Having served as Governor of New York State between 1933 and 1942, in 1949, at the age of 71 Lehman was elected United States Senator to fill the unexpired term of Robert F. Wagner, Sr. Reelected for a full term in 1950, Senator Lehman gave six years of distinguished service to the people of his state and nation.

His courage, moral integrity and unfaltering dedication soon made Senator Lehman one of Washington's most respected senators; just as they had won him affection and  honor in New York and on the world scene. He became known as "the conscience of the Senate" as he led those who stood for liberal principles and for the rights of accused individuals in the early 1950s when Senator McCarthy's influence was at its peak. Utterly fearless and disdainful for his own political fortunes he fought, at times almost alone, against tremendous opposition.

He was among the most vigorous fighters for bills protecting the civil rights of members of minority groups. He also led the battle against discriminatory national quotas in the immigration laws.

Just as Governor Lehman in the 1930s in the state of New York had been in the forefront of every struggle to expand Social Security, to develop public housing and public power, and to protect natural resources and the rights of the people, so as Senator in the 1950s he fought for similar legislation on the national scene. In international affairs the Senator and former Director General of UNRRA spoke and voted in favor of every effort to protect world peace through the United Nations.

The Lehman collection comprises over 250 file drawers of material; over 150 reels of microfilm, a large collection of disc and tape recordings; approx. 60 reels of movie film; 200 volumes of chronologically arranged press clippings; a reference library of approx. 2,000 books and pamphlets and a large collection of memorabilia and political cartoons.  

The Lehman collection documents Senator Lehman's opposition to the politics and tactics of Sen. Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin.

The battle between them was public and bitter. According to Lehman's biographer, Allen Nevins, on at least one occasion senatorial colleagues feared that the verbal combat between Lehman and McCarthy would lead to blows on the floor of the Senate. (See Allan Nevins, Herbert H. Lehman and His Era, 1963.)

The content of the files suggests that Lehman's role in fighting McCarthyism, however, was largely confined to making public statements about McCarthy and the damage Lehman believed McCarthy was doing to the nation, and in defense of those McCarthy attacked.

The Lehman files include copies of all of the speeches given by the Senator on the subject of Joseph McCarthy and McCarthyism between 1950 and 1954.

If the Senator engaged in other kinds of opposition or worked with others to coordinate their opposition within and outside the Senate, those activities are not reflected here.

While Lehman was a liberal, the papers contain valuable evidence of public support for both Lehman and McCarthy. Lehman's staff carefully separated incoming mail into "pro" and "anti" Lehman folders, allowing for analysis of both positions, and the changes occurring within these positions over time.

After Sen. Lehman left office in 1956, his papers were placed on deposit at the New York Public Library, where they were processed and indexed. The New York Public Library has granted the loan of its collection of Herbert H. Lehman papers to Columbia University. The collection came to Columbia in 1971.

Material concerning McCarthy can be found in several series throughout the collection.

• Special Correspondence Files
  
  • One file of correspondence between Lehman and McCarthy
• Special Subject Files
  
  • 3 files related to McCarthy  
• Senate Subject Files
  
  • 48 files of "pro" and "con" correspondence concerning McCarthy
    
  • 2 files on the Army investigation
    
  • 1 on the McCarthy Committee
    
  • 3 files on the Flanders resolution
  • 3 files on the Hennings Subcommittee Report with "Creeping McCarthyism" requests
  • 3 files of requests for Lehman's speech "Creeping McCarthyism"
  • 2 files of "Creeping McCarthyism" Thank You Notes
  • 1 file on Lehman's Democratic Committee Dinner speech
  • 1 file on Lehman's Milwaukee speech
  • 1 file on the Lehman resolution
  • 1 file on Edward R. Murrow 
  • 1 file on the Sears Appointment
  • 1 file on the Stevens controversy
• William Welsh files 
  • Welsh was Lehman's chief Senate researcher. 
  • The Welsh papers contain one file on McCarthy.

