Truman Library - Charles F. Knox, Jr. Papers

Charles F. Knox, Jr. Papers

Dates: 1948-71; Bulk Dates 1948-1949

The papers of Charles F. Knox document primarily his assignment to establish and participate in a U.S. mission in Israel in the period from July 1948 to March 1949. The collection consists largely of letters that Knox wrote to his sister Jesse. They show his frustration over a lack of support by the U.S. State Department for his mission and report on the problems of living and working in the midst of the first Arab-Israel war. The collection also includes a small amount of correspondence with State Department officials describing the situation in Israel.

[Administrative Information | Biographical Sketch | Collection Description | Series Descriptions | Folder Title List]

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Size: About 100 pages.
Access: Open.
Copyright: Copyright in the unpublished writings of Charles F. Knox, Jr. in these papers has been donated to the United States of America. In addition, documents prepared by U.S. government officials in the course of their official duties are in the public domain. Copyright interest in documents which do not fall into these two categories is presumed to remain with the authors of the documents.
Processed by: Carol Briley (1998)

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

1906, November 10 Born, Maplewood, New Jersey

1929 B.S., Georgetown University

1930-c. 1953 State Department official

1930-36 Assistant Business Specialist, Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce

1947-48 Counselor of U.S. Mission to Israel, Tel Aviv

1949-52 Consul General, Curacao, Dutch West Indies

c. 1953 Retired from the State Department

c. 1953-73 Consultant and Advisor on International Affairs for Latin American

c. 1973 Died, Sarasota, Florida

COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

The papers of Charles F. Knox, Jr. document the establishment and operation of the first U.S. mission in the State of Israel and consist primarily of letters Knox wrote to his sister, Jesse Knox, while he was assigned to Israel during the period from July 1948 to March 1949. Knox's letters document the difficulties that he encountered in establishing the first U.S. mission in war torn Tel Aviv in 1948-49. The difficulties of his life in Israel are clearly portrayed as is the lack of support given to the mission by the State Department. There are also in the collection a few items of correspondence that Knox wrote to State Department officials, a photo album and snapshots depicting scenes in Israel, and two maps of Israel. The collection is organized in a single subject file, which is arranged by type of material.

Other materials relating to the founding of Israel in the Library's holdings are in the papers of Harry S. Truman, Dean Acheson, Edward Jacobson, David K. Niles, Herschel V. Johnson, Clark M. Clifford, Harry Rosenfield, and A. J. Granoff, and in the records of the Weizmann Archives. The Library's oral history interviews with Clark M. Clifford, Abraham Feinberg, Loy Henderson, Harry Rosenfield, and Edwin Wright also contain information relating to the founding of Israel.

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

Container Nos. Series

1
Subject File, 1948-71, Bulk Dates 1948-49

Letters from Knox to his sister, Jesse, other correspondence, maps of Israel, photographs relating to Knox's stay in Israel, newspaper clippings, a chronological survey of events in Israel from January 1948 until March 1949, background notes on the establishment of Israel, and a listing of historical dates relating to the city of Jerusalem. Arranged by type of material.

FOLDER TITLE LIST Box 1

Correspondence, 1948-49
Photographs, 1948-49
Maps of Israel, ca. 1948-49
Chronological Survey of Events, 1948-49
Notes on Israel, 1970-71

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Container Nos.		Series
1		Subject File, 1948-71, Bulk Dates 1948-49
		Letters from Knox to his sister, Jesse, other correspondence, maps of Israel, photographs relating to Knox's stay in Israel, newspaper clippings, a chronological survey of events in Israel from January 1948 until March 1949, background notes on the establishment of Israel, and a listing of historical dates relating to the city of Jerusalem. Arranged by type of material.