthur Grossman to President Harry S. Truman, with a Reply from Matthew Connelly, September 1951 (NAID: 169050308)
- Memorandum for the President, with Attachment (NAID: 169050290)
- Correspondence Between President Harry S. Truman and Dr. Channing Frothingham, with Internal Memoranda (NAID: 169050260)
- Letter from John R. Magee to Matthew Connelly, January 7, 1951 (NAID: 169050231)
1952
- Memorandum from William J. Hopkins to David Stowe with Attachment, January 1952 (NAID: 301669559)
- Correspondence Between President Harry S. Truman and Paul B. Magnuson with Related Material, December 1952 (NAID: 296762026)
- Transcript of Public Hearing of the President's Commission on the Health Needs of the Nation, September 2, 1952 (NAID: 296761993)
- Press Release, Address by Paul B. Magnuson, May 1, 1952 (NAID: 296761979)
- Note from Milton Kayle to David Stowe with Attachment, March 31, 1952 (NAID: 296761974)
- Letter from William Green to President Harry S. Truman, January 14, 1952 (NAID: 296761962)
- Letter from Randall Smith to President Harry S. Truman with a Reply from William D. Hassett, January 1952 (NAID: 296761182)
- Correspondence Between Rose Conway and Helen G. Moler, with Attachment (NAID: 169050368)
- Letter from Dwight L. Hubbart to President Harry S. Truman, with a Reply from Matthew Connelly, September 1952 (NAID: 169050365)
- Letter from Edward J. Higgins to President Harry S. Truman, with a Reply from Matthew Connelly, September 1952 (NAID: 169050362)
- Correspondence Between Donald C. Cook and President Harry S. Truman, August 1952 (NAID: 169050357)
- Letter from Congressman John W. McCormack to Matthew Connelly, with Attached New York Times Newspaper Clipping, May 28, 1952 (NAID: 169050348)
- Memorandum from David Stowe to Matthew Connelly, with Attachment, February 11, 1952 (NAID: 169050331)
- Letter from John V. Connorton to Matthew Connelly, with Attachments, February 1952 (NAID: 169050322)
- Letter from John O. Waltner to President Harry S. Truman, with a Reply from William D. Hassett, January 1952 (NAID: 169050316)
1953
- Memorandum from Milton Kayle to David Stowe with Attachment, January 7, 1953 (NAID: 296762035)
Undated
- Memorandum, Public Health (NAID: 301669457)
- Letter from F. H. Kenworthy to President Harry S. Truman with a Reply from David Stowe (NAID: 296761187)
- Correspondence Between President Harry S. Truman and Dr. Channing Frothingham, with Internal Memoranda (NAID: 169050236)
- Longhand Notes - Presidential, 1944 - 1953: April 1, 1948 (NAID: 735251)
- Oral History Interview with Richard Bolling (NAID: 200999)
- Oral History Interview with Oscar R. Ewing (NAID: 200976)
- Oral History Interview with Milton P. Kayle (NAID: 200959)
- Oral History Interview with Joseph G. Feeney (NAID: 200865)
Official Documents
Photographs
Displaying 1 - 119 of 119 images

President Harry S. Truman with two Independence Sanitarium and Hospital nurses
59-59

Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh of Iran in hospital bed in New York City
66-7993

Harry S. Truman shaking hands with man in Washington Rehabilitation Center
59-246

U. S. Naval Hospital at the U. S. Marine Corps Training Base, Quantico, Virginia
98-658

Physical examination of World War I aviation recruits at the Episcopal Hospital, Washington, D.C
65-3855

A Building on the Grounds of the 27th General Hospital, a Former Japanese Hospital
98-2488

Francis P. Whitehair walks in front of the Administration Building, U.S. Naval Hospital, Miami, Florida
96-699-01

Under Secretary of the Navy Francis P. Whitehair shakes hands with young Marine
96-699-02

Under Secretary of the Navy Francis P. Whitehair shakes hands with military personnel
96-699-03

Under Navy Secretary Francis P. Whitehair at the U.S. Naval Hospital, Beaufort, South Carolina
96-720-02

Navy Under Secretary Francis P. Whitehair at a Navy hospital with unidentified men
96-748

American Legion National Commander Paul H. Griffith Visits a Patient in a Veteran's Hospital
98-1984

Former President Truman and Senator Dennis Chavez at the National Institute of Health
95-178-02

Former President Truman at the Clinical Center, National Institute of Health
95-178-01

Former President Truman Visits Senator Dennis Chavez at National Institute of Health
95-178-05

Former President Truman and Senator Dennis Chavez at National Institute of Health
95-178-03

Patients from the Naval Hospital at Bremerton, Washington, Line the Streets to see President Truman
2012-223

Truman at Cornerstone Laying for the National Institutes of Health Clinic
73-3737

Truman Speaking at Dedication of the National Institutes of Health Clinic
73-3738

President Truman Laying the Cornerstone at National Institutes of Health Clinic
73-3741

President Harry S. Truman Laying the Cornerstone for the National Institutes of Health Clinic
73-3739

Stacks of an Official Report on Tuberculosis with a Poster Behind Them
2009-2185
ca.

W. Averell Harriman Visiting Sanitarium in Yalta During Russian Trip
2008-1314-05

W. Averell Harriman Visiting Sanitarium in Yalta During Russian Trip
2008-1314-07

W. Averell Harriman Visiting Sanitarium in Yalta During Russian Trip
2008-1314-06

President Johnson and First Lady Mrs. Johnson Visit Former President Truman in the Hospital
95-369

Dispensary and Pharmacy Building, Philippine General Hospital, Manila
2013-4249
ca.

President Truman Smiling and Waving From the Rear Platform as he Leaves
93-22-01

Former President Harry S. Truman and Bess Truman View Their First Grandchild in the Hospital
2016-37