Fleming, Thomas Papers

Dates: 1912-1996

Historian, novelist, and assistant to Margaret Truman

The Thomas Fleming Papers contain manuscript drafts, correspondence, printed materials, research notes, interview transcripts, and other items relating to Fleming's work as an assistant to Margaret Truman in the writing of her best-selling biography Harry S. Truman and other historical works.

[Administrative Information | Biographical Sketch | Collection Description | Series Descriptions | Folder Title List]

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Size: 10 linear feet, 6 linear inches (about 19,200 pages).
Access: Open, with the exception of a few items that are closed for reasons of national security.
Copyright: The donor gave his copyright interest in unpublished writings in this collection to the United States of America.
Processed by: Randy Sowell, Jim Armistead (2016-2017).


[ Top of the page | Administrative Information | Biographical Sketch | Collection Description | Series Descriptions | Folder Title List ]

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

1927 (July 5)

  

Born Thomas James Fleming, Jersey City, New Jersey

1950

  

Received Bachelor's degree from Fordham University

1960

  

Publication of first book, Now We Are Enemies

1960-2015

  

Author of more than fifty histories, biographies, and novels

1972

  

Publication of Harry S. Truman, a biography written by Margaret Truman with Fleming's assistance

1976

  

Publication of Women of Courage, an historical study written by Margaret Truman with Fleming's assistance

1986

  

Publication of Bess W. Truman, a biography written by Margaret Truman with Fleming's assistance

1995

  

Publication of First Ladies, an historical study written by Margaret Truman with Fleming's assistance
[ Top of the page | Administrative Information | Biographical Sketch | Collection Description | Series Descriptions | Folder Title List ]

COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

The Thomas Fleming Papers consist of manuscript drafts, correspondence, printed materials, research notes, interview transcripts, and other items relating to Fleming's work as an assistant to Margaret Truman in the writing of four books: Harry S. Truman (1972), Women of Courage (1976), Bess W. Truman (1986), and First Ladies (1995). The collection is arranged in four series, one for each of the books on which Truman and Fleming worked together.

The first series, the Harry S. Truman File, contains information concerning the life of President Truman and the research and writing of Margaret Truman's best-selling biography of her father. The series includes several drafts of the manuscript; transcripts and notes of interviews with Mr. Truman, Margaret Truman, and others; correspondence relating to the writing and publication of the book; copies of documents and printed materials that were used as sources; press clippings; research notes; and other items.

The second series, the Women of Courage File, contains information about a second literary project undertaken by Truman and Fleming: a study of the lives of twelve important women in the history of the United States. The series includes copies of documents and printed materials relating to the women; correspondence concerning the book; a draft of the manuscript; interview notes; photographs; and other items.

The third series, the Bess W. Truman File, contains information concerning the life of Mrs. Truman and the research and writing of Margaret Truman's biography of her mother. In addition to drafts of the manuscript, the series includes press clippings and other printed materials; research notes; correspondence relating to the writing and publication of the book; and other items.

The fourth series, the First Ladies File, contains information about the last book Fleming and Margaret Truman worked on together, a study of first ladies over the course of American history. The series includes sound recordings and notes of interviews conducted by the authors with Hillary Clinton, Nancy Reagan, Rosalynn Carter, Betty Ford, and Lady Bird Johnson. Also included are extensive press clippings; other printed materials that were used as sources; photographs; research notes; and drafts of the manuscript.

Related collections at the Truman Library include the papers of Margaret Truman Daniel and E. Clifton Daniel.

[ Top of the page | Administrative Information | Biographical Sketch | Collection Description | Series Descriptions | Folder Title List ]

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

Container Nos.

  

Series

1-10

   HARRY S. TRUMAN FILE, 1935-1972
Manuscript drafts, correspondence, notes, printed materials, interview transcripts, and other items. Arranged alphabetically.

11-12

   WOMEN OF COURAGE FILE, 1912-1976
Manuscript drafts, correspondence, printed materials, notes, and other items. Arranged alphabetically.

