Scope and Contents: The papers document Nelson's active participation in the civil rights movement, school integration in New Orleans, and his work as an Assistant District Attorney for Orleans Parish. The papers of John P. Nelson, Jr. measure approximately 7.2 linear feet. There are 1,227 pieces of correspondence dated between 1957 and 1977. The papers also include magazine articles, speeches, a proposal, collected materials, notes, memoranda, agendas, reports, minutes, job descriptions, applications, resumes, forms, and various legal documents. The collection is arranged in three groups with material of general interest grouped together and papers relating to public service organizations arranged by the name of the organization. The papers also include materials on legal cases, arranged by case name and constitute the third and larges series.
A complete listing of Nelson's correspondents appears in the INDEX OF ALL CORRESPONDENTS; a partial listing of some names appearing most prominently in the collection includes Mathew Ahmann, John M. Blanchard, Hale Boggs, Edward H. Booker, Harvey Ronald H. Britton, Richard A. Buckley, Clark Byse, Arthur J. Capital, Ernest E. Cherrie, Herbert Christenberry, Jimmie H. Davis, Kenneth DeJean, Albert W. Dent, Allen J. Ellender, Frank B. Ellis, Pearlie Hardin Elloie, John B. Furey, Barbara Marie Guillory, Philip M. Hannan, C. Ellis Henica, Rosa Keller, Moon Landrieu, Terry F. Lenzner, John Pat Little, Edwin Lombard, Russell Long, Thomas W. McFerrin, John J. McKeith, Joseph Meyer, Ernest N. Morial, James M. Nabrit, J. Thomas Nelson, Revius Ortique, Thomas P. Perkins, Jr., Barry Portman, Reynard J. Rochon, Alvin B. Rubin, Patricia Saik, Charles F. Seeman, James N. Singleton, Francis Cardinal Spellman, Jesse Stone, Dorothy Taylor, Daniel Vincent, Thad Howard Waters, John Minor Wisdom, Katherine Shelly Wright, J. Skelly Wright, and James E. Young.
John P. Nelson papers
| Amistad Research Center
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