Bryan K. Whitehead papers
Overview
Bryan Kendall Whitehead (1925-2008) was a legislative representative (effectively a lobbyist) for the Brotherhood of Railway, Airline and Steamship Clerks, Freight Handlers, Express and Station Employees (BRAC). This collection of his papers reflect his work as a representative for BRAC in the Kansas Legislature, as a member of numerous special committees, and his interest in the performing arts. The collection includes professional correspondence, reports, bulletins, newspaper clippings, cassette tapes, reel-to-reel tapes, as well as performing arts programs, articles, and ticket stubs.
Dates
- Creation: 1940 - 1994
Creator
- Whitehead, Bryan K., 1925-2008 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
These materials are stored in the KU Annex off-site storage area.
All researchers interested in reviewing this material must consult Spencer Research Library Public Services staff (785-864-4334 or ksrlref@ku.edu, 9-5 M-F CST) no less than three days in advance of a planned visit. Be advised that drop-in requests for this material cannot be accommodated.
Conditions Governing Use
Spencer Library staff may determine use restrictions dependent on the physical condition of manuscript materials.
Biography of Bryan K. Whitehead
Bryan Kendall Whitehead was born April 6, 1925, in Shawnee, Oklahoma, to Joseph Hugh Whitehead (1897-1948) and Mary Miller Whitehead (1906-1976). The family moved to Pratt, Kansas in 1936, and Whitehead graduated from Pratt High School in 1942. After graduation, he worked as a clerk for the Rock Island Railroad, and then attended Kansas State Teacher's College in Emporia, Kansas.
During World War II, Whitehead served as a musician in the Army Air Corps, also qualifying as a Marksman. After the war, he returned to work at the Rock Island Railroad, serving as a legislative representative of the Brotherhood of Railway, Airline and Steamship Clerks, Freight Handlers, Express and Station Employees at local, state, and national levels.
Upon his retirement in 1985, the Kansas House of Representatives passed a resolution commending Whitehead's contributions to the legislative process in the interests of those he represented.
After retiring, he and his wife, Mary Louis Hertlein Whitehead (married 1943) traveled with the Kansas City symphony and opera. Whitehead died at the age of 82 on April 4, 2008 in Olathe, Kansas.
Extent
136.5 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Scope and Contents
The Bryan K. Whitehead papers date from approximately 1940 to 1989 and are arranged in eight series: Brotherhood of Railway, Airline and Steamship Clerks, Freight Handlers, Express and Station Employees, Special Committees, State Legislature, Professional Papers, Political News Articles, Performing Arts, Cassette Tapes, and Reel-to-Reel Tapes. Brotherhood of Railway, Airline and Steamship Clerks, Freight Handlers, Express and Station Employees is 22 linear feet (44 boxes) and covering the years 1943 to 1984. This is made up of professional correspondence, reports, and articles relating to the organization.
Special Committees is one of the largest portions of the collection at 28.5 linear feet (57 boxes) and covering the years 1955 to 1984. The material represents various committees, including the Special Committee on Assessment and Taxation, the State Corporation Commission (SCC), Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC), and the Kansas State Federation of Labor. It is made up of professional correspondence, reports, and articles relating to the committees.
State Legislature consists of 17 linear feet (34 boxes) ranging from 1947 to 1983. It contains correspondence and legislative dockets for House of Representative and Senate bills. Professional papers is 11 linear feet (20 boxes) and cover the years 1964 to 1983. It consists of correspondence, reports, election materials, and bulletins from state representatives.
Political newspaper clippings is the largest portion of the collection at 33 linear feet (33 boxes), and range in date from approximately 1950 to 1994. It is largely unprocessed, but Whitehead often grouped the articles by year. His system has been kept in tact.
Performing arts is 22 linear feet (22 boxes) and cover the years 1981 to 1994. It is largely unprocessed, kept mostly in Whitehead's original order. It contains symphony and opera programs, magazine articles, newspaper articles, and ticket stubs.
Cassette tapes make up 2 linear feet (2 boxes) and range from the years 1975-1984. There are several notebooks stored with the collection that detail the contents of the tapes. There is also 1 linear foot (1 box) of reel-to-reel tapes dating from approximately 1970 to 1974.
Series List
The Bryan K. Whitehead papers dates from approximately 1940 to 1989 and are arranged in eight series:
- Brotherhood of Railway, Airline and Steamship Clerks, Freight Handlers, Express and Station Employees
- Materials made up of professional correspondence, reports, and articles relating to the organization
- Special Committees
- Represents various committees, including the Special Committee on Assessment and Taxation, the State Corporation Commission (SCC), Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC), and the Kansas State Federation of Labor. It is made up of professional correspondence, reports, and articles relating to the committees
- State Legislature
- Contains correspondence and legislative dockets for House of Representative and Senate bills
- Professional Papers
- Consists of correspondence, reports, election materials, and bulletins from state representatives
- Political news articles
- Largely unprocessed, but Whitehead often grouped the articles by year. His system has been kept intact
- Performing Arts
- Largely unprocessed, kept mostly in Whitehead's original order. It contains symphony and opera programs, magazine articles, newspaper articles, and ticket stubs
- Cassette Tapes
- Appear to be primarily meetings. Several notebooks stored with the collection that detail the contents of the tapes
- Reel-to-Reel Tapes
- Appear to be primarily meetings
Physical Location
RH MS 548
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift, Bryan K. Whitehead, 1985
Subject
- Brotherhood of Railway, Airline, and Steamship Clerks, Freight Handlers, Express, and Station Employes (Organization)
- Kansas. Legislature (Organization)
- Title
- Guide to the Bryan K. Whitehead Papers
- Subtitle
- Bryan K. Whitehead papers
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by skt, 2008. Finding aid encoded by skt, 2008. Finding aid revised by mwh, 2019.
- Date
- 2008
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Finding aid written in English.
- Finding aid permalink
- http://hdl.handle.net/10407/4163822557
- Preferred citation
-
Bryan Whitehead papers, Kansas Collection, RH MS 548, Kenneth Spencer Research Library, University of Kansas
Repository Details
Part of the University of Kansas. Kenneth Spencer Research Library Repository