Donald C. Bruce collection
Collection
Identifier: L606
Scope and Contents
This collection includes correspondence, notes, scrapbooks, and photographs, reel-to-reel audio, and 16mm film from Donald C. Bruce in Washington D.C. ranging from 1950 to 1969 regarding his time in U.S. Congress.
Dates
- 1950-1969
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Biographical Note
Donald Cogley Bruce was born in Trouteville, Pennsylvania on April 27, 1921 to William and Maybelle Cogley. After graduating high school in Allentown, Pennsylvania, he attended Muskingum College In New Concord, Ohio. Bruce was married to Hope Mitchell and they had two children, Donald and Patricia.
In 1948, Donald Bruce became a news commentator for WIRE radio station in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was later promoted to program director and eventually rose to the position of business manager at WIRE.
In 1960, Bruce was elected to the United States Congress as a Republican representing the 11th district of Indianapolis. After two terms in Congress, Donald Bruce served as chairman of the Speakers Bureau for the Republican National Committee during the 1964 presidential campaign. After the elections, Bruce was appointed national chairman of the American Conservative Union. He resigned in 1965 to accept the chairmanship of Newscope, Inc.
While in U.S. Congress, Bruce served four years on the House Education and Labor Committee, and was a member of the House Committee on Un-American Activities. This committee was devoted to gaining first-hand information on the strategy and tactics of Communist and other militant groups. This information was later used in the production of Newscope's first major film, "While Brave Men Die..."
Donald Bruce was a member of many Indianapolis organizations including: Downtown Optimist Club, Downtown Lions Club, Indianapolis Press Club, Honorary Member of National Exchange Club, Board of Director for the Salvation Army, Board of Management for the Central Branch of the YMCA, and Indiana Multiple Sclerosis Society Board. He and his family were also members of the Trinity Lutheran Church.
Bruce was the recipient of the following awards: American Legion, Department of Indiana -- American Citation; Indianapolis Junior Chamber of Commerce -- Outstanding Young Man of the Year, Distinguished Service Award; DAR -- Americanism Citation; VFW, Department of Indiana -- Public Service Award; Broad Ripple American Legion Post -- Public Service Citation; American Legion Auxiliary -- Americanism Citation; Lions Club -- Man of the Year; Hi-Twelve Club -- Man on the Month; Sertoma Club -- Public Citizenship Citation; and the National Exchange Club's Book of Golden Deeds.
Bruce died on August 31, 1969 at the age of 48 in Round Hill, Virginia. He was buried in Ebenezer Baptist Church Cemetery in Bluemont, Virginia.
Sources:
Items in the collection.
United States Congress. "Bruce, Donald C." Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774-Present. Accessed July 10, 2015. http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=B000969.
In 1948, Donald Bruce became a news commentator for WIRE radio station in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was later promoted to program director and eventually rose to the position of business manager at WIRE.
In 1960, Bruce was elected to the United States Congress as a Republican representing the 11th district of Indianapolis. After two terms in Congress, Donald Bruce served as chairman of the Speakers Bureau for the Republican National Committee during the 1964 presidential campaign. After the elections, Bruce was appointed national chairman of the American Conservative Union. He resigned in 1965 to accept the chairmanship of Newscope, Inc.
While in U.S. Congress, Bruce served four years on the House Education and Labor Committee, and was a member of the House Committee on Un-American Activities. This committee was devoted to gaining first-hand information on the strategy and tactics of Communist and other militant groups. This information was later used in the production of Newscope's first major film, "While Brave Men Die..."
Donald Bruce was a member of many Indianapolis organizations including: Downtown Optimist Club, Downtown Lions Club, Indianapolis Press Club, Honorary Member of National Exchange Club, Board of Director for the Salvation Army, Board of Management for the Central Branch of the YMCA, and Indiana Multiple Sclerosis Society Board. He and his family were also members of the Trinity Lutheran Church.
Bruce was the recipient of the following awards: American Legion, Department of Indiana -- American Citation; Indianapolis Junior Chamber of Commerce -- Outstanding Young Man of the Year, Distinguished Service Award; DAR -- Americanism Citation; VFW, Department of Indiana -- Public Service Award; Broad Ripple American Legion Post -- Public Service Citation; American Legion Auxiliary -- Americanism Citation; Lions Club -- Man of the Year; Hi-Twelve Club -- Man on the Month; Sertoma Club -- Public Citizenship Citation; and the National Exchange Club's Book of Golden Deeds.
Bruce died on August 31, 1969 at the age of 48 in Round Hill, Virginia. He was buried in Ebenezer Baptist Church Cemetery in Bluemont, Virginia.
Sources:
Items in the collection.
United States Congress. "Bruce, Donald C." Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774-Present. Accessed July 10, 2015. http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=B000969.
Extent
18.7 Cubic Feet (31 manuscript boxes; 1 half-size manuscript box; 7 cubic foot boxes; 6 medium oversize boxes; 1 large oversize box)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in the following series and subseries:
Series 1: Correspondence, 1961-1964
Subseries 1.1: Subject files, 1961-1970 Subseries 1.2: Constituents correspondence, 1961-1964 Subseries 1.3: Legislative correspondence, bills and resolutions, undated Subseries 1.4: Congressional papers, 1961-1964
Series 2: Public relations documents, 1950-1964
Subseries 2.1: Press releases, 1961-1964 Subseries 2.2: Campaign materials, 1962-1969 Subseries 2.3: Speeches and biographies, 1950-1964 Subseries 2.4: Subject files, 1960-1964, undated
Series 3: International documents, 1961-1964, undated
Series 4: Newspaper clippings and scrapbooks, 1958-1964
Series 5: Reel-to-reel audio tapes, circa 1950-1969
Series 6: Film, circa 1950-1969
Series 1: Correspondence, 1961-1964
Subseries 1.1: Subject files, 1961-1970 Subseries 1.2: Constituents correspondence, 1961-1964 Subseries 1.3: Legislative correspondence, bills and resolutions, undated Subseries 1.4: Congressional papers, 1961-1964
Series 2: Public relations documents, 1950-1964
Subseries 2.1: Press releases, 1961-1964 Subseries 2.2: Campaign materials, 1962-1969 Subseries 2.3: Speeches and biographies, 1950-1964 Subseries 2.4: Subject files, 1960-1964, undated
Series 3: International documents, 1961-1964, undated
Series 4: Newspaper clippings and scrapbooks, 1958-1964
Series 5: Reel-to-reel audio tapes, circa 1950-1969
Series 6: Film, circa 1950-1969
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from Hope Bruce in 1979.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed 2015/03/06 by Alexandria Jones. EAD finding aid created 2015/03/06 by Alexandria Jones.
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- Campaign literature
- Civil rights -- Indiana
- Clippings
- Cold War
- Communism
- Correspondence
- Cuba
- Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962
- Developmental disabilities
- Ephemera
- Hoover, J. Edgar (John Edgar), 1895-1972
- Indiana -- Politics and government
- Indiana -- Politics and government -- 20th century
- Indianapolis (Ind.)
- Johnson, Lyndon B. (Lyndon Baines)
- Katanga (Congo)
- Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963
- Marquez Sterling, Carlos
- Moving images
- Newsletters
- Newspaper articles
- Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (1963)
- Oswald, Lee Harvey
- Pamphlets
- Photographs
- Political campaigns -- 20th century
- Politicians
- Politicians -- Indiana
- Politicians -- United States -- 20th century
- Politics and government
- Press releases
- Reel-to-reel audiotapes
- Scrapbooks
- Soviet Union
- Speeches, addresses, etc.
- Spreti, Karl, Graf von
- Tshombe, Moise
- United States. Congress. House
- United States. Congress. House. Committee on Education and Labor.
- United States. Congress. House. Committee on Un-American Activities.
- United States. Federal Communications Commission.
- United States. Federal Trade Commission.
- Wilkins, Roy
Creator
- Title
- Donald C. Bruce collection
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
