Josephine Campbell papers
Scope and Contents
This collection contains manuscripts, notebooks, correspondence, newspaper clippings, periodicals, pamphlets, photographs, slides, negatives, microcassette tapes, floppy discs, and various digital records. The materials range in date from 1947 to 2006 and represent the history of Josephine Campbell’s career as journalist. Campbell was a writer and editor with the United State Information Agency from 1956-1986 and later founded Ecotopics International News Service. Her early work is represented, but the bulk of materials pertain to her research and writing for Ecotopics. Significant topics represented in the collection include international journalism; environmental issues; feminism; and human rights.
Dates
- 1905-2006
- Majority of material found within 1947 - 2006
Creator
- Campbell, Josephine C. (Person)
- United States Information Agency (Organization)
- Ecotopics International News Service (Organization)
Language
The majority of materials are in English, with some materials in Russian and Arabic.
Restrictions on Access
This collection is open for research.
Restrictions on Use
Some material may be copyrighted or restricted. It is the patron's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright or other case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections.
Biographical Note
Josephine “Jo” Campbell (1927-2006) was journalist, civil rights worker, and environmental activist. She was born Josephine Anne Conrad in Evansville, Indiana on January 31, 1927, the daughter of Owen McIntyre Conrad and Josephine Anne Greene. She was raised by her mother in Daytona Beach, Florida. She attended Seabreeze High School while working as a “cub reporter” for the Daytona Beach News Journal, and after her graduation in 1945 she moved to Washington, D.C. to further her career in journalism as a copyboy for the Washington Post.
Josephine Conrad married Donald Herman Campbell on March 15, 1946. The couple had three daughters, Kathleen, Carolyn, and Deborah Campbell.
Campbell wrote fiction for magazines under her husband's name, worked in public relations, and headed the Washington bureau of a Pakistani newspaper before beginning her 30 year career with the International Press Service, part of the Department of State’s U.S. Information Agency in 1956. As a writer and editor for IPS, she travelled in the United States and Africa and wrote for Voice of America and publications in Africa, Russia, and the Middle East until her retirement in 1986.
After her husband’s death in 1988, Campbell founded Ecotopics International News Service, a news service for environmental and human rights issues. She and her partner, chemist Hyman Rudoff, wrote for Ecotopics as well as the local Willits News in California. She was also active the National Writers Union, the National Press Club, the Dog Writers Association of America, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the Ukiah Gun Club.
Josephine Campbell died March 1, 2006 in Petaluma, California.
Extent
7 Linear Feet (8 document boxes, 3 flat boxes)
Abstract
This collection contains manuscripts, notebooks, correspondence, newspaper clippings, periodicals, pamphlets, maps, photographs, slides, negatives, microcassette tapes, floppy discs, and various digital records related to the life and work of Josephine "Jo" Campbell (1927-2006), journalist, civil rights worker, and environmentalist.
Collection Arrangement
Organized into 3 series: Writings, Research, and Correspondence, Photographs, and Digital Materials.
Custodial History
Josephine Campbell's papers were intially transferred into the custody of her daughter Carolyn Campbell, who donated the collection to the George Washington University Gelman Library.
Acquisition Source
Gift of Carolyn M. Campbell, 19 November 2007 (Accession 2008.038). Addition, gift of Kathleen Campbell, 18 February 2022 (Accession 2022.005).
- Color slides Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- DVDs Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Environmentalism Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Floppy disks Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Human rights advocacy Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Journalism Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Microcassettes Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Negatives (photographic) Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Photographs Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- United States. Dept. of State. International Press Service
Source
- Campbell, Carolyn M. (Person)
- Title
- Guide to the Josephine Campbell papers, 1905-2006
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- University Archives, Special Collections Research Center, The George Washington University
- Date
- 2009
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections Research Center, The George Washington University Repository