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Joseph F. Lockard papers
The Joseph F. Lockard papers are devoted to his work with the Democratic City Committee of Philadelphia. The bulk of these papers were produced while Lockard worked as administrative assistant to U.S. Representative William J. Greene Jr. Intriguing groups of correspondence, memos, reports, and clipp...
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| Main Author: | |
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| Collection: | Joseph F. Lockard Papers |
| Collection Number: | 3673 |
| Format: | Manuscript |
| Language: | English |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Link to finding aid |
| Item Description: |
Processing Information: This collection was processed using guidelines set out in the More Product, Less Process approach to archival processing. Original folder titles were retained and sorting and series/subseries structuring were done as broadly as possible in order not to interfere with Lockard's original order. |
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| Physical Description: |
13.3 Linear feet ; 30 boxes |
| Access: |
This collection is open for research. |
| Summary: |
The Joseph F. Lockard papers are devoted to his work with the Democratic City Committee of Philadelphia. The bulk of these papers were produced while Lockard worked as administrative assistant to U.S. Representative William J. Greene Jr. Intriguing groups of correspondence, memos, reports, and clippings shed light on the city’s Democratic Party’s political processes, policy creation, and election efforts. Although many documents describe political matters at the national and state levels, most of the papers in the collection highlight the local reform movement, its development, main figures, proponents and opponents. There are also papers on city ward realignment and files on Lockard's participation in Democratic national conventions from 1956 to 1964, in addition to a significant grouping of voting records arranged by ward. There are numerous subject and name files that contain a wealth of information on city issues, politicians, and businessmen during the 1960s. To a lesser extent, the papers also document Lockard’s political consulting firm’s work in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as his personal life.
The collection is grouped in two series (Office Files and Personal Files) with the first series being subdivided into five groupings. Series I (Office Files), Subseries A (Alphabetical Files-Name and Subject) is composed of files Joseph Lockard kept on numerous figures in Pennsylvania politics, as well as papers about committees, issues, and topics Lockard was involved with. Subseries B (Elections) features data gathered (and in multiple instances authored) by Lockard for research, background, interpretation, and evaluation purposes. Lockard named most of these documents Analysis, and they are a mix of spreadsheets, charts, maps, and reports relative to city, state, and presidential elections. Subseries C (Legislation) contains copies of city and state legislative bills but more importantly features documents that describe the behind-the-scenes process involved in the formulation and production of laws at both the city and state levels. Subseries D (Philadelphia Wards) is composed of documents about the reorganization process the Philadelphia ward structure went through during the 1950s. This portion of the collection contains charts, maps, and reports in a similar vein to that of Subseries B (Elections), and in fact the overlap between both sections is evident. Researchers are advised to examine both parts of the collection to cover gaps in the subject. Subseries E (Democratic Platforms and Conventions) contains material about the Democratic national conventions Lockard attended as a delegate or alternate delegate between 1956 and 1964. In addition to documents, this portion of the collection contains medals, buttons, identification cards, and other artifacts from the conventions Lockard attended. Series II (Personal Files) is a somewhat small portion composed of papers Lockard did not file with his subject files and concerning matters and interests of a more personal nature.
Joseph F. Lockard worked in Philadelphia for the Democratic City Committee during the 1950s and 1960s. By signing up non-registered voters as Democrats, Lockard was instrumental in building the Democratic "machine" that assisted party leaders get elected during the 1960s. Lockard worked as administrative assistant to U.S. Representative William J. Green Jr. and maintained ties to many political players, such as Joseph S. Clark, Richardson Dilworth, Natalie Saxe Randall, Judge Charles Weiner, and Congressman Joshua Eilberg. Lockard later obtained a political science degree from Temple University and formed his own political consulting firm, Lockard Associates. The Joseph F. Lockard papers are primarily composed of papers describing his involvement in Pennsylvania politics, with particular attention to Philadelphia. Materials include correspondence, memos, reports, and clippings. There are numerous subject files that contain a wealth of information on city issues, politicians, and businessmen during the 1960s. To a lesser extent, the papers also document Lockard’s political consulting firm’s work in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as his personal life. |