Guide to Federal Records

Records of the Office of Government Reports [OGR]


(RECORD GROUP 44)
1932-47
698 cu. ft.

Table of Contents

  • 44.1 ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY
  • 44.2 RECORDS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL 1933-34 2 lin. ft.
  • 44.3 RECORDS OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY COUNCIL 1932-40 337 lin. ft.
  • 44.3.1 Records of the Office of the Executive Director
  • 44.3.2 Records of the Administrative Division
  • 44.3.3 Records of the Division of Field Operations
  • 44.3.4 Records of the Division of Applications and Information
  • 44.3.5 Records of other divisions
  • 44.4 RECORDS OF THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT REPORTS 1933-47 358 lin. ft.
  • 44.4.1 Records of the Executive Division
  • 44.4.2 Records of the Administrative Division
  • 44.4.3 Records of the Division of Press Intelligence
  • 44.4.4 Records of the Division of Field Operations
  • 44.4.5 Records of the Office of the Coordinator of Government Films
  • 44.5 RECORDS OF THE UNITED STATES INFORMATION SERVICE 1936-47 108 lin. ft.
  • 44.5.1 Records of the first USIS (1939-42)
  • 44.5.2 Records of the Bureau of Special Services, OWI
  • 44.5.3 Records of the Division of Public Inquiries, Bureau of Special Services, OWI
  • 44.5.4 Records of the Research Division, Bureau of Special Services, OWI
  • 44.5.5 Records of the Surveys Division, Bureau of Special Services, OWI
  • 44.5.6 Records of the Division of Educational Services, Bureau of Publications, OWI
  • 44.5.7 Records of the Bureau of Intelligence, OWI
  • 44.6 SOUND RECORDINGS (GENERAL)
  • 44.7 STILL PICTURES (GENERAL)

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44.1 ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY

Established: In the Executive Office of the President (EOP) by EO 9809, December 12, 1946, reestablishing an office of the same name abolished in 1942.

Predecessor Agencies:

  • Executive Council (1933-34)
  • Industrial Emergency Committee (IEC, 1934)
    National Emergency Council (NEC, 1933-39, to Office of Government Reports) United States Information Service (USIS), NEC (1934-39, to Office of Government Reports)

In the Executive Office of the President:

  • Office of Government Reports (including USIS, 1939-42)
    Office of War Information (OWI), Office for Emergency Management (OEM, 1942-45) Government Information Service (GIS), Bureau of the Budget (1945- 46)
Functions: Advised the President on public opinion toward the government. Activities restricted by reduced appropriations to advertising and motion picture liaison and operation of reference library, 1947.

Abolished: By expiration of final appropriation, June 30, 1948.

Finding Aids: H. Stephen Helton, comp., Preliminary Inventory of the Records of the Office of Government Reports, PI 35 (1951).

Related Records: Record copies of publications of the Office of Government Reports in RG 287, Publications of the U.S. Government. Records of the Office of War Information, RG 208.

RECORDS

RECORD TYPES RECORD LOCATIONS QUANTITIES
Textual Records Washington Area 656 cu. ft.
Sound Recordings College Park 48 items
Still Pictures College Park 4,350 images

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44.2 RECORDS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
1933-34
2 lin. ft.

History: Established by EO 6202-A, July 11, 1933, to advise the President on activities of federal agencies with respect to economic recovery. Consisted of members of the Cabinet and heads of certain agencies. Consolidated with the National Emergency Council by EO 6889-A, October 29, 1934.

Textual Records: Minutes and agenda of meetings, with related correspondence, 1933-34.

Microfilm Publications: T37.

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44.3 RECORDS OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY COUNCIL
1932-40
337 lin. ft.

History: Established by EO 6433-A, November 17, 1933, to provide logistical support for the Executive Council. By EO 6889-A, October 29, 1934, NEC absorbed the Executive Council and the Industrial Emergency Committee. IEC, consisting of the Secretary of Labor, Secretary of the Interior and the Administrator for Industrial Recovery, had been established by EO 6770, June 30, 1934, to advise the President on matters pertaining to labor and economic recovery. NEC abolished by Reorganization Plan No. II of 1939, effective July 1, 1939.

Related Records: Record copies of publications of the National Emergency Council in RG 287, Publications of the U.S. Government.

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44.3.1 Records of the Office of the Executive Director

Textual Records: Proceedings of council meetings, 1934-36. Minutes of the Special Industrial Recovery Board, 1932-35. Correspondence, 1933-39. Reports on the survey of government legal offices, 1934. National Recovery Administration survey studies, 1933-36.

Microfilm Publications: T38.

