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Barton C. Hacker Papers, 1955-1995
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Hacker, Barton C., 1935-
- Title
- Barton C. Hacker Papers
- Dates
- 1955-1995 (inclusive)19551995
- Quantity
- 2.1 cubic feet, (6 boxes)
- Collection Number
- MSS HackerB
- Summary
- The Barton C. Hacker Papers document Hacker’s career as a historian of radiation safety, and primarily consist of materials related to his service as historian to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Dosimetry Research Project, beginning in 1979. The collection also contains general research materials, committee documents, and conference proceedings and papers.
- Repository
-
Oregon State University Libraries, Special Collections and Archives Research Center
Special Collections and Archives Research Center
121 The Valley Library
Oregon State University
Corvallis OR
97331-4501
Telephone: 5417372075
Fax: 5417378674
scarc@oregonstate.edu - Access Restrictions
-
The collection is open for research.
- Languages
- English
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Barton C. Hacker is Curator of Armed Forces History at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Beginning in 1979, he served as Historian at Reynolds Electrical and Engineering Company (REECo), working on the Dosimetry Research Project for the Department of Energy, which sought to comprehensively identify, locate, and centralize records related to human radiation exposure. He formerly served as Laboratory Historian at the University of California's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and has held teaching or research positions at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Iowa State University, the University of Houston, University of Chicago, and Oregon State University (from 1986-1992). He is a recipient of the Leonardo da Vinci Medal of the Society for the History of Technology and of several writing prizes. He has curated major exhibits on Submarines in the Cold War and West Point in the Making of America. His publications include books on the history of Project Gemini, radiation safety in nuclear weapons testing, and world military institutions, as well as many articles and book reviews on a wide range of topics in the history of military technology.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The Barton C. Hacker Papers document Hacker’s career as a historian of radiation safety, and primarily consist of materials related to his service as historian to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Dosimetry Research Project, beginning in 1979. These records reflect his efforts to identify and locate records related to human radiation exposure in institutions and organizations around the country, and his later scholarly work on radiation exposure and hazards. The collection includes indexes and chronologies, photocopies of original archival documents and records, correspondence, articles, clippings, publications, conference proceedings, and manuscripts.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
Barton C. Hacker Papers (MSS HackerB), Oregon State University Libraries Special Collections & Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The Barton C. Hacker Papers are arranged into four series: I: Department of Energy Dosimetry Research Project Research Files, 1955-1991; II: General Research Files, 1960-1995; III: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Files, 1995; IV: Papers and Conference Materials, 1974-1994. Folders are arranged chronologically within each series.
Acquisition Information
These materials were donated by Barton C. Hacker in 2006.
Related Materials
Related MaterialsThe Barton C. and Sally L. Hacker Nuclear Affairs Collection, The History of Atomic Energy Collection, Nuclear Science Technical Reports Collection, Oregon State University Radiation Safety Department Records.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series I: Department of Energy Dosimetry Research Project Files, 1955-1995Return to Top
Series I, Department of Energy Dosimetry Research Project Research Files, contains indexes, document lists, and records surveys of archival documents related to human radiation testing and exposure that Hacker located at various U. S. institutions and organizations, including the Defense Nuclear Agency, the Atomic Energy Commission, and the Reynolds Electrical and Engineering Company. It also contains calendars and chronologies of events in radiation history prepared by Hacker to assist in his task of locating and compiling records related to those events. Though the majority of the series are compilations of or lists of records and archival sources, there are some photocopies of archival documents related to Hacker’s work.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1.1 | Dosimetry Research Project Mission and Task Documents |
1978, 1982 |
| 1.2 | Brief History of Nuclear Weapons Testing Support by REECo and Affiliated Companies |
undated |
| 1.3 | Evaluation of Radioactive Fallout, Armed Forces Special Weapons Project |
undated |
| 1.4 | REECo Historical Radiation Records and Field Documents, 1955-1957 |
1980 |
| 1.5 | Columbia University, Lamont Geological Observatory, Project Sunshine Progress Report |
1955 |
| 1.6 | REECo Historical Radiation Records |
1955, 1961 |
| 1.7 | REECo Historical Radiation Records, Operations Teapot, Plumbob, Hardtack II |
1955-1961 |
| 1.8 | REECo Historical Radiation Records and Field Documents |
1958-1961 |
| 1.9 | REECo Historical Radiation Records, Radiation Area Personnel Listings |
1959-1961 |
| 1.10 | REECo Historical Radiation Records, Operation Nougat |
1961-1962 |
| 2.1 | REECo Historical Radiation Records, Operation Storax |
1962-1963 |
| 2.2 | REECo Historical Radiation Records, Operation Inblick |
1963-1964 |
| 2.3 | Operation Nougat On-site Radiological Safetly Report |
1964 |
| 2.4 | REECo Historical Radiation Records, Operation Whetstone |
1964-1965 |
| 2.5 | Los Alamos/ AEC Memos Regarding Offsite Radiological Safety in Pacific Test Area |
1965-1967 |
| 2.6 | REECo Historical Radiation Records, Operation Flintlock |
1965-1966 |
| 2.7 | REECo Historical Radiation Records, Operation Latchkey |
1966-1967 |
| 2.8 | REECo Historical Radiation Records, Operation Crosstie |
1967-1969 |
| 2.9 | REECo Historical Radiation Records, Operation Bowline |
1968-1969 |
| 2.10 | REECo Historical Radiation Records, Operation Mandrel |
1969-1970 |
| 2.11 | REECo Historical Radiation Records, Operation Emery |
1970-1971 |
| 2.12 | REECo Historical Radiation Records, Operations Grommet and Toggle |
1971-1973 |
| 2.13 | Atomic Energy Commission Reviews to Insure Safety of Nuclear Operations |
1972 |
| 2.14 | Department of Energy Document Duplication Requests |
1981 |
| 2.15 | Defense Nuclear Agency Estimated/Calculated Radiation Doses for Personnel, Multiple
Operations
|
1981-1982 |
| 2.16 | Defense Nuclear Agency Estimated/Calculated Radiation Doses for Personnel, Multiple
Operations
|
1983-1984 |
| 3.1 | Defense Nuclear Agency, Nuclear Test Personnel Review |
1983 |
| 3.2 | Defense Nuclear Agency, Nuclear Test Personnel Review Archival Sources |
1983 |
| 3.3 | Defense Nuclear Agency Nuclear Test Personnel Review Archival Sources |
1984 |
| 3.4 | Nevada Test Site Review Documents |
1984 |
| 3.5 | Records Transfer Inventory, US Department of Energy Nevada Office |
1984 |
| 3.6 | Committee on Veteran’s Affairs Operation Crossroads Information Request |
1984 |
| 3.7 | Inventory of Documents for REECo History Project |
1985 |
| 3.8 | Defense Nuclear Agency, Personnel Participation in Atmospheric Nuclear Weapons Testing
Document List
|
1986 |
| 4.1 | Review copy, “Fireballs at Dawn,” Offsite Radiation Exposure Review Project |
1990 |
| 4.2 | Nuclear Weapons Testing Chronology |
1991 |
| 4.3 | Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Survey of Nuclear Testing and Fallout Records |
1991 |
| 4.4 | Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Central File Index from 1949-1968 |
1991 |
| 4.5 | Pre-Bravo Operation Castle Calendar of Papers and Chronology of Events through 1954 |
undated |
| 4.6 | Calendar of Papers and Chronology of Events Related to Fukuryu Maru Incident through 1955 |
undated |
Series II: General Research Files, 1960-1995Return to Top
Series II, General Research Files, consists of journal and magazine articles, newspaper clippings, syllabi and full publications related to Hacker’s later scholarly work.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 5.1 | Journal: Special Issue on Arms Control, Daedulus v. 89 no. 4 |
Fall 1960 |
| 5.2 | Journal: Health Physics 25th Anniversary Issue |
June 1980 |
| 5.3 | Department of Energy United States Nuclear Weapons Program, A Summary History |
1983 |
| 5.4 | Literature Review for Records of Radiation Cases and Atomic Study Personnel |
1983-1984 |
| 5.5 | Journal: Los Alamos Science n. 7 |
1983 |
| 5.6 | Journal: “How One Town in Oregon is Saying No to the Bomb,” Northwest Review v. 22, no. 3 |
1984 |
| 5.7 | Syllabi for Arms Control/Nuclear Threat |
1986-1987 |
| 5.8 | Radiation Health Safety/Dosage Health Studies Documentation |
1989-1992 |
| 6.1 | Journal: Los Alamos Science n.21
|
1993 |
Series III: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Files, 1995Return to Top
Series III, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Files, consists of reports and committee materials related to two committees that Hacker was an active part of while employed there: the Human Subjects Task Force, and the Advisory Committee on Human Radiation Exposure.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 6.2 | Nuclear Weapons Information Project Archiving Plan Draft |
1995 |
| 6.3 | Advisory Committee on Human Radiation Exposure, Update on Marshall Islands |
1995 |
| 6.4 | Human Subjects Task Force |
undated |
Series IV: Papers and Conference Materials, 1974-1994Return to Top
Series IV, Papers and Conference Materials, consists of conference proceedings and readings for two conferences, primarily the Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation Summer Session, as well as several papers delivered by Hacker at various conferences.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 6.5 | Nucleonics Week: Reactor Safety |
1974-1975 |
| 6.6 | Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation: Sociological Perspectives |
1985 |
| 6.7 | Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation: Historical Perspectives |
1987 |
| 6.8 | Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation: Summer Seminar on Global Security and Arms Control Sessions 1-5 |
1987 |
| 6.9 | Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation: Summer Session on Global Security and Arms Control Session 6-14 |
1987 |
| 6.10 | Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation: Summer Seminar on Global Security and Arms Control Sessions 15-22 |
1987 |
| 6.11 | “Bravo and the Marshallese: The 1954 H-Bomb Test and Its Consequences” |
1992 |
| 6.12 | “Coming in from the Cold: Science, Politics, and Nuclear Weapons Testing“ |
1993 |
| 6.13 | “Radioactive Atolls: Cleaning Up After the Bombs, 1958-1978” |
1994 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Nuclear weapons--Moral and ethical aspects--United States.
- Nuclear weapons--Research.
- Nuclear weapons--Social aspects.
- Nuclear weapons--United States--Testing--Safety measures--History.
- Radiation--Safety measures.
Corporate Names
- Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory.
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
- Reynolds Electrical & Engineering Co.
- U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.
- United States. Defense Nuclear Agency.
Finding aid prepared by
Anne Bahde.
2012
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