13-18

   BESS W. TRUMAN FILE, 1934-1986
Manuscript drafts, photographs, printed materials, correspondence, notes, and other items. Arranged alphabetically.

19-24

   FIRST LADIES FILE, 1945-1996
Manuscript drafts, printed materials, photographs, interview notes and transcripts, and other items. Arranged alphabetically.
[ Top of the page | Administrative Information | Biographical Sketch | Collection Description | Series Descriptions | Folder Title List ]

FOLDER TITLE LIST

HARRY S. TRUMAN FILE, 1934-1972

Box 1

  • Acheson, Dean
  • Acknowledgements
  • "A Special on Harry S. Truman"
  • Atomic Bomb and Atomic Energy
  • Bibliography
  • Bibliography from Truman Library
  • Bintner, Stuart: "Clark Clifford and the 1948 Presidential Campaign"
  • Book List for Mark Newman
  • Books and Microfilm
  • Books to Be Consulted
  • Campaign, 1940
  • Churchill, Winston
  • Clifford, Clark: Interview
  • Clifford, Clark: Memoranda to the President
  • Corrections
  • Corrections from First Block
  • Correspondence [1 of 2]
  • Correspondence [2 of 2]
  • Coughlin, Father Charles
  • Dawson, Donald: Interview
  • Democratic National Convention, 1944: Research Notes from the New York Times

Box 2

  • Dissertations and Theses
  • Early Appraisal of Truman
  • Early Memories
  • Early, Stephen
  • Eisenhower, Dwight D.
  • Elsey, George
  • Elsey, George: Oral History Interviews
  • Elsey, George: Papers
  • Ending
  • Fact Checking
  • Farley, James: Interview
  • Financial Records
  • Final Cuts
  • Final Inserts
  • Final Queries
  • First Senate Campaign
  • Forrestal, James
  • Fortune Articles
  • Galleys: Sidebars [1 of 2]

Box 3

  • Galleys: Sidebars [2 of 2]
  • Gardner, Lloyd: "On Robert Maddox's The New Left and the Origins of the Cold War"
  • Handwriting and Doodles
  • Handwritten Notes
  • Hersey, John: New Yorker Articles
  • History
  • Hoover, Herbert
  • Hoover, J. Edgar
  • Horowitz, David: Reply to Robert Maddox's The New Left and the Origins of the Cold War
  • Inauguration, 1945
  • Index
  • Inserts
  • Inserts: 1948
  • Japan
  • Journal Articles
  • Liberalism: Truman Definition
  • Life Articles
  • Life, December 1, 1972

Box 4

  • Manuscript Draft I [1 of 7]
  • Manuscript Draft I [2 of 7]
  • Manuscript Draft I [3 of 7]
  • Manuscript Draft I [4 of 7]
  • Manuscript Draft I [5 of 7]
  • Manuscript Draft I [6 of 7]
  • Manuscript Draft I [7 of 7]

Box 5

  • Manuscript Draft II [1 of 6]
  • Manuscript Draft II [2 of 6]
  • Manuscript Draft II [3 of 6]
  • Manuscript Draft II [4 of 6]
  • Manuscript Draft II [5 of 6]
  • Manuscript Draft II [6 of 6]
  • Manuscript Draft III [1 of 7]
  • Manuscript Draft III [2 of 7]

Box 6

  • Manuscript Draft III [3 of 7]
  • Manuscript Draft III [4 of 7]
  • Manuscript Draft III [5 of 7]
  • Manuscript Draft III [6 of 7]
  • Manuscript Draft III [7 of 7]
  • Manuscript Pages [1 of 2]
  • Manuscript Pages [2 of 2]
  • McKim, Edward
  • McReynolds, Edwin: Missouri: A History of the Crossroads State
  • Memoirs by Harry S. Truman
  • Memoirs by Harry S. Truman: Discussions

