James P. Pope Papers
This collection houses correspondence, articles, speeches, and other materials documenting James P. Pope's career. Nearly all of these papers date from Pope's term as Director of the Tennessee Valley Authority (1939-1951).
Included in the correspondence are Senator Pope's Reading Files (1945-1951), which give a comprehensive look into his life during that period. Letters from persons of note can be found throughout the collection. Presidents Roosevelt and Truman head the list, although most of these letters are of a personal nature. Being concerned with the public relations of the TVA, Pope spoke frequently on various subjects. He also continued his interest in foreign affairs while with the TVA. Many of his activities centered on the United Nations and other world peace and brotherhood organizations.
Dates
- 1928-1960
- Majority of material found within 1939-1951
Conditions Governing Access
Collections are stored offsite and must be requested in advance. See www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Conditions Governing Use
The UT Libraries claims only physical ownership of most material in the collections. Persons wishing to broadcast or publish this material must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants on www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Extent
6.75 Linear Feet (14 boxes [13 half boxes, 1 flat box])
Abstract
This collection houses correspondence, articles, speeches, and other materials documenting James P. Pope's career. Nearly all of these papers date from Pope's term as Director of the Tennessee Valley Authority (1939-1951).
Biographical/Historical Note
James Pinckney Pope was born to Jessie Thomas and Lou (McBride) Pope in Jackson Parish, Louisiana on March 31, 1884. In his youth, he worked in the fields picking cotton. Pope earned his Bachelors of Industry from the Louisiana Polytechnic Institute in 1906 and his LLB from the University of Chicago in 1909. After completing his law degree, he signed on as a cow puncher aboard a cattle boat headed to Europe. After bicycling through several countries, Pope decided that he wanted to see the American West. His money ran out in Boise, Idaho, so he joined the Idaho Bar and established a law practice. Pope served as a partner in the firm Pope & Barnes (1910-1913), as the Deputy Collector of Internal Revenue (1916), as the Boise City Attorney (1916-1917), as the Assistant Attorney General of Idaho (1917-1919), and as the Mayor of Boise (elected in 1929 and 1931) before being elected to the US Senate (1933-1939). After he lost the Democratic primary in 1938, President Roosevelt appointed him the Director of the TVA, where he served until retiring in 1951. Pope was also active in the East Tennessee community, serving on the Board of the Knox County Library System, as a Director of the Red Cross, as President of the English Speaking Union, and as a member of the Civil Service Appeals Board. In 1963, he moved to Virginia to be closer to family. Pope died in Alexandria, Virginia on January 23, 1966 and is buried in Knoxville's Lynnhurst Cemetery.
Pope married Pauline Ruth Horn (d. 1957) on June 26, 1913 and the couple had two children, Ross P. and George A.
Arrangement
This collection consists of fourteen boxes divided into three series:
- Series I: Individual Correspondence, 1931-1960
- Series II: Subject Correspondence, 1939-1951
- Series III: Subject Files, 1928-1958
Acquisition Note
James P. Pope donated these papers to Special Collections in 1963.
Repository Details
Part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Repository