McCarthy, Joseph
Background material
file D362 6:

• Includes magazine reprints, note
• Draft of report "The Case of the Overseas Information Libraries"
• Report "McCarthy's Time Table to the White House" 
• Reprint of Bishop Sheil's speech describing McCarthyism as morally evil, 1954

McCarthy, Joseph
Censure: printed material
file D 362 7 

• Copy of James Rorty and Moshe Decter, McCarthy and the Communists (Boston: The Beacon Press, 1954
• Copy of Herbert H. Lehman, "Creeping McCarthyism: Its threat to Church, School and Press"
• Report of the Select Committee to Study Censure Charges United States Senate, 80 3d Congress, Second Session, Pursuing to the Order on Senate Resolution 301 and Amendments, a Resolution to Censure the Senator from Wisconsin, Mr. Mccarthy, November 8, 1954 (3 Copies)
• Rebecca West, "McCarthyism," 22 May 1953, U.S. News and World Report 
• Documentation of Charges under Consideration by the Select Committee on Resolutions (Senate Resolution 301) to Censure Sen. Joseph R. Mccarthy, Submitted by Sen. Wayne Morse, Aug. 30, 1954
• The New Republic, Oct. 29, 1956
• The Progressive, "McCarthy: a documentary record," April, 1954, volume 18, No. 4 
• The Reporter, July 21, 1953
• The Reporter, June 6, 1950

McCarthy, Joseph
Lehman franking controversy (letters, press releases, memos)
file D 362 9 

• Letters to and from Senator Lehman's office concerning the controversy over franking privileges, including drafts of form letters. Several correspondence notes McCarthy's activities sending out information under the frank
  

McCarthy, Joseph
Charges against made by Lehman
file D 362 8 

• Includes handwritten notes by Lehman defending a letter he wrote to Alger Hiss in 1948
• Statements made by Lehman on the floor of the Senate, taken from the congressional record, about the Ft. Monmouth controversy and other matters
• Charges made against McCarthy in Senate resolution 262
• Notes concerning charges made against McCarthy by Sen. Flanders
  

McCarthy, Joseph
Lehman franking controversy
(newspaper clippings, notes)
file D 362 10

McCarthy, Joseph
Lehman's resolution re: McCarthy (research material)
file D 362 11 

• Quotations from various documents including Congressional Record, Subcommittee Reports, newspapers, other investigations

John F. Kennedy 4/53, 10/17/54, 6/25/56
McCarthy, Joseph R. 1950-1954  

• 10 letters, 31 replies and related items
• Contains items concerning McCarthy's role as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Government Operations
• Proposed Senate resolution prepared by McCarthy concerning Social Security
• Some constituent correspondence concerning Lehman's confrontation with McCarthy on the Senate Floor concerning the use of Senate franking privileges

"Laitin, Joseph" 

• Transcript of "The Author Meets the Critics" 3/20/52
  featuring McCarthy an others 
  (not found 3/15/01)
  

C74 #5
New York State Projects 1953 

• 2/9; 3/6; 4/28; 10/13/1953
  moved to Special Files

C74 #6
New York State Projects - General 1954 

• 1/20; 7/54 
  moved to Special Files

Drawer C 202
McCarthyism and Joseph McCarthy
Printed matter: clippings

• Contains Newspaper Editorials
  1953, 1954
  New York Post, Washington Post, Newsday, New York Times, New York Tribune Herald Tribune, Jewish Floridian, Miami Herald, Buffalo Evening News
  Columns by Arthur Schlesinger, Jr, Drew Pearson, Walter Lippmann, Max Lerner, Stewart Alsop, Marquis Childs, Dorothy Schiff, George Trow, Doris Fleeson
  

McCarthyism and Joseph McCarthy
Printed matter: pamphlets

• Investigation of Senator Joseph McCarthy and William Benton, Pursuant to Senate Resolution 187 and Senate Resolution 304, Report of the Subcommittee on Privileges and Elections to the Committee on Rules and Administration, U.S.G.P.O., 1952
  
• Report of the Select Committee to Study Censure Charges, United States Senate, 83d Congress, Second Session, Pursuant to the Order on Senate Resolution 301 and Amendments, a Resolution to Censure the Senator from Wisconsin, Mr. McCarthy, U.S.G.P.O., 1954 (2 copies)
  
• The Wisconsin Citizens Committee on McCarthy's Record, The McCarthy Record (The Wisconsin Citizens Committee on McCarthy's Record, 1952)
  

List of Newspaper Articles Concerning McCarthy

• Congressional Record, the Fifth Congress, Fifth Session, Friday, Jan. 4, 1957
  Lehman, Herbert H.
  