Box 7

  • Muehlebach Hotel
  • Murphy, Charles
  • Murphy, Charles: Interview
  • Murphy, Charles: Speech at the Harry S. Truman Library, April 1, 1967
  • My Comments on Block Notes
  • NANA [North American Newspaper Alliance]: Articles by Harry S. Truman, 1957-1965 [1 of 2]
  • NANA [North American Newspaper Alliance]: Articles by Harry S. Truman, 1957-1965 [2 of 2]
  • NANA: Syndicated Article No. 1, 1972
  • NANA: Syndicated Article No. 2, 1972
  • NANA: Syndicated Article No. 3, 1972
  • NANA: Syndicated Article No. 4, 1972
  • NANA: Syndicated Article No. 5, 1972
  • NANA: Syndicated Article No. 6, 1972
  • NANA: Syndicated Article No. 7, 1972
  • NANA: Syndicated Article No. 8, 1972
  • NANA: Syndicated Article No. 9, 1972
  • NANA: Syndicated Article No. 10, 1972
  • NANA: Syndicated Article No. 11, 1972
  • NANA: Syndicated Article No. 12, 1972
  • NANA: Syndicated Article No. 13, 1972
  • NANA: Syndicated Article No. 14, 1972
  • NANA: Syndicated Articles, Photo Captions for
  • Notes [1 of 5]
  • Notes [2 of 5]
  • Notes [3 of 5]
  • Notes [4 of 5]
  • Notes [5 of 5]

Box 8

  • Notes: Checking
  • Notes: Conversations with Truman and Reading
  • Notes: Galleys
  • Notes: Library Research
  • Notes: Possible Additions
  • Notes and Manuscript Pages [1 of 2]
  • Notes and Manuscript Pages [2 of 2]
  • Notes from Reading
  • Outline for Margaret Truman
  • Oral Histories
  • Palestine
  • Parker, Daniel: "Neither Left nor Right—The Political Philosophy of Harry S. Truman"
  • Pictures for Book
  • Post-Presidential Chronology
  • Prayer
  • Presidential Yachts
  • Press Clippings
  • Press Clippings: Truman Funeral, 1972
  • Printed Materials

Box 9

  • Public Papers of the Presidents
  • Publicity
  • Retirement
  • Reviews
  • Reviews of Other Books
  • Roads: Truman Speech, 1950
  • Roosevelt and Truman: Research Notes on Microfilmed Documents
  • Roosevelt, Eleanor
  • Roosevelt, Franklin D.
  • Sample Pages
  • Schwellenbach, Lewis
  • Snyder, John
  • Sources
  • Stalin, Josef
  • Statement on Use of the President’s Private Papers
  • Sources
  • Teter Pool
  • The Man from Monticello: Truman Thank-You Letters
  • Third Copies: Manuscript Changes
  • Top Secret File: List of Documents
  • Truman, Harry S.: Agreement on Papers
  • Truman, Harry S.: Bibliography, c. 1974
  • Truman, Harry S.: Diary Entries, 1947-1950
  • Truman, Harry S.: Interview
  • Truman, Harry S.: Interview, January 5, 1961
  • Truman, Harry S.: Interview Notes
  • Truman, Harry S.: Letters to Margaret [1 of 2]
  • Truman, Harry S.: Letters to Margaret [2 of 2]

Box 10

  • Truman, Harry S.: Letters to Mary Jane Truman
  • Truman, Harry S.: Research Notes on Campaign Speeches
  • Truman, Harry S.: Transcripts of Diary Entries and Longhand Notes, 1945-1953
  • Truman Library
  • Truman Library Documents
  • Truman, Margaret
  • Truman, Margaret: Biographical Information
  • Truman, Margaret: Interview Excerpts
  • Truman, Margaret: Interviews [1 of 2]
  • Truman, Margaret: Interviews [2 of 2]
  • Truman, Margaret: Notes from Interviews
  • Truman, Margaret: Outline for Speech, January 9, 1973
  • Truman, Martha Ellen
  • Vaughan, Harry
  • Vietnam
  • Westwood, Mike: Interview
  • White House Renovation
  • White House Staff

