HUBERT H. HUMPHREY:

Correspondence, clippings, press releases, schedules, printed material, background information, notes, reports, and related items pertaining to Humphrey's trips abroad, organized chronologically by date of trip.

For the 1951-1958 period, the largest portions are devoted to a November-December 1951 tour of western Europe in connection with a Council of Europe meeting; to an April-May 1957 trip to the Middle East and the Mediterranean area, surveying food, military, and economic conditions; and to a November-December 1958 trip to Europe and Russia as a delegate to UNESCO, advisor to negotiations with the USSR on arms control, and attendee at international health conferences. There is considerable material on Humphrey's eight-hour conversation with Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev (December 2). The files include Humphrey's detailed observations on the European scene (November 1951), and on his Middle Eastern trip and foreign policy recommendations (June 1957).

Files for the 1961-1964 period pertain mainly to Humphrey's extensive tour of Europe and the Middle East in September-October 1961 to attend a variety of conferences and meet foreign leaders; to a November 1961 tour of Latin America, mainly to study agricultural cooperatives and assess economic development activities; and to a tour of the Caribbean area in November-December 1962, to study the results of the Alliance for Progress and related programs. The files include Humphrey's detailed reports of observations and activities during these three trips.

He made other miscellaneous trips in 1961 and 1963-1964. There are no trip files for 1959-1960.

Return to top

These documents are organized into the following sections:

Return to top

Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Hubert H. Humphrey Papers. Senate Trip Files. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession number: Many, see separate Humphrey, Hubert H. accession file.

Processing Information:

Catalog ID number: 99006951607010429

Return to top

Humphrey went to France on a Senate appointment to the U. S. delegation to the Council of Europe, which met approximately November 19-23 in Strasbourg to discuss such matters as European economic recovery programs, rearmament, refugees, and European unity. He also visited London, Paris, Germany, Austria, Amsterdam, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.

The Files include correspondence making trip arrangements and contacts; U.S. and European press clippings, some with translations; a series of Humphrey's letters about his trip and on European political, social, and economic affairs; and a printed Senate report on the Council meeting.

Return to top

Return to top

Humphrey travelled to the Middle East and southern Europe in his capacity as a member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and chairman of the committee's Consultative Subcommittee on Near Eastern, South Asian and African Affairs. He visited Rome, Cairo, Beirut, Tel Aviv, Athens, Madrid, and Lisbon, meeting with government and organization officials and surveying food, military, and economic conditions.

The Trip Files include considerable background on Middle Eastern affairs in the mid-1950s.

Return to top

Humphrey traveled to Europe and Russia on an official mission related to his roles as chairman of the Senate Government Operations Committee's Subcommittee on Reorganization and International Organizations and as an official U.S. delegate to the 10th session of UNESCO. He was assigned in particular to investigate United States participation in international health activity and in the sharing of medical research information. He attended the UNESCO session and a NATO parliamentarians conference in Paris (November 12-19); served as a Senate advisor at nuclear bomb test and disarmament conferences, and attended World Health Organization meetings, in Geneva (November 20-22); held meetings in Moscow (November 28-December 4), including an eight-hour session with Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev (December 2); and met with government and international organization officials in Berlin, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, Oslo, and London.

The files include correspondence making trip arrangements and contacts; follow-up letters after the trip; comments on his meetings, especially with Soviet officials; newspaper clippings; and some background materials. There is considerable information on his meeting with Khrushchev, including correspondence with constituents, notes and statements on the interview, clippings and other media comments, and a lengthy transcript of Humphrey's subsequent interview with Life magazine. Some relates also to the political aspects of the Humphrey-Khrushchev discussion with relation to Humphrey's interest in the 1960 presidential race.

Return to top

An assortment of background materials on European, Middle Eastern, African, and South Asian countries and issues, probably gathered in connection with Humphrey's trips abroad. They consist mainly of printed and mimeographed items and newspaper clippings, although some typescript reports and comments, and occasional correspondence, are also present. All date from the 1950s.

Return to top

In July 1961, Humphrey made a short trip to Europe for the following events: visit to West and East Berlin and conversations with Willy Brandt, mayor of West Berlin; meeting in Geneva with Averell Harriman and Adlai Stevenson, who were delegates to the meeting on a test ban treaty, and a meeting of the International Cooperation Committee on Laos; and a speech before the European-American Assembly on Arms Control in Paris.

Return to top

In September-October, 1961, Humphrey made an extensive tour of Europe and the Middle East, including attendance at the Inter-Parliamentary Conference, Brussels (September 22-23), International Monetary Fund Conference, Vienna (September 23-24), East-West Parliamentary Conference, Rome (September 25-27), International Political Science Conference, Paris (September 28-October 2), visit to President Bourghiba of Tunisia (October 13), and dedication of Freedom Forest, Israel (October 23-26). European countries visited: Belgium, England, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Spain, and Switzerland. Middle Eastern countries visited: Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, and the United Arab Republic.

Return to top

During November 9-28, 1961 Humphrey made a tour of Latin America, mainly to study agricultural and worker cooperatives in the area and to assess economic development activities and prospects and the work of the Alliance for Progress. Countries visited: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru.

Return to top

During approximately November 19-December 17, 1962 Humphrey toured Caribbean and Central American countries to obtain first-hand information on Alliance for Progress programs, on the (communist) Cuban problem and its ramifications in the Caribbean area, and on progress of the Central American common market and bank. He visited or toured Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, and Venezuela, meeting informally with student, labor, and agricultural groups and with businessmen, and touring Alliance projects. He also vacationed for several days in the Virgin Islands.

Return to top

Return to top

Return to top

Return to top

This trip included attendance at the Atlantic Community Cooperation for Latin American Development meeting, Paris, July 11-12; discussions with leaders of European Social and Democratic parties on labor movements in the United Kingdom, Germany, and Scandinavian countries, held at Harpsund, the country residence of the Swedish prime minister, July 13-14; and trips to Brussels and Copenhagen, July 15-18.

Return to top

Return to top

Return to top

Return to top