Rexford G. Tugwell was born in Sinclairville, New York, on July 10, 1891, and grew up in the rural areas of western New York. He was educated at the Wharton School of Finance and Commerce of the University of Pennsylvania, obtaining his doctorate in economics from that institution in 1922. Throughout most of his adult life, Tugwell was associated with the academic community. In 1932 he had an opportunity to put his economic theories to practical use. With two Columbia colleagues, Raymond Moley and Adolf Berle, he became a member of Franklin D. Roosevelt's "Brains Trust". Among other things, he was involved in planning the Agriculture Adjustment Act. Tugwell was a champion of the public interest and advocated more government control over business. His strong opinions and aversion to compromise made him a very controversial figure during his years in public life. In 1933 Tugwell was appointed an assistant secretary in the Department of Agriculture. He soon became involved in an attempt to reform the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906. A year later he was made Under Secretary of Agriculture and, in 1935, Director of the Resettlement Administration. His particular interest was in suburban resettlement, which included the concept of the greenbelt or garden city. After the 1936 election, Tugwell resigned from the Government. Following a brief stint as a vice president of the American Molasses Company, he was appointed chairman of the planning department of the New York City Planning Commission in 1938. In this post Tugwell displayed both a thorough knowledge of planning and a talent for administration, which won for him the admiration of his colleagues. He was also able to use these talents effectively as governor of Puerto Rico. When he was appointed governor in 1942, plans for a socio-economic revolution in Puerto Rico had already been made. Tugwell's greatest contribution was in helping to set up a strong and efficient administration to serve as a base for the revolution. He was the last colonial governor appointed to office. After his term in office, the citizens of Puerto Rico were given the power to elect their own public officials. Tugwell returned to teaching in 1946, becoming professor of economics and director of the Institute of Planning at the University of Chicago. He continued to serve as a member of the Caribbean Commission and as an advisor on Puerto Rican affairs. In 1957 Tugwell retired from the University of Chicago and from the Caribbean Commission but remained active as a lecturer and writer. The many books he wrote include THE STRICKEN LAND, 1946; A CHRONICLE OF JEOPARDY, 1955; THE DEMOCRATIC ROOSEVELT, 1957; THE ENLARGEMENT OF THE PRESIDENCY, 1960; THE LIGHT OF OTHER DAYS, 1962; F.D.R.: ARCHITECT OF AN ERA, 1967; THE BRAINS TRUST, 1968; and IN SEARCH OF ROOSEVELT, 1972. Tugwell was affiliated with the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions in Santa Barbara, California, from 1957 until his death on July 21, 1979. The Tugwell Papers contain a large amount of correspondence relating to his writings and other professional activities. There are significant files on the Agricultural Adjustment Act, the Anglo-American Caribbean Commission, the New York City Planning Commission, Puerto Rico, University of Chicago Institute of Planning and on World Government. The files contain very little family correspondence. A large accretion to the papers, received in 1982, has been integrated into the files. A list of materials added is found in the back of this finding aid.

Incoming and outgoing personal, academic, business and political correspondence arranged alphabetically by subject or surname of correspondent, and thereunder chronologically. The dates following entries in this series indicate the dates of correspondence in these files.

Tugwell's own recollections have been augmented by correspondence and newspaper clippings. The newspapers have been removed from the text and filed in separate folders in the same box with the text. There are time gaps in the diary and, at times, the entries are handwritten and in unpolished form.

Contains correspondence and reports relating to areas of special interest to Tugwell. Additional correspondence on these topics may be found in the General Correspondence file.

Manuscript and printed copies of speeches, lectures and articles have been arranged chronologically. This is followed by undated material, book manuscripts and proofs, and printed matter from other sources. This file also contains a small amount of correspondence relating to Tugwell's writing.

Consists of unarranged clippings, scrapbooks, diplomas, awards and souvenirs of Tugwell's activities and travels. Books which accompanied the Tugwell Papers have been placed in the book collection of the Library.

Actual dates are 1931-1934, and 1960.

(See also City Planning Commission - Robert Moses)

Actual dates are 1932, and 1960-1963.

Actual dates are 1932-1933, and 1964.

Not Used

Chancellor

Joint Meeting of the American Economic Association, America Statistical Association, and the Farm Economic Association.

Review of THE PROCESS AND ORGANIZATION OF GOVERNMENT PLANNING by John D. Millett and CENTRAL PLANNING AND CONTROL IN WAR AND PEACE by Sir Oliver Franks

Review of TVA AND THE GRASS ROOTS, A STUDY IN THE SOCIOLOGY OF FORMAL ORGANIZATION by Philip Selznick

Review of THE LETTERS OF THEODORE ROOSEVELT: THE YEARS OF PREPARATION edited by Elting E. Morrison, F.D.R.: HIS PERSONAL LETTERS: EARLY YEARS and F.D.R.: HIS PERSONAL LETTERS: 1905-1928 edited by Elliott Roosevelt

note: oversize box.