WOMEN OF COURAGE FILE, 1945-1976

Box 11

  • Anderson, Marian
  • Anthony, Susan B.
  • Barnard, Kate
  • Blackwell, Elizabeth
  • Carbon Corrections
  • Correspondence
  • Crandall, Prudence
  • Galleys
  • Index
  • Jones, Mother
  • Kelsey, Frances
  • Livingston, Susan
  • Madison, Dolley
  • Manuscript [1 of 2]
  • Manuscript [2 of 2]

Box 12

  • Manuscript Fragments
  • Notes
  • Other Women of Courage
  • Outlines
  • Photographs
  • Photographs, Captions for
  • Printed Materials
  • Reviews
  • Smith, Margaret Chase
  • Typing
  • Wells-Barnett, Ida
  • Winnemucca, Sarah
  • "Women and Courage"

BESS W. TRUMAN FILE, 1934-1986

Box 13

  • Barkley, Alben
  • Barstow School
  • Bridge Club
  • Comments on Copyedited Manuscript
  • Correspondence
  • Daniel, Clifton: Notes on Interview
  • Davis, Blevins
  • Dear Bess: Notes
  • December 1941
  • Duncan, Richard
  • Eagleton, Thomas: Interview
  • Edwards, India
  • Final Queries
  • Final Reading Notes
  • Financial Records and Expenses
  • First Chapter
  • Footnotes
  • Genealogical Material
  • Gentry, Sue: Newspaper Articles
  • Handwritten Notes
  • Higgins, Andrew
  • Journal Articles
  • Keeley, Mary Paxton
  • Mahoney, Florence
  • Manuscript Draft I [1 of 6]
  • Manuscript Draft I [2 of 6]
  • Manuscript Draft I [3 of 6]

Box 14

  • Manuscript Draft I [4 of 6]
  • Manuscript Draft I [5 of 6]
  • Manuscript Draft I [6 of 6]
  • Manuscript Draft II [1 of 6]
  • Manuscript Draft II [2 of 6]
  • Manuscript Draft II [3 of 6]
  • Manuscript Draft II [4 of 6]
  • Manuscript Draft II [5 of 6]
  • Manuscript Draft II [6 of 6]

Box 15

  • Manuscript Draft III [1 of 6]
  • Manuscript Draft III [2 of 6]
  • Manuscript Draft III [3 of 6]
  • Manuscript Draft III [4 of 6]
  • Manuscript Draft III [5 of 6]
  • Manuscript Draft III [6 of 6]

Box 16

  • Manuscript Draft IV [1 of 6]
  • Manuscript Draft IV [2 of 6]
  • Manuscript Draft IV [3 of 6]
  • Manuscript Draft IV [4 of 6]
  • Manuscript Draft IV [5 of 6]
  • Manuscript Draft IV [6 of 6]

Box 17

  • Nesbit, H.
  • New York City Visit, March 1945
  • Noland, Mary Ethel
  • Notebook
  • Notes
  • Notes on Galleys
  • Notes on Truman Interviews
  • Odum, Reathel: 1945 Memos
  • Oral Histories
  • Outline, Background Memo, and Notes
  • Pages Added
  • Pages Removed from Manuscript, August 1986 [1 of 2]
  • Pages Removed from Manuscript, August 1986 [2 of 2]
  • Parade Magazine
  • Pepper, Claude
  • Permissions
  • Photographs
  • Photo Captions
  • Porter, Paul A. and Paul R.
  • Possible Additions
  • Press Clippings
  • Press Clippings: 1944 Democratic Convention
  • Printed Materials
  • Publicity
  • Ragland, Josephine Noland

Box 18

  • Reading Notes, August 1985
  • Replaced Pages
  • Research Materials
  • Reviews and Comments
  • Silver Anniversary
  • Spanish Class
  • Stewart, Louise: Will
  • Swofford, Mrs. Ralph
  • Symington, James
  • Third Party Letters
  • Truman, Bess: Funeral
  • Truman, Bess: Letters
  • Truman, Bess: Personal
  • Truman, Bess: Senate Staff Job
  • Truman, Harry S.: Letters to Bess
  • Truman House, 3404 Karnes Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.
  • Truman Library
  • Truman, Margaret: Diary, 1944
  • Truman, Margaret: Notes on Interview
  • Truman, Margaret: Questions for Discussion
  • Truman Scholarships
  • Upstairs at the White House: Summary
  • Vinson, Fred
  • Waggoner-Gates Mill
  • Wallace, Christine
  • Wallace, David W.
  • Wallace Family
  • Wallace, Madge
  • Wallace, May
  • Working Log: Notes and Addresses

