AHJ_ah08665 Inventory of the Charles A. Wells Papers1934-1976 Wells (Charles A.) papers Processed by Leslie Waggener University of Wyoming. American Heritage Center.
American Heritage Center Dept. 3924, 1000 E. University Avenue University of Wyoming Laramie, WY 82071 Phone: 307.766.2574 Fax:307.766.5511 Email:ahcref@uwyo.edu URL:http://ahc.uwyo.edu/
2015

University of Wyoming

 Finding aid encoded by Ann Mulfort June 2013 Finding aid is in English Collection Summary Wells, Charles A., 1897-1976. Charles A. Wells papers 1934-1976 08665 2.80 cubic ft. (7 boxes) University of Wyoming. American Heritage Center. English Commentary in the form of cartoons and editorials on societal and political issues from the 1940s to the 1970s by Charles A. Wells, publisher of the nationally distributed newsletter Between the Lines. The collection includes correspondence, photographs of Wells, issues of Between the Lines, books by Wells, and Soviet- and Nazi-era posters and magazine covers collected by Wells. System Requirements

Between the lines -- Microfilm.

 Biography of Charles A. Wells

Charles A. Wells was a cartoonist, journalist, author, periodical publisher, and editor. He was born in Greenfield, Indiana in 1897 and raised as a Quaker. In 1920, he graduated from Friends University, a university of Quaker heritage located in Wichita, Kansas. Wells began his career as a sports cartoonist for newspapers in Kansas and New York before transitioning into social commentary on international societal and political issues. Wells employed cartoons, editorials, and articles for his commentary. Much of his work was published in The Mennonite and The Friends Journal. He was also a lecturer on world affairs and a television analyst for various national stations and affiliates. Wells was a frequent traveler to Europe and Asia; he also traveled to the Soviet Union. In 1942, he founded Between the Lines, a subscription-based newsletter distributed nationally in which Wells interpreted the news of the day from a religious perspective. He was both editor and publisher of the newsletter from 1942 until his death on May 8, 1976. He authored the books, Pink: A Caricature of an American Revolutionary in Russia (1935), Cancelled Crosses (1937), Building a Better World (1939), The Great Alternative: An Examination of Six Pressing Concerns in Today’s World (1951), Think on These Things: A Collection of Drawings and Paragraphs (1955), and Journey into Light (1958). He also wrote “Ah, But a Man’s Reach,” an unpublished novel about Americans in China during the 1930s.

 Scope and Content

Collection contains correspondence, original cartoons drawn by Wells, photographs of Wells and his home, Soviet-era propaganda posters and magazine covers, and German elections posters from the early Nazi era. Collection also contains two microfilm reels of Between the Lines (1942-1966), issues of Between the Lines (1950s-1970s), issues of Friends Intelligencer (1954-1968) and Friends Journal (1969-1973), miscellaneous clippings and printed materials used for research, and passports. Also includes Wells' unpublished manuscript "Ah, But a Man's Reach" and several books written by Wells.

 Access Restrictions

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

 Copyright Information

Donor retains copyrights.

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There are no known other archival collections created by Charles A. Wells at the date of processing.

The Charles A. Wells papers were donated to the American Heritage Center by Elizabeth B. Wells in 1984 and 1986.

The material was processed by Leslie Waggener in November 2015.

Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

 Existence and Location of Copies

Digital reproductions of select material from this collection are available at https://digitalcollections.uwyo.edu/luna/servlet/uwydbuwy~190~190.

 Access Terms World politics -- 1933-1945. World politics -- 1945-1989. Authors, American -- 20th century. Periodicals -- Publishing -- United States. Journalism -- United States. Journalists -- United States. Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiter-Partei -- Party work. Journalism. Politics, Law, and Government. United States -- Politics and government -- 1933-1945. United States -- Politics and government -- 1945-1989. Soviet Union -- History -- 1917-1936. Microfilms. Between the lines (Periodical) Wells, Charles A., 1897-1976 -- Ah but a man's reach. Wells, Charles A., 1897-1976 -- Pink: A caricature of an American revolutionary in Russia -- 1935. Wells, Charles A., 1897-1976 -- Cancelled crosses -- 1937. Wells, Charles A., 1897-1976 -- Building a better world -- 1939. Wells, Charles A., 1897-1976 -- The great alternative: An examination of six pressing concerns in today’s world -- 1951. Wells, Charles A., 1897-1976 -- Think on these things: A collection of drawings and paragraphs -- 1955. Wells, Charles A., 1897-1976 -- Journey into light -- 1958. 1 Charles A. Wells biographical material 1967 and undated 1 Newspaper articles about Charles A. Wells 1952-1976 and undated 1 Announcements for lectures by Charles A. Wells 1952-1975 and undated 1 Certificates of merit 1976-1977 1 Passports 1934-1972 1 Receipts and travel guides for international travel 1967-1974 1 Visit to the Friends Boys and Girls School in Ramallah, Palestine 1974 1 Correspondence 1948-1976 and undated 1 Photograph of Charles A. Wells' home undated 1 Photographs of Charles A. Wells undated 1 Photographs of Soviet-era propaganda posters undated 1 Poster research 1939 2 Editorials and cartoons by Charles A. Wells 1920s-1976 and undated 2 Articles by Charles A. Wells in Friends Intelligencer 1954-1968 2 Articles by Charles A. Wells in Friends Journal 1969-1973 2 "Ah, But a Man's Reach," unpublished manuscript by Charles A. Wells 1940s 7 Microfilm of Between the Lines (2 reels) 1942-1966 3 Issues of Between the Lines 1967-May 15,1976 3 Transition from Between the Lines to The Washington Spectator May,1976 3 Issue of The Washington Spectator June 15,1976 3 Between the Lines subscription information 1961-1976 and undated 4 Books by Charles A. Wells 1935-1958 5 Artwork by Charles A. Wells 1936 and undated 5 Research materials - newspapers and magazine clippings 1965-1976 and undated 5 Covers from the newspaper Bezbozhnik u Stanka - Soviet Union 1929-1931 5 World War II propaganda posters - Soviet Union 1930-1945 5 Photographs of election poster and war dead poster - Germany 1930-1945 6 Oversize posters: 6 German election poster 1930-1945 6 Soviet propaganda poster 1933