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44.3.2 Records of the Administrative Division

Textual Records: Correspondence, 1933-39. Reports of federal agencies on state activities and projects, 1933-35.

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44.3.3 Records of the Division of Field Operations

Textual Records: General correspondence with state directors, 1934-39. Reports and other records of the Reports Section, 1934- 39. Records of the Statistical Section, 1933-39.

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44.3.4 Records of the Division of Applications and Information

History: Established by EO 7034, May 6, 1935, following passage of the Emergency Relief Act, to process federal works program project applications, and to provide information about the projects. Transferred to the Works Progress Administration, October 1, 1935.

Textual Records: Resolutions and digests of proceedings of the Advisory Committee on Allotments, May-September 1935. Project correspondence, 1935-36, with index. Correspondence concerning nationwide projects, 1935-36, with index. Summaries of Works Progress Administration and Public Works Administration projects, 1935. Reports on the status of project applications, June- September 1935. Press releases, 1933-35.

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44.3.5 Records of other divisions

Textual Records: Newspaper clippings of the Division of Press Intelligence, 1938. Records of the Better Housing Division relating to the national housing problem, 1934. Correspondence of the Consumers' Division with local consumers' councils, 1934-35. Records of the Assistant Director, United States Film Service, 1937-40. U.S. Government Manual Service collection of organizational charts of federal agencies, 1934.

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44.4 RECORDS OF THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT REPORTS
1933-47
358 lin. ft.

History: Established pursuant to Reorganization Plan No. II of 1939, effective July 1, 1939, to replace NEC. Organized as an administrative unit in the EOP by EO 8248, September 8, 1939. Coordinated federal economic relief and recovery programs, served as a liaison between federal and state governments, and provided information to the public. Publicized home front aspects of the defense effort during World War II. Abolished by EO 9182, June 13, 1942, and functions transferred to newly established Office of War Information in the Office for Emergency Management, EOP. OWI abolished by EO 9608, August 31, 1945, and its Bureau of Special Services, successor to the United States Information Service (SEE 44.5), transferred to Bureau of the Budget, EOP, as Government Information Service.

Office of Government Reports reestablished, 1946, with functions of the Bureau of Special Services and Media Programming and Motion Picture Divisions, Office of War Mobilization and Reconversion. SEE 44.1.

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44.4.1 Records of the Executive Division

Textual Records: Correspondence of Director Lowell Mellett, 1936- 43, including records created as Chief, U.S. Film Service, and Chief, Bureau of Motion Pictures, OWI. Records of the Assistant Director, 1941-43. Correspondence with state directors, 1941-42; and government agencies, 1939- 42. Correspondence and other records of the Central Housing Committee, 1935- 42. Radio scripts and programming correspondence of the radio consultant, 1939-42.

Sound Recordings (48 items): Weekly radio broadcasts known as the Cabinet Series, the Agency Series, and the National Defense Series, sponsored by the Office of Government Reports, containing the voices of the President, Cabinet members, and other federal officials, 1939-40.

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44.4.2 Records of the Administrative Division

Textual Records: Historical files, 1936-43.

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44.4.3 Records of the Division of Press Intelligence

Textual Records: Summaries and digests of press and radio comments, 1943-45. Press clippings, 1945-47.

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44.4.4 Records of the Division of Field Operations

Textual Records: Correspondence with state directors about the defense and mobilization program and about the distribution of publicity materials, 1937-42. Form letters to state directors, 1935-42. Records of the Reports Section, including special reports by state directors, 1933-42; reports on surveys of public opinion and on federal expenditures in the states, 1937-42; and directories of federal agencies in the states, 1939-42. Records of the Legislative Section, 1938-42.

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44.4.5 Records of the Office of the Coordinator of Government
Films

History: Established in OGR pursuant to Presidential letter, December 18, 1941. Abolished and functions absorbed by OWI, 1942.

Textual Records: General correspondence of Special Assistant to the Coordinator of Government Films Arch Mercey, in his capacity as Assistant Director of the United States Film Service (USFS), 1938-41.

Photographs (285 images): Production stills removed from the general correspondence of Arch Mercey, Assistant Director, USFS, 1938-41 (F, 250 images). Production stills from the documentary films, Fight for Life and The City, 1939-40 (LF, 35 images). SEE ALSO 44.7.

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44.5 RECORDS OF THE UNITED STATES INFORMATION SERVICE
1936-47
108 lin. ft.