• "Creeping McCarthyism: its Threat to Church, School and Press," An Address by Sen. Herbert H. Lehman at the New York State Democratic Committee Dinner, April 29, 1953 (2 copies)
  

Reprint of Congressional Record 

• Monday, June 15, 1953
  Remarks of Herbert H. Lehman
  "The Facts vs. Senator McCarthy" (7 copies)
  

McCarthyism and Joseph McCarthy
Lehman, Herbert H.
Replies to Letters of Support 

• July 1953, June 1953, August 1953, May 1953, June 1953
  Senator Lehman Responded to Letters Indicating Supported His Fight Against McCarthyism

McCarthyism and Joseph McCarthy
Lehman, Herbert H.
Speeches and Releases 

• List of Statements and Speeches on McCarthy and McCarthyism from March 1953
  Prepared 3/18/54
  
• Letter from Will Maslow to Julius Edelstein August 9, 1954
  Re: Wendell Furr
  
• Letter from Gerald A. Berlin to Will Maslow August 4, 1954
  Re: Wendell Furr
  
• Remarks of Sen. Herbert H. Lehman on the Resolution for Censure of Sen. Joseph McCarthy During Floor Debate, July 31, 1954
  
• Remarks of Sen. Herbert H. Lehman Urging Support of Flanders Resolution for Censure of Sen. McCarthy, July 28, 1954
  
• Newspaper Clipping: Frederick Woltman, "The McCarthy Balance Sheet"
  July 16 (1954?) Scripps-Howard Newspapers  
• Newspaper Clipping: Frederic Woltman, "The McCarthy Balance Sheet"
  July 15 (1954?) Scripps-Howard Newspapers
  
• Newspaper Clipping: Frederick Woltman, "The McCarthy Balance Sheet"
  July 14 (1954?) Scripps-Howard Newspapers
• Newspaper Clipping: New York World Telegram, Tuesday, July 13, 1954
  Frederick Woltman, "The McCarthy Balance Sheet"
  
• Newspaper Clipping: New York World Telegram, Monday, July 12, 1954
  Frederick Woltman, "The McCarthy Balance Sheet"  
• Newspaper Clipping: The Washington Post, Tuesday July 7, 1953
  "Lehman Castigates McCarthy for Impudence about Frank"
  
• Newspaper Clipping: New York Times, No Date
  "Lehman Re-issues Views on McCarthy"
  
• Statement by Sen. Herbert H. Lehman in Support of a Code of Fair Investigating Committee Procedures Before the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, June 30, 1954
  
• Letter to Senator Lehman from ??? WDOV, Delaware, 6/19/53
  Containing Letter from Joseph McCarthy to News Editor, Radio Station WDOV, Dover, Delaware
  Enclosure "Sen. McCarthy Answers Questions"  
• Sen. Herbert H. Lehman, "Some Reflections on the McCarthy Hearings"; Written for Hearst Newspapers, June 18, 1954  
• Sen. Herbert H. Lehman, "Comments on the McCarthy Hearings - - Proposal to Revoke His Chairmanship" Reprint from Congressional Record, June 17 and 29, 1954
  
• Remarks of Sen. Herbert H. Lehman on Introducing a Resolution Proposing the Revocation of the Election of Sen. McCarthy as Chairman of the Government Operations Committee, June 17, 1954
  
• Statement by Sen. Herbert H. Lehman on Latest Phase of McCarthy Inquiry, June 1, 1954
  
• Remarks of Sen. Herbert H. Lehman on the Right of the President to Withhold Certain Information and the Future of the McCarthy Hearings - on the Floor of the Senate, May 19, 1954
  
• Remarks by Sen. Herbert H. Lehman on the 60^th Anniversary of Celebration of Ukrainian National Association, May 17, 1954
  "Liberation, Self-determination and Independence: Outline of a Policy for Europe and Asia"
• Remarks on Telenews by Sen. Herbert H. Lehman, May 14, 1954
  
• Floor Remarks of Sen. Herbert H. Lehman Subject of the McCarthy Hearings, May 10, 1954
  
• No Date, No Title, No Attributed Author
  
• Remarks on McCarthy
  Text of Sen. Herbert H. Lehman's Fifth Radio Report to the People of New York State During the Second Session of the 83d Congress. May 9, 1954
  
