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Lester David papers, 1910-1998

Overview of the Collection

Creator
David, Lester
Title
Lester David papers
Dates
1910-1998 (inclusive)
Quantity
66.00 cubic ft. (147 boxes)
Collection Number
10585
Summary
Manuscripts, research materials, audio and visual recordings, and photographs of this freelance journalist and author.
Repository
American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
American Heritage Center
University of Wyoming
1000 E. University Ave.
Dept. 3924
Laramie, WY
82071
Telephone: 3077663756
ahcref@uwyo.edu
Access Restrictions
Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.

Languages
English
Sponsor
The creation of the EAD-version of this finding aid was made possible through a grant from the National Historic Publications and Records Commission.
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Historical Note

Lester David, nationally known freelance journalist and author, was born in New York City in 1914. He was the son of Regina (Roth) David and William David, both of whom were natives of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. David earned his bachelor’s degree from New York University and his master’s from Columbia University. He became interested in journalism while attending graduate school.

David started his journalistic career with the now defunct Brooklyn Eagle. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and became managing editor of the Paris Edition of Stars and Stripes. After the war, he returned to the Brooklyn Eagle and became city editor. David married Irene Neer, a fellow employee of the Eagle in 1947. The couple had two daughters: Margery Rosen and Susan Lewin. Mrs. David actively collaborated with Lester in his literary endeavors.

David turned to freelance journalism in 1950 and went on to a highly successful career that lasted more than forty years. He wrote over 1,000 magazine articles on a wide variety of subjects. His work appeared nationally in numerous magazines, including American Legion, Better Homes and Gardens, Good Housekeeping, McCall’s, and Mechanix Illustrated.

David began writing books during the 1960s, starting with Slimming for Teenagers (1966). In the course of his career, he wrote fifteen books on several different subjects. He was a well regarded Kennedy biographer, writing seven books on various members of the famed political family, including Ethel: The Story of Mrs. Robert F. Kennedy (1971), Bobby Kennedy: The Making of a Folk Hero (1986), and Good Ted, Bad Ted: The Two Faces of Edward M. Kennedy (1993). He was a celebrity watcher of note as well, writing Richard and Elizabeth (1976), a work about the romance of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. David also wrote biographies of First Ladies, including The Lonely Lady of San Clemente: The Story of Pat Nixon (1978). Along with works under his own name, he ghostwrote McCarthy for Roy M. Cohn, Senator Joseph McCarthy’s former chief counsel.

In addition to his literary activities, David was an active member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors and the Society of Magazine Writers, serving as vice president of the latter organization. Lester David passed away on November 23, 1997.

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Content Description

The Lester David papers include manuscripts, correspondence, clippings, notes, audio-visual materials, and photographs regarding his journalistic and literary career. The papers are primary documentation of the activities of a freelance journalist and author during the second half of the twentieth century, containing much information about the subjects he wrote about in his articles and books. They also document his journalistic work, revealing how he obtained and developed his material and how his works appeared in their final form. The papers also document David’s development as a writer.

Of particular interest are the materials regarding David’s articles and books about the Kennedys. They reveal that he was a respected authority on the family and that he approached his work in an objective, yet sympathetic, manner. One can also discern that he enjoyed a fair amount of access to the Kennedys and those close to them.

This collection reveals much about Lester David himself. The papers reveal him to be an inquisitive man of wide-ranging interests. They also provide insight into the conditions of freelance journalists and writers of his time and how he coped with them.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Copyright Information

Margery Rosen holds copyright to the Lester David papers. The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Preferred Citation

Preferred Citation

Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Lester David papers, 1910-1998, Collection Number 10585, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

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Administrative Information

Related Materials

Related Materials

There are no other known archival collections created by Lester David at the date of processing.

Acquisition Information

Acquisition Information

Lester David’s daughter Margery Rosen donated her father’s papers to the American Heritage Center in 1998.

Processing Note

Processing Information

The collection was processed by Kenton G. Jaehnig in January 2004.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Container List

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Freelance journalism--United States.
  • Journalism--United States.

Personal Names

  • Burton, Richard, 1925-1984.
  • Cohn, Roy M.
  • Kennedy, Edward Moore, 1932-
  • Kennedy, Ethel, 1928-
  • Kennedy, Joan Bennett.
  • Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963.
  • Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1960-1999.
  • Kennedy, Robert F., 1925-1968.
  • Nixon, Pat, 1912-1993.
  • Onassis, Jacqueline Kennedy, 1929-1994.
  • Taylor, Elizabeth, 1932-

Form or Genre Terms

  • Audiocassettes.
  • Biographies.
  • Manuscripts.
  • Videotapes.

Occupations

  • Ghostwriters.

Processed by Kenton G. Jaehnig
2004;2006

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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