FIRST LADIES FILE, 1945-1996

Box 19

  • Alsop, Susan Mary
  • Anthony, Carl
  • Audiovisual Materials
  • Behind Every Successful President
  • Books Returned
  • British Press Articles
  • Buchanan, James
  • Bush, Barbara
  • Bush, Barbara: Interview
  • Butt, Archibald
  • Carter, Rosalynn
  • Carter, Rosalynn: Interview
  • Chapter List
  • Chichak, Ted
  • Cleveland, Frances
  • Clinton, Hillary [1 of 2]
  • Clinton, Hillary [2 of 2]
  • Clinton, Hillary: Interview
  • Coolidge, Calvin: Death of Son
  • Coolidge, Grace [1 of 2]
  • Coolidge, Grace [2 of 2]

Box 20

  • Copy Editing
  • Correspondence
  • Correspondence Between First Ladies
  • C-SPAN: Notes on First Ladies Program
  • Dateline: White House
  • DeSantis, Julie: Fashion Research
  • Eisenhower, Julie Nixon
  • Eisenhower, Mamie
  • Expenses
  • "Fascinating First Ladies" by Thomas Fleming
  • Final Reading Notes: November 2-3, 1994
  • First Ladies Exhibit
  • First Lady Suite
  • Ford, Betty
  • Ford, Betty: Interview
  • Ford Library
  • Ford Library: First Ladies Conference
  • Freeman Fund for First Ladies
  • Galleys
  • Good Housekeeping
  • Grant, Julia
  • Harding, Florence
  • Harrison, Benjamin
  • Hayes, Lucy
  • Hoover, Lou
  • Index

Box 21

  • Jackson, Rachel
  • Jacket Copy
  • Johnson, Lady Bird
  • Kennedy, Jacqueline [1 of 2]
  • Kennedy, Jacqueline [2 of 2]
  • Kennedy, Jacqueline: Obituaries
  • Longworth, Alice Roosevelt
  • Madison, Dolley
  • Manuscript Draft I [1 of 2]
  • Manuscript Draft I [2 of 2]

Box 22

  • Manuscript Draft II [1 of 2]
  • Manuscript Draft II [2 of 2]
  • Manuscript Draft III [1 of 2]
  • Manuscript Draft III [2 of 2]
  • Manuscript Draft IV [1 of 2]

Box 23

  • Manuscript Draft IV [2 of 2]
  • Manuscript Draft V [1 of 2]
  • Manuscript Draft V [2 of 2]
  • Manuscript Draft VI
  • Manuscript Draft VII
  • Manuscript Revisions
  • Marshall, Burke
  • Martineau, Jean Colbert
  • McCullough, David
  • Nixon, Pat
  • Notes
  • Outline
  • Outtakes
  • Parish, Sister
  • Photo Captions
  • Photographs

Box 24

  • Photographs: Carter, Rosalynn
  • Photographs: Ford, Betty
  • Photographs: Johnson, Lady Bird
  • Photographs: Nixon, Pat
  • Photographs: Reagan, Nancy
  • Portraits
  • Presidential Pay
  • Presidential Studies Quarterly
  • Questions
  • Reading Notes
  • Reagan, Nancy
  • Roosevelt, Eleanor
  • Siena Poll
  • Sources
  • Taft, Helen
  • Texas Trip Notes
  • The President's Partner
  • Truman, Bess
  • University Microfilms Inc.
  • Vaughan, Samuel
  • White House
  • White House Art
  • White House Chef
  • Whitewater
  • Williams, Maggie
[ Top of the page | Administrative Information | Biographical Sketch | Collection Description | Series Descriptions | Folder Title List ]