• Statement by Sen. Herbert H. Lehman Commenting on a Speech by Bishop Shiels on Sen. McCarthy Yesterday in Chicago. April 10, 1954
  
• Letter from James E. Doyle, National Co-chairman Americans for Democratic Action. March 30,1954
  
• Reprint from the Congressional Record, March 25, 1953
  
• Remarks Made by Sen. Herbert H. Lehman in Connection with the Confirmation of Mr. Charles E. Bohlen as United States Ambassador to the Soviet Union (Incomplete)
  
• Sen. Herbert H. Lehman, Creeping McCarthyism: Its Threat to Church, School and Press.
  An Address by Sen. Herbert H. Lehman at the New York State Democratic Committee Dinner, April 29, 1953
  
• Reprint from the Congressional Record the Bohlen its Users, a Threat to Civil Liberties
  Speech of Sen. Herbert H. Lehman, March 25, 1953
  
• Newspaper Clipping
  Open Letter to Senator Joseph McCarthy
  C.H. Heintzelman
  June 11, 1953
  The Coatesville Record, Coatsville, Pa
• Cover Note from C. H. Heintzelman, Publisher, Coatesville Record
  June 12, 1953
  No Date, No Attribution
  Sen. McCarthy Answers Questions  
• Cover Note?
  June 16, 1953
  Concerning Sen. McCarthy Answers Questions
  from a News Man - Former Soldier  
• Newspaper Clipping:
  Letter to the Editor, New York Post
  June 17, 1953
  John F. Dooley
  Re: Franking Controversy
  
• Newspaper Clipping: Buffalo Evening News, June 13, 1953
  Smear Technique - - How it Works
  Editorial
  
• Newspaper Clipping: Buffalo Courier Express, June 13, 1953 
  Yes, Mr. McCarthy; Senators Should Be More Careful
  Editorial  
• Herbert H. Lehman, "The Strait Jacket of Fear"
  An Address by Sen. Herbert H. Lehman at a Jefferson - Jackson Date Dinner, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  June 20, 1953  
• Reply by Sen. Lehman to Letter from Sen. McCarthy on "Creeping McCarthyism" and the Franking Privilege
  July 6, 1953  
• Floor Remarks of Sen. Herbert H. Lehman Commenting on Sen. McCarthy's Charges of "Anti-semitism" Against Sen. Monroney and Others
  July 20, 1953
  
• Herbert H. Lehman, "The Challenge of 1953"
  An Address by Sen. Herbert H. Lehman at the Meeting of the Community Councils and Affiliated Organizations of the National Community Relations Advisory Committee
  Chicago, Illinois
  Oct. 11, 1953
  
• Press Release
  Americans for Democratic Action
  ADA Urges President to Set up Nonpolitical Committee on National Security and Civil Liberties
  November 22, 1953
  
• Newspaper Clipping: 
  New York Times, November 26, 1953
  The Radolivich Case
  Editorial
  
• Reprint from Congressional Record
  Immigration, Citizenship, and McCarthyism
  Extension of Remarks of Herbert H. Lehman
  Jan. 12, 1954
  
• Reprint from Congressional Record
  Book Burners: Intellectual Primitives
  Extension of Remarks of Herbert H. Lehman
  Jan. 12, 1954
  
• Remarks of Sen. Herbert H. Lehman at Roosevelt Day Dinner, Boston, Massachusetts
  "In Defense of Liberty"
  Jan. 25, 1954
• Remarks of Sen. Herbert H. Lehman at the National Roosevelt Day Dinner, New York, NY 
  Sponsored by Americans for Democratic Action
  "The Least Common Denominator"
  Feb. 6, 1954
• Remarks of Sen. Herbert H. Lehman Regarding the Appropriation for the Committee on Government Operations
  Feb. 9, 1954
  
• Remarks of Sen. Herbert H. Lehman at the New York State Democratic Committee Dinner, New York, New York
  "The G.O.P. Record and Abraham Lincoln - The Democratic Party's Responsibility in 1954"
  Feb. 14, 1954
  
• Reprint from Congressional Record
  Fair Investigation Committee Procedures Will Check McCarthy
  Speech of Herbert H. Lehman and Hon. Wayne Morse
  Feb. 24, 1954
  
