Vitter Congressional Papers arrive at Tulane
The David Vitter Congressional Papers have become the latest acquisition of the Louisiana Research Collection (LaRC) at Tulane University, joining the papers of dozens of Louisiana political figures from Huey P. Long to Lindy Boggs.
The collection contains materials accumulated over Vitter’s tenure as both a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. The majority of the files document legislative activities, services to constituents, campaigns, press and communications and Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts.
The documents include clippings, correspondence, briefing books, constituent mail, grants and project requests, daily schedules, committee work and photographs.
“One of LaRC's specialties is preserving Louisiana's dynamic political heritage."
Leon Miller, head of the Louisiana Research Collection
Vitter, a Republican from Metairie, served in the House from 1999 to 2005 and in the Senate from from 2005 to 2017.
“One of LaRC's specialties is preserving Louisiana's dynamic political heritage,” said Leon Miller, head of the Louisiana Research Collection. “LaRC brings more off-campus researchers to Tulane, to do research on our campus, than any other organization. Already we are receiving requests to use the Vitter papers and we look forward to making them available to researchers from around the world.”
“It's a real honor to turn over this collection to the renowned Tulane University,” Vitter said. “I look forward to seeing the scholarship put to use."
The Louisiana Research Collection's first acquisition was in 1889. Since then it has acquired almost four linear miles of books, maps, ephemera and archives about Louisiana, including the papers of Louisiana governors, members of Congress, mayors of New Orleans, Civil War generals, southern writers, the records of women’s organizations, LGBTQ organizations and church and synagogue records. LaRC also preserves one of the finest 19th century Louisiana libraries extant, an excellent map collection, and the largest collection of pre-WWII original Carnival float and costume designs.
In addition to the papers of Long and Boggs, the LaRC’s holdings include those of Hale Boggs, David Treen, F. Edward Hebert, Sam Jones, Victor Schiro, deLesseps S. Morrison and Martha Gilmore Robinson.
