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Speeches, correspondence, scrapbooks, photographs, and audiovisual material, ca. 1940s-1980s

Manuscript Collection 138 C

• Information about Oren Harris
• Information about the Collection
• Information about the First Accession and Supplementary Collection of the Harris Papers
• Contents of the Collection

INFORMATION ABOUT OREN HARRIS

Oren Harris was born December 20, 1903 at Belton, Hempstead County, Arkansas, son of Homer and Bettie Lee Harris.  After graduating from Prescott High School, he received his A.B. degree in 1929 from Henderson-Brown College, now Henderson State University, Arkadelphia, Arkansas, and his LL.B. in 1930 from Cumberland University Law School, now part of Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama.
 
In 1933, Harris became Deputy Prosecuting Attorney of Union County, Arkansas.  He was then elected Prosecuting Attorney of the 13th Judicial District of Arkansas and served two terms, 1936-1940.  Harris was elected to the House of Representatives in 1940, was subsequently reelected to Congress for 13 terms, representing the Fourth District of Arkansas for over 25 years.  On January 3, 1957, he became Chairman of the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce of the House of Representatives.

Upon appointment by President Lyndon B. Johnson, Oren Harris began serving as United States District Judge on February 3, 1966.  He became Chief Judge of the Western District of Arkansas and served on the Executive and Budget Committees of the Judicial Conference of the United States.

Harris was a member of the Baptist Church, the Masonic Order and Shrine, Knights of Pythias, Lions International, and Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity.  He was a recipient of a number of public service awards and citations, and was also honored with the first Brooks Hays Christian Citizen Award and the George Washington Award.  Oren Harris died on February 5, 1997.

INFORMATION ABOUT THE COLLECTION

The collection was donated to the Special Collections Division by James E. Harris and Carolyn McLeod in October 1998.

This supplement to the Oren Harris Papers complements the gift to the University of Arkansas Libraries by Judge Harris in 1966 and a second increment received in 1972 and 1973.  The present collection consists of materials in a variety of formats documenting a considerable span of Harris's life and career.  Series 1, Speeches and Reports, reflects Congressman Harris's role as chairman of the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, as well as other national and Arkansas issues.

Series 2 contains biographical material, family correspondence, and a large number of certificates, plaques, and other awards, as well as files pertaining to his political and governmental interests and activities.  In Series 3, scrapbooks containing many kinds of printed materials document Harris's political career and the work of committees on which he served, Interstate and Foreign Commerce and the Special Committee on Legislative Oversight.  Series 4, Photographs, comprises pictures of Harris and his family; working, political, and social engagements; and autographed photographs of various individuals.  Series 5 comprises audiovisual recordings of speeches, meetings, and other activities of Oren Harris, including 3 reels of motion picture film pertaining to the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington and an undated film of a telecast of Face the Nation.

Processed by Vera Ekechukwu, Special Collections Division, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, in July 1998.

Series 1.  Speeches and Reports, ca. 1945-1965.  (Boxes 1-7)

Series 2.  Personal Papers, Correspondence, Newspaper and Magazine Clippings,
                 and Publications, ca 1937-1980s.  (Boxes 8-13 and Oversize Boxes 1-9)

Series 3.  Scrapbooks, ca. 1940-1966.  (Boxes 14-25)

Series 4.  Photographs.  (Boxes 26-27 and Oversize Box 1)

Series 5.  Audiovisual Material.  (Boxes 28-32)