Manuscripts Collection
Hubert Humphrey's sound recordings consist of over 3,000 speaking engagements on reel-to-reel tapes, cassette tapes, and sound discs. The recordings consist of speeches, remarks, press conferences, radio shows, and other appearances, but interviews and senate hearings are also present, particularly in the 1970s. The bulk of the material contains Humphrey's numerous speeches spanning his political career. A handful of recordings are speeches given by others, primarily family and other politicians, during elections and following his death. Additionally, some audio from other events related to Humphrey are included. Not all speeches are complete due to missing reels or faulty recording techniques.
This series also features more than 80 digitized recordings that amplify Humphrey's political career. Humphrey had a gift for expressing himself at the podium and he used rhetoric very competently to express his convictions, explain legislation, and persuade colleagues and voters to advance large agendas. To document his voice for all to hear, at least one speech, interview or message is available in digital format for every year of his career with few exceptions.
Humphrey's powerful words are embodied in his
Hubert H. Humphrey's
Questionably dated speeches are filed at the beginning of each year or month, as appropriate. Materials with no dates are filed at the beginning of the Detailed Description.
Digital masters of the files are maintained on the Society's secure digital collections storage servers and are managed and preserved in accordance with archival best practices.
The original audiocassettes were disposed after the material was digitally reformatted into wav files.
Accession number: Many, see separate Humphrey, Hubert H. accession file.
Processed, digitized, and encoded by Jennifer Huebscher, 2012-2013.
Digital audio transferred from the master audio by the Minnesota Historical Society for preservation purposes, October, 2020.
This collection was re-boxed and weeded in 2013 resulting in new box numbers for many of the materials. It also shares a numbering sequence with a series of moving images, so gaps in the box numbers appear in the finding aid.
Minnesota Historical Society staff have not listened to all the recordings. Due to poor labeling on some of the recordings, it is difficult to determine if speeches with multiple tapes should be Part 1 and Part 2, or if they are duplicates of each other.
Digitization of selected sound recordings by Hubert H. Humphrey
is being generously supported by a Digitizing Historical Records
grant from the National Historical Publications and Records
Commission
Digitization was also made possible by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the vote of Minnesotans on November 4, 2008.
Includes speeches regarding civil rights, the ILGW Union, and a speech before the First Annual Conference.
Radio broadcasts that Humphrey's statement regarding Shelter-a-Vet, and the human rights program.
Discs appear to be in poor condition.
Envelope makes reference to color film which is not with the sound tape reel.
Digital version
Humphrey is introduced by Ronald Reagan.
Spots are numbered and titled as follows: 1-Food for Peace; 2-Family farms; 3-Milk sanitation; 4-Medical care for the aged; 5-Conservation; 6-Depressed areas; 7-Education; 8-Peace and foreign policy; 9-Small business; 10-Civil rights; 11-Tight money; 12-Labor politics.
Includes Senator Humphrey from Washington Weekly Report regarding last minute legislation.
Includes speech to the Second Annual Convention of the Northwestern Division of the Communications Workers. Sound on side 1 only.
Includes Humphrey talking about Eisenhower as a candidate for president.
Digital version
Reels are marked as parts II and III.
Digital version
Digital version
Digital version
Reel labeled as part 2, speech is incomplete.
Digital version
Digital version
Digital version - Part 1
Digital version - Part 2
There is a short break in the audio between parts I and II.
Digital version - Part 1
Digital version - Part 2
Sound quality is poor.
Digital version - Part 1
Digital version - Part 2
Sound tape reel is stored in box 146.
Spots are numbered and titled as follows: 13-Pearson; 14-West Virginia; 15-Lodge; 16-Hoover; 17-Mansfield; 18-Aspa; 19-Newsweek; 20-Meany; 21-Newspapers; 22-Businessmen.
Digital version
Spots are on the following subjects: food for peace; the family farm; milk sanitation; medical care for the aged; conservation; depressed areas; education; peace and foreign policy; small business; civil rights; tight money policy; and labor.
Sound quality is poor.
Digital version
Only the second reel of the speech has a use copy.
Digital version - Part 1
Digital version - Part 2
Digital version
Sound quality is fair.
Audio quality is poor.
Discusses current legislative issues, differences between the two major political parties, and the meaning of the definition of politics.
Digital version
Digital version - Part 1
Digital version - Part 2
Speech on disarmament. Tape fades out as it progresses.
Discusses the role of technology in a civic economy and an emphasis on current developments and efforts in Latin America.
Digital version
Focus of speech is foreign aid.
Discusses civil rights and the nuclear test ban.
Discusses civil rights and education.
Digital version
Some distortion on recording.
Digital version
Humphrey's speech starts 13 minutes in, after an introduction.
Digital version
Interruption of Humphrey on the Open Mike show revealing that President Johnson would call him soon.
Digital version
Includes lyrics.
Speakers include President Johnson, Vice President Humphrey, Speaker of the House John McCormick, and Chief Justice Earl Warren.
Digital version
Humphrey's speech is on reels 2 and 3.
Digital version - Part 1
Digital version - Part 2
Sound quality affected by wind.
Digital version - Part 1
Digital version - Part 2
Digital version - Part 3
Digital version
Digital version - Part 1
Digital version - Part 2
User copy exists only for Part 2.
Digital version
Digitized content is Humphrey's speech only.
Digital version
User copy exists only for Part 2.
User copy exists only for Part 2.
Tape is poor quality.
Digital version
Digital version
Includes office tour, Norman Sherman interview, and the four part series.
Digital version
Tape quality is poor.
Digital version - Part 1
Digital version - Part 2
Reel in fair/poor condition.
Could be a second copy of the USNA graduation dated incorrectly.
Speech feed via telephone line from WCCO radio station.
Digital version
Contains a report on Southeast Asia.
Reel is labeled as "2 of 2" but reel 1 is not present.
Digital version - Part 1
Digital version - Part 2
Digital version - Part 3
Digital version - Part 4
Digital version
Only "Go, Go, Go for Hubert Humphrey" appears on the sound reel.
Two copies are labeled as "Wisconsin" and one as "General" but the tracks on the discs are the same.
Digital version
Includes 22 60-second spots.
Aimed at Black, Italian, Polish, and Spanish voters.
It is unclear if one of the tape reels is a duplicate of one of the other reels which are clearly labeled tape 1 and tape 2, or if it's a separate tape of the event.
One of the user sound tape reels is also labeled as "Speech of V.P. Humphrey, June 29 '68, Sheraton, Oklahoma Hotel."
Digital version
Digital version - Part 1
Digital version - Part 2
Digital version
Digital version
Digital version - Part 1
Digital version - Part 2
Remarks are off-mike.
Digital version
Reels are labeled as "Reel 3 & 4" and "Reel 5 & 6."
Speech starts after 6 minutes and 20 seconds.
Digital version - Part 1
Digital version - Part 2
Digital version
Digital version
Digital version
Digital version - Part 1
Digital version - Part 2
Digital version
Digital version
Digital version
Digital version - Part 1
Digital version - Part 2
Digital version
Digital version
Digital version
Tapes are not labelled with anything other than a date. Will likely be culled.
Sound quality is poor.
Digital version - Part 1
Digital version - Part 2
Digital version
Digital version - Part 1
Digital version - Part 2
Recording contains some gaps.
Digital version
Digital version
Digital version - Part 1
Digital version - Part 2
Audio cuts off before speech is finished.
Digital version
Audio cuts off before speech is finished.
Digital version
Digital version
Digital version
Digitized content is the Mayor Tate dinner address.
Digital version
Digitized content is the election results and statements, Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Michigan.
Digital version
Digital version
Digital version
Includes reactions to events of the time. Each beeper is less than two minutes.
Digitized content is the statement regarding RMN inactivity about fuel energy farm crisis.
Digital version
Digital version
Digital audio
Digital audio
Digital version - Part 1
Digital version - Part 2
Digital version - Part 1
Digital version - Part 2
Digital version - Part 1
Digital version - Part 2
The first tape also contains recollections on his mayoral days for an autobiography.
Digital version
Digital audio
Digital version
Digitized content is the Selby-Dayton remarks.
Digital version
Digital version - Part 1
Digital version - Part 2
Digital version
Metropolitan Boys Choir songs for Humphrey and the Humphrey Celebrity Dinner.
One tape contains the actual interview; the second tape contains the interview as recorded from the news program.
Digital version
Digital version
Digital version
Digital version
Use copy available.
Use copy available.
Digital version
Use copy exists for first cassette only.
Digital version
April 16 address exists only on cassette and was never used for broadcast.
Film narration exists only on cassette.
Digital version
This was Humphrey's first appearance since his operation on August 18, 1977.
Skip Humphrey's announcement appears on one tape only.
Digitized content is Humphrey's speech only.
Digital version
Note on container: House of Representatives Honors Senator Hubert Humphrey.
Digital version
Includes a previous interview and portions of the memorial service.