• Statement by Sen. Herbert H. Lehman Commenting on Sen. McCarthy's Difference with the Secretary of the Army Stevens
  Feb. 25, 1954
  
• Remarks of Sen. Herbert H. Lehman at Annual Dinner of Unitary and Churches, Greater Washington Area
  Freedom and Morality
  Feb. 27, 1954
  
• Speech by Sen. Herbert H. Lehman on Receiving the John D. We Award Given by the New York Teacher Guild
  The Teachers Stake in the Struggle for Freedom and Recent Developments on the Freedom Front
  March 6, 1954  

The Senate Subject Files, which now include the old Senate Research Files and the Senate Miscellaneous Files, contain correspondence, notes, manuscripts, related material, and printed matter, all organized by subject, from Lehman's seven years in the United States Senate.

Drawer C 205
McCarthy, Joseph
Correspondence, Pro 

• File 112-120

McCarthy, Joseph
Correspondence, Con 

• File 121 
• File 122

McCarthy, Joseph
Correspondence, Con 

• Jan. - May 1953 
• File 123

McCarthy, Joseph
Correspondence, Con 

• June 1953 
• File 124 
• File 125

McCarthy, Joseph
Correspondence, Con 

• July 1953 
• File 126 
• File 127

McCarthy, Joseph
Correspondence, Con
Aug. - Dec. 1953 

• File 128 
• File 129

McCarthy, Joseph
Correspondence, Con
Jan. - Feb. 1954 

• File 130 
• File 131

McCarthy, Joseph
Correspondence, Con
March 1954 

• File 132 
• File 133

McCarthy, Joseph
Correspondence, Con
April - May 1954 

• File 134 
• File 135

McCarthy, Joseph
Correspondence, Con
June 1954 

• File 136

McCarthy, Joseph
Correspondence, Con
June 1954 

• File 137

McCarthy, Joseph
Correspondence, Con 

• July 1954 
• File 138 
• File 139

McCarthy, Joseph
Correspondence, Con
Aug. - September 1954 

• File 140

McCarthy, Joseph
Correspondence, Con
Oct. 1954 

• File 141

McCarthy, Joseph
Correspondence, Con
November 1954 

• File 142 
• File 143 
• File 144 
• File 145 
• File 146 
• File 147 
• File 148 
• File 149  
• File 150 
• File 151 
• File 152  
• File 153

McCarthy, Joseph
Correspondence, Con
Dec. 1954 

• File 154 
• File 155

McCarthy, Joseph
Correspondence, Con
1955 

• File 156

McCarthy, Joseph
Correspondence
Lehman, Herbert H.
Personal Replies 

• File 157

McCarthy, Joseph
Correspondence
Miscellaneous 

• File 158

McCarthy, Joseph
Army Investigation 

• File 159 
• File 160

McCarthy, Joseph
Committee 

• File 160

McCarthy, Joseph
Committee Posts 

• File 161

McCarthy, Joseph
Flanders Resolution 

• File 163 
• File 164

Drawer C207 

• File 165

McCarthy, Joseph
Hennings Subcommittee. Report 

• File 166

McCarthy, Joseph
Hennings Subcommittee. Report
with "Creeping McCarthyism" Requests 

• File 167 
• File 168 
• File 169 

McCarthy, Joseph
Lehman, Herbert H.
"Creeping McCarthyism" Requests
Drawer C 208 

• File 170 
• File 171 
• File 172

McCarthy, Joseph
Lehman, Herbert H.
"Creeping McCarthyism"
Thank You notes 

• File 173 
• File 174

McCarthy, Joseph
Lehman, Herbert H.
Democratic Committee Dinner Speech 

• File 175

McCarthy, Joseph
Lehman, Herbert H.
"Freedom and Morality" [Speech] 

• File 176

McCarthy, Joseph
Lehman, Herbert H.
Milwaukee Speech 

• File 177

McCarthy, Joseph
Lehman Resolution 

• File 178

McCarthy, Joseph
Murrow, Edward R. 

• File 179

McCarthy, Joseph
Sears Appointment 

• File 180

McCarthy, Joseph
Senate Subcommittee Report 

• File 181

McCarthy, Joseph
Stevens Controversy 

• File 182 

Overhead 23

• Williams, Edward Bennett "The Final Irony of Joe McCarthy" Saturday Evening Post (9 June 1962)