Reminiscences of Michael Straight, 1982.

Biographical Note

Author, editor

Scope and Contents

Family background, NEW REPUBLIC founded by parents; mother's remarriage to Leonard K. Elmhirst, founding of Dartington Hall, 1926; schooldays at Dartington, travel and adventures with brother Whitney; left wing activities, London School of Economics; Cambridge University, 1935-1937: president, Socialist Society, member of Apostles, association with Anthony Blunt, Guy Burgess; student tour of the Soviet Union, 1936; economist, United States State Department, 1937; speechwriter, Department of the Interior, 1938-1940; Air Force Officers Training School and pilot training, 1942-1945; writer-editor, NEW REPUBLIC: political orientation, readership, financial difficulties; Henry Wallace's third party candidacy, 1948; author MAKE THIS THE LAST WAR, 1943, TRIAL BY TELEVISION, 1954; novelist: CARRINGTON, 1960, A VERY SMALL REMNANT, 1963; National Endowment for the Arts: decision to refuse chairmanship, search for chairman, role as deputy chairman; cooperation with Federal Bureau of Investigation and British Intelligence, 1964; judge, Moscow feature film competition, 1969; National Endowment for the Arts during Johnson administration, chairman Roger Stevens; appointment of Nancy Hanks to chairmanship, 1969; council directors in Hanks administration; organization and operation under Hanks; operational policy as set up in 1965 Arts and Humanities Act; obtaining appropriations; personal nominations to Endowment executive council; description of personalities, policies and programs of Endowment: architecture and design, dance, arts and education, literature, special projects, training and fellowships for professionals, music, public media, the American Film Institute, theater, cultural exchanges, union involvement in the arts; interference in programming decisions and cultural exchange, visual arts; relationship between National Endowment and State Arts Councils, funding conflicts; relationship with individual senators Javits and Pell; utilization of grant funds for projects, operations, individuals, and institutions; rationalization of expenditures, philosophy behind public funding of the arts; travel; 1976 presidential election; acting chairman of Endowment, 1977; procedure for choosing new chairman, Livingston Biddle

Subjects

• Authors--Interviews.
• Editors--Interviews.
• Espionage.
• Federal aid to the arts.
• Great Britain--Intellectual life--20th century.
• Interviews.
• Jessup, Frederick Peterson, 1920-2005, interviewer.--http://id.loc.gov/vocabulary/relators/ivr
• National Endowment for the Arts.
• Oral histories (literary works)
• Progressive Party (U.S. : 1948)
• Soviet Union--Description and travel.
• Straight, Michael Whitney--Interviews.
• United States. Army Air Forces.
• United States. Department of State.
• United States. Department of the Interior.