The Agnes Smedley Collection contains newsclippings, photographs, speeches, lecture notes, printed matter, correspondence, and artifacts dating from 1911 to 1981. The bulk of the collection consists of newsclippings, photographs, and reprints documenting Smedley's career as a journalist in China and events in China during the Japanese conflict and World War II (1938-1948).
Identification:
MSS-122
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.
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 Agnes Smedley Collection contains newsclippings, photographs, speeches, lecture notes, printed matter, correspondence, and artifacts dating from 1911 to 1981. The bulk of the collection consists of newsclippings, photographs, and reprints documenting Smedley's career as a journalist in China and events in China during the Japanese conflict and World War II (1938-1948).
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.
Interested researchers may also wish to consult the Smedley-Mackinnon Collection (guide available at http://www.azarchivesonline.org/xtf/view?docId=ead/asu/smedmack.xml), which houses research source materials, notes, and correspondence regarding the life of journalist Agnes Smedley that were compiled by historian Stephen MacKinnon.
[Identification of item], Agnes Smedley Collection, MSS-122, Arizona State University Library.
Provenance
The Agnes Smedley Collection was originally received from Mrs. Mildred Coy of Altamirano, Mexico (executor of the Smedley estate) in 1974 via Mrs. G.F. (Florence) Willison of Ballston Spa, New York. The Coy materials are identified in the volumes as Groups 1-13 (papers) and Groups A-H (photographs). Other materials in the collection were assembled by founding university archivist Alfred Thomas and Jan and Steven MacKinnon of the Department of History.
Lecture Notes: Truth About China, Chinese Loan Facts, Untitled Notes,
1946, Undated
Volume
7
Lecture Notes, Including China's Challenge to Us is Asia's Challenge; Essay: What China's Fighters Are Thinking; Military Publication,
1941, Undated
Volume
8
Lecture, Lecture Notes, Essay: The Fighting Chinese,
1943, Undated
Volume
9
Lecture Notes; Essay: Chinese Story with a Happy Ending; Correspondence; Diary Pages,
1938-1946, Undated
Volume
10
Publications: China Today, Far Eastern Bulletin, China Newsletter. Madame Sun Yat Sen Correspondence with China Aid Council (Mimeograph),
1944, 1949
Volume
11
Crisis in China: University of Chicago Roundtable Essays,
1945
Volume
12
News Articles Regarding China,
1941-1945
Volume
13
Miscellaneous Lecture Notes; Manuscripts: Conversations with George Bernard Shaw, Is Democratic Criticism of China Good for the War, The Reactionary Trend in China; Newsclippings,
1943, 1945, Undated
Volume
14
Newsclippings Regarding Espionage Charges and Smedley in China; Poetry; Correspondence,
1939, 1946, 1949
Volume
15
Newsclippings; Upton Sinclair, Expect No Peace [Disbound Book],
1935-1971, Undated
Volume
16
Personal Check Stubs and Cancelled Checks,
1945-1947
Volume
17
Newsletters: Far East Bulletin - News and Views From China, China Defence League Newsletter,
1940-1941
Volume
18
Newsletters: China Aid Council, China Air Mail, The East and West Association. Peace Hospital Reports. Newsclipping,
1945-1946
Volume
19
Newsclippings, Book Reviews,
1936-1946
Volume
20
Newsclippings, Lectures, Forum Reviews,
1941-1949
Volume
21
Newsclippings, Lectures, Book Reviews,
1937-1947
Volume
22
Newsclippings and Book Reviews Regarding Battle Hymn of China,
1936, 1943-1944
Volume
23
Speeches, Essays, Poetry and Reports by Various Chinese Political Figures,
1935-1944
Newsclippings. Newsletter: Far East Bulletin. Photographs by Rosa Weller. Correspondence Received from Lt Col. Evans F. Carlson [USMC],
1941-1949, Undated
Volume
26
Records of National Citizens Political Action Committee. Leaflets, Maps, Newsclippings, Poster, Song Book, Mao Tse Tung Speech,
1941-1946
Volume
27
Military Newspapers: Dawn, Wan Pao. Army Reports and Arm Badge. Newsclips and Reprints,
1924-1950
Newsclippings. Typescripts Regarding China and Chinese Communist Party Program. Songs. Notes [Most Arranged Chronologically],
1944-1945, Undated
Volume
30
Newsclippings, Calling Cards, Lecture Notes, Manuscript of Unidentified Four Act Stage Production,
1928-1944, Undated
Volume
31
A Play on China,
Undated (Notes, Synopsis, Drafts of Prologue and Act I)
Volume
32
A Play on China,
Undated (Production Notes and Scripts Act I)
Volume
33
A Play on China,
Undated (Script Acts I-III)
Volume
34
A Play on China,
Undated (Miscellaneous Drafts, Correspondence; Unidentified Manuscript Material)
Volume
35/OV2
Artifacts: Captured Japanese Battle Flags, Arm Bands and Insignia,
Undated
Volume
36
Artifacts: Leather Purse and Strap, Notebook,
Undated
Volume
37
Artifacts: Woodcut Scrolls,
Undated (2 Scrolls)
Volume
38
Photographs,
Undated
Volume
39
Photographs,
Undated
Volume
40
Photographs,
Undated
Volume
41
Photographs,
Undated
Volume
42
Photographs,
Undated
Most of these items are unidentified.
Volume
43
Upton Sinclair - The Red Dragon: Manuscript (Photocopy) and Acquisition Correspondence
Volume
44
Agnes Smedley's Cell Mates by Steven and Jan MacKinnon from Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society, 3(2):531-539 (Winter, 1977) (Reprint). Letter to Emma Goldman (Undated Reprint). Newsclipping,
1977, Undated
Volume
45
Remarkable American Women Life Magazine Special Report,
Undated
Article appears on p. 39.
Volume
46/OV2
Agnes Smedley: A Special Student,
1912-1913
Compilation of writings in the Tempe Normal Student.