History: Established in National Emergency Council, March 1934, to act as an information clearinghouse on all aspects of federal government programs and activities. Transferred to Office of Government Reports by Reorganization Plan No. II of 1939, effective July 1, 1939. Consolidated with OGR into Office of War Information, by EO 9182, June 13, 1942. Constituted Bureau of Public Inquiries, OWI, July 10, 1942. Became Division of Public Inquiries in Bureau of Special Operations, by OWI Staff Order 5, October 3, 1942. Bureau of Special Operations abolished and Division of Public Inquiries assigned to the newly created Bureau of Special Services, Domestic Operations Branch, OWI, by Staff Order 15, March 9, 1943. Bureau of Special Services renamed Government Information Service and transferred to Bureau of the Budget by EO 9608, August 31, 1945. GIS redesignated USIS in reconstituted OGR, by EO 9809, December 12, 1946, as functional successor to Bureau of Special Services, whose records it inherited, and which are described below.

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44.5.1 Records of the first USIS (1939-42)

Textual Records: Reports on relief operations, 1936-42; and on contracts and expenditures under the national defense program, 1940-41. Records relating to federal participation in the New York World's Fair, 1939. Correspondence with the New York office, 1940-41.

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44.5.2 Records of the Bureau of Special Services, OWI

Textual Records: Records of the Chief of Bureau, 1942-45; and of the Special Assistant to the Chief of Bureau, 1942-43.

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44.5.3 Records of the Division of Public Inquiries, Bureau of
Special Services, OWI

Textual Records: Records of Division Chief Malcolm Morrow, including records as chief of predecessor Bureau of Public Inquiries and successor Government Information Service, Bureau of the Budget, and USIS, OGR, 1942-47. Staff orders and memorandums, 1942-43.

Photographic Prints (245 images): Selected posters in series PA, 1942-45 (PA[A]). SEE 44.7.

Posters (3,820 images): Assembled by the Division of Public Inquiries from federal agencies and used to promote the war effort, 1942-45 (PA, 2,700 images). Collection of posters produced by U.S. branches of foreign information offices and war relief associations for U.S. distribution, 1942- 45 (PF, 900 images). Newsmaps depicting the progress of the war, 1942-45 (NM, 220 images). SEE 44.7.

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44.5.4 Records of the Research Division, Bureau of Special
Services, OWI

History: Established in the Bureau of Special Services by OWI Staff Order 15, March 9, 1943, as the successor to the Research and Reference Sections, Bureau of Publications and Graphics, absorbing also research functions of the former Bureau of Intelligence (SEE 44.5.7).

Textual Records: Reports and memorandums prepared for the Domestic Operations Branch, OWI, 1942-46. Copies of publications, "Weekly Media Report," 1942-43; and "Analysis of Editorial Comment," 1943-45. Records of the Foreign Information Section, including the predecessor Enemy Sources Section, Bureau of Intelligence, 1942-44. Correspondence of the Correspondence Panels Section, 1942-45.

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44.5.5 Records of the Surveys Division, Bureau of Special
Services, OWI

History: Transferred from the Bureau of Intelligence (SEE 44.5.7), OWI, by OWI Staff Order 15, March 9, 1943. Discontinued, 1944.

Textual Records: Records of the division chief, 1942-43. Public opinion research project correspondence, 1942. Reports, 1942-44. Public opinion survey project case files, 1942-44. Processed copies of "Surveys of Intelligence Materials" and "Intelligence Reports," 1941-43. Records of field offices, 1942-43.

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44.5.6 Records of the Division of Educational Services, Bureau of
Publications, OWI

History: Established as Division of School and College Services, Bureau of Special Services, OWI. Transferred as Division of Educational Services to Bureau of Publications by OWI Staff Order 15, March 9, 1943. Abolished by Staff Order 22, September 3, 1943.

Textual Records: Materials promoting the war effort, for distribution to schools and colleges, 1942-43. Correspondence relating to requests for OWI informational materials, 1942-43.

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44.5.7 Records of the Bureau of Intelligence, OWI

History: Originally in the Office of Facts and Figures, Office for Emergency Management, established by EO 8922, October 24, 1941. Consolidated into OWI by EO 9182, June 13, 1942. Discontinued by OWI Staff Order 15, March 9, 1943.

Textual Records: Records of the Bureau Chief, including records of the Chief, Division of Special Services, 1942-43. Reports on racial tensions, civilian morale, and information media cooperation in OWI campaigns, 1942-43.

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44.6 SOUND RECORDINGS (GENERAL)

SEE UNDER 44.4.1.

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44.7 STILL PICTURES (GENERAL)

SEE Photographs UNDER 44.4.5. SEE Photographic Prints UNDER 44.5.3. SEE Posters UNDER 44.5.3.


Bibliographic note: Web version based on Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States. Compiled by Robert B. Matchette et al. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1995.
3 volumes, 2428 pages.

Ordering information

This Web version is updated from time to time to include records processed since 1995.


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