The Smedley-Mackinnon Collection houses research source materials, notes, and correspondence documenting the life of journalist Agnes Smedley that were compiled by historian Stephen MacKinnon. Although the materials range from 1911 to 1986, the bulk of the collection consists of photocopied Smedley correspondence, publications, and espionage investigation records extending from 1920 to 1950. The collection has been arranged in four series.
Identification:
MSS-123
Language:
Material in English
Repository:
Arizona State University Library. University Archives
P.O. Box 871006
Tempe, AZ 85287-1006
Phone: (480) 965-4932
E-Mail: archives@asu.edu Questions? Ask An Archivist!
Biographical Note
Agnes Smedley was born in Missouri in 1892 and lived in a number of western towns until she arrived at the Tempe Normal School in 1911. She attended the Normal School as a "Special Student" from 1911 to 1912, receiving special consideration for admission from president Arthur J. Matthews.
Sometime after her education at Tempe Normal School Smedley adopted the cause of Indian independence as a result of her acquaintance with revolutionary leader Lala Rajpat Rai. She worked for the Indian cause as a journalist first in New York and later in Germany from 1917 to 1928. After suffering a nervous breakdown and separating herself from the Indian independence movement she settled in China in 1929 serving as a foreign correspondent for a number of American and German periodicals including the Frankfurter Zeitung. During her twelve year residence in China she marched with the Red Army and became acquainted with many of China's most famous political leaders, including Mao Tse Tung and Chou En Lai.
In 1941 Smedley returned to the United States and lived at the writer's colony known as "Yaddo" through the middle forties. During this time she was a regular contributor to The Saratogian (Saratoga Springs, New York) and wrote feature articles and reviews for The New Masses, The Nation and The New Republic. Agnes Smedley was the author of a number of books including Daughter of Earth (1929), China Fights Back (1939) and Battle Hymn of China (1943).
In 1949 Smedley was accused of espionage by US Army Intelligence and spent many of her last days in political isolation. She died on May 6, 1950 and is buried at Peking, China.
Stephen Mackinnon is a Professor of History at Arizona State University and holds an appointment to the Center for Asian Studies at that institution.
Sources: "Bound Feet and Free Minds: Agnes Smedley Reclaimed", Village Voice, February 7, 1917, p.67-68 [see vol. 46]; Who Was Who in America, Vol. 3, 1960 [see vol. 44].
Scope and Content Note
The Smedley-Mackinnon Collection houses research source materials, notes, and correspondence documenting the life of journalist Agnes Smedley that were compiled by historian Stephen MacKinnon. Although the materials range from 1911 to 1986, the bulk of the collection consists of photocopied Smedley correspondence, publications, and espionage investigation records extending from 1920 to 1950. The collection has been arranged in four series.
Arrangement
This collection consists of five boxes divided into four series:
To view this collection, make an appointment at least five business days prior to your visit by contacting Ask an Archivist or calling (480) 965-4932. Appointments in the Wurzburger Reading Room at Hayden Library (rm. 138) on the Tempe campus are available Monday through Friday. Check the ASU Library Hours page for current availability.
Copyright
Arizona State University does not own the copyright to this collection. We recognize that it is incumbent upon the researcher to procure permission to publish information from this collection from the owner of the copyright.
[Identification of item], Smedley-MacKinnon Collection, MSS-123, Arizona State University Library.
Provenance
The bulk of the Smedley-MacKinnon Collection was received from Dr. Stephen MacKinnon in 1987 (ACC# 1987-00094). Additional materials including responses to FOIA requests and materials from the Chinese History Museum at Beijing, China were added to the collection by Dr. MacKinnon over time.
