L. Mendel Rivers Papers, 1940-1962

Correspondence, speeches, memoranda, legislative files, political files, and committee files of L. Mendel Rivers (1905-1970), Democratic United States Representative from South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District from 1941 to 1970. Materials primarily relate to Rivers’ service in Congress from 1955 to 1962 with topics including the Cold War, Cuban Missile Crisis, Bay of Pigs invasion, Civil Rights, public school desegregation, and the United States Armed Services and defense programs. Also included are committee files concerning Rivers’ service as Chairman of the House Committee on Armed Services and his service on the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee.

The processing and digitization of this collection was made possible